There go the Vikings again -Sikaman Palava

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) once reported live from the campus of the University of Ghana, Legon. Those were the days when the campus wars raged and hall masters had to run for cover, leaving their wives behind. They had forgotten they were married.

The Supreme Viking Revolutionary Council had set up a counter-intelligence outfit that monitored by satellite the movement of Vandals of Commonwealth from the shrine of Father Bacchus.

The Vandals were coming to rescue their warrior who had been captured and kept in protective custody in a small air-less room. A few mosquitoes kept the captive company and sang him the national anthem. He was not impressed one bit. Obviously, the quito symphony was too loud for comfort.

One of the mosquitoes tested his blood pressure and another gave him a pro-malaria injection. The poor Vandal squealed and slapped at the quito and waited for his tribesmen to pull a fast one and set him free. He was mistaken, because Vikings from the Republic of Okponglo kept vigil, their eyes red and flaming. There was no redemption in sight.

The BBC managed to catch up with the hall-master of Mensah Sarbah Hall. There was a towel around his waist, his pot-belly notwithstanding. The man looked well-fed.

"This is the BBC reporting live from the campus of the University of Ghana, Legon, Accra,” the campus correspondent intoned. "We are about to have an interview with the hall master of Mensah Sarbah Hall, one of the contending parties in the campus battle that has polarised this educational institution of renown ... "

The 'microphone' was thrust into the face of the quivering hall master who assured the drum-beating warriors that steps were being taken to resolve the matter peacefully. Meanwhile, it was about 2:00 a.m. dawn time and he needed to catch some sleep, get refreshed and get down to resolving the impasse.

The Mensah Sarbah Hall (Vikings) and Commonwealth Hall (Vandals) have been 'sworn' enemies from time immemorial. For some reasons that are not too lucid, Commonwealth Hall has always maintained that Sarbah Hall Annex B, better known as Okponglo, is part of the kingdom of the Vandals. In other words, Okponglo is a bonafide of the Vandal territory and needless to say, sovereignty.

Vikings always think this is blasphemy and have often called on Vandals to exorcise their minds of that claim that Okponglo belonged to them. Vikings have also advised them to seek deliverance from such blasphemy in a charismatic church.

During hall weeks, skirmishes were made and often there were near clashes. It was only when a Viking went to Vandal City and was ponded that the resultant war caused the Vandals many 'casualties'.

Alhaji Razak el-Alawa is a Vandal publicist par excellence and does quite a job for his hall. He doesn't agree that Vandals have ever been at the receiving end. Not when every Vandal has faith in Father Bacchus.

Father Bacchus is the Patron Saint of Wine, and Vandals 'supplicate' to him. As the war got on, Vandals swore vengeance in the name of Father Bacchus, but the natural tacticians easily rebuffed the Vandal advance using guile and strong-arm.

In those days Mensah Sarbah Hall was the only mixed hall and Viking Warriors had the added task of protecting the females. And they did it jealously and with zeal and passion. The Viking spirit was bubbling over and the Vandals had to 'balance' with their tails between their legs.

Today, Vandals and Vikings are almost like brothers - no bad blood at all. Alumni of the two halls play fun football matches and reminisce the good old days. The only problem is that Vandals are a bit envious of Vikings, because Vikings are naturally imbued with IDEAS. The latest idea will soon be launched in grand style and I'm sure Vandals are going to have sleepless night over it. .

Vikings need that solidarity to get this one through and they must keep faith with the spirit because we must succeed. It is a must because there is no longer room for failure.

Viking alumni are going to publish a list of members of good standing and yours truly Kwame Alomele has the list of all members right here in front of me as I write. I can sight the name of Mr Kofi Asuman (Managing Director of New Times Corporation), Mrs Betty-Mould Iddrisu (Attorney-General of the Republic of Ghana), Nutifafa Kuenyehia (famous lawyer), Ebo Quansah (journalist), Ms Akua Sena Dansua (Minister of Women and Children's Affairs) and Madam Esther N. Cobbah (Public Relations practitioner).

Check out the following I'm picking at random with more to come in subsequent write-ups: Ken Brookman-Amissah (lawyer), George Ofosuhene (banker), Dr Thomas Dakurah (medical doctor), Agbeli Amegashie (geologist), Francis Kuaha, Francis Abbew (lecturer), Ewura Abena (Ecobank), Yao Graham (publisher), Foh Amoaning (ex-GBAPresident), Kwesi Yankah (Kwatriot - lecturer), Bede Ziedong (politician), Eric Yankah and many more to be published soon.

My next submission on the Viking identity will tell the world about the celebrated COW-HEAD palaver. It brought together the best legal brains to resolve a matter that nearly brought about a social cataclysm. The missing cow-head appeal has still not been heard and legal bigwigs are still researching into the issue that is likely to end up soon at the Supreme Court of the Republic of Ghana.

Credit: Kwame Alomele [Email: [email protected] Also: www.merarialome.com.]