Page 60 - Obruni In Ghana | Amber Lockridge

58 EPISODE 7: WHITE
“Kukuwa, don’t do that,” she reprimands me sharply. “Don’t mind her, okay? Everything will be fine. O be ye yie, ate ase?” I nod firmly and she stands up. Smiling at her, I wipe my face again.
“O be ye yie (it will be okay)” I state with conviction.
“Mmm-hmmm.” She leaves the room.
Being white in Ghana is not easy for me. I’ve never been so acutely conscious of my race. Sometimes it’s wonderful, sometimes it’s awful, but it’s so rarely what I desire it to be – normal. I can’t walk down the street without leaving trails of gossip behind. “Oboroni is walking with an African.” “Look at oboroni wearing that dress.” “Oboroni is buying
bananas.”
Yesterday afternoon I was coming from school
early to attend a medical appointment. I was sitting in a taxi in my school uniform while two other women occupied the back seat. As soon as I sat down, one turned to the other.
“Oboroni didn’t go to school.”