Obaa Yaa
Many disappointments worrying
Dear Obaa Yaa,
I am a graduate teacher plying my trade in one of the prestigious schools in Accra with a good salary. Though l am desirous of getting married, and starting my family on time, three successive relationships have been unsuccessful and the problem keeps worrying me and l am gradually getting frustrated.
The situation has got to a stage that people are pointing accusing fingers at me as the cause of the frequent break ups in my relationships. Some colleagues, who were concerned about the frequent unsuccessful relationships and enquired from me, were satisfied with the explanation l gave them.
Unfortunately, others who could not muster the courage to find out from me held the wrong impression that l was the cause of the problem and, therefore, considered me a bad person.
Having had enough of the ridicule, insults and humiliation among others, l have decided to stay single not to meddle in the affairs of others in order to be embarrassed.
I am worried and incapable of lifting up my head in society. What shall l do?
Frank, Accra.
Dear Frank,
It is my belief that certain things happen without following any particular formula. The unsuccessful relationships you have encounterred could be due to coincidence and should not force you to think otherwise and throw up your hands in total despair.
What you ought to do is to study your lover before you enter into any serious relationship. This will prevent the incidence of frequent embarrassment as you have described in your letter. I wish you success in your next relationship.
Dear Obaa Yaa,
We bumped into each other on orientation day as freshers on campus. I liked his smile, his choice of words, and charisma. I didn’t hesitate at all when he asked for my contact. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with a guy like this, I said to myself.
We texted more often, had conversations on phone, and our friendship literally grew very strong. We attended lectures together, studied together, hanged out together; everyone thought we were lovers.
He did everything for me—surprise dates, thoughtful gifts, pays my academic fees, and gives me a listening ear everyone would wish for.
One evening at a friend’s birthday party, standing in the middle of the audience, he proposed and asked me to be his girlfriend. I declined his proposal; this was because I have no feelings for him, and I just want us to be friends.
He is a man with good morals, so gentle, God-fearing, ambitious, a man every lady would wish for, but my heart just wasn’t in it. I wondered if love was supposed to be this complicated: the more he did, the more I felt like a friend, not a lover. He still wants me, but I want us to be just friends. What should I do?
Naa Kwarley, Kaneshie.
Dear Naa Kwarley,
This is a tough situation, and you’re handling it with both kindness and firmness.
Since you’ve already told him you’re not interested in a romantic relationship, it’s crucial to be clear and direct while still being respectful. I’d advise you to reiterate your feelings to him, emphasising that you value him as a person and appreciate what he’s done, but you see him more as a close friend. Make it clear that you hope you can still maintain a strong friendship, but it can’t be anything more.
It’s essential to be prepared for him to need space or time to process, so be patient and understanding.
Dear Obaa Yaa,
I am a regular reader of your highly esteemed paper and I would like to know whether some amount of money is paid to those who write short stories for publication on the children’s page of your Weekly Spectator.
I wrote a short story which was published last month, and my friends who saw it told me that a token will be paid to anyone whose story is published.
A.J., Kwabenya.
Dear A.J.,
We don’t pay for short stories published on our children’s page. That opportunity is to encourage school children to develop the habit of writing. We believe that by publishing their short stories, they’ll be encouraged to write more.
The paper is open to everyone who wants to share ideas or write about a concern.
