From Russia with love I fly to you
Much wiser since my goodbye to you
I’ve travelled the world to learn
I must return from Russia with love.
Matt Monro (1963) James Bond 007
A bespectacled man in white skin goes to a hotel and asks the Manageress for a room. He says “I from Russia, a room for me?” He is booked: Room 89 – special room. Next moment, he comes down with a request: “There is a fault in the microwave.” Manageress: “Let’s go, I’ll fix it.” In the room, the Russian speaks: “Tu o-cheen kra cee va ya, You no understand Russian? I said you very beautiful.” A smile … a married woman, mother of three… the next moment, the Russian had “finished” her by “doggie”, pants on… caught on the video fixed unto the spectacles of the Russian guy.
At the Accra Mall, the hero confronts a beautiful 29-year-old. “Hei, devushka (girl), you from where?” Devushka: from Etua-dua-ho.” Russian hero: “You, beautiful… say “spasibo.” (Thank you) Devushka: “Spasibo.” Russian hero: “Let’s go, see my room.” Devushka: “Okay.” Russian hero: “Say ‘horosho’, that’s Russian (okay). Within thirty minutes, the Russian hero had “finished” her, and dashed her GHC100 it went on and on… one of the ladies the Russian hero accosted said “Net” (No) to any proposal the Russian hero made. “Ya teblu tevya” (I love you,) otvezu tebya Moskvu (take you to Moscow) Response: “Da” (yes) “net” (No).
Social media got wind leaked by the self-same Russian hero, now villain – He had done it in Kenya where in one instance, a church attendant was lured at a church service to this Russian villain for a sexual escapade.
Ghana got awash with the god-forsaken man’s antics: ladies fell into the trap. Condemnation: “Ghanaian girls are cheap”; “You allow this broni pete to scam you”; “How can married women fall for this…” Social critics, nay, criminologists, sociologists, psychologists. Was it a delinquent act? lower levels of self-control? any neuro-cognitive problems? Our Ghanaian and cultural norms. Socialization. The victims get scarred, bruised, dehumanized. Was the Russian guy on a spying mission? The Russians and ‘communist inferior tactics” a scare- crow? The victions get scarred, bruised, dehumanized-ruined for life!
Lady X: “My family is ignoring me; my life is in turmoil; and everything around me feels shattered…” Lady Y: “I just gathered courage to tell you before the video comes out… it’s not the way you guys are thinking… When the video comes out, don’t cast me out…” Lady Z: “I just want to clear my name… I am part of the people the Russian guy lured into his apartment… his bed… Er, er, er…” an attack of hiccups: “I don’t know how to explain.”
“How much money were they asking?” Vyacheslav Trahov a member of a cartel, responds: “$20 is enough. Not everyone asks for it.” So, do you do anal sex pro-bono? “O judgment, thou art fled to brutish, beast. And men (women) have lost their reason…” Marcus Antonius would say: Some victims are contemplating suicide? Can’t withstand the taunts… Serina A was just a worker for a real estate agency.
The Russian guy approached her: “I’m in Ghana, in a hotel… I need an apartment.” Go to Tema together… then…! Afia Schwarzenegger: “Sorry for the girls who have cheapened themselves for this broni pete … you condemn Ghanaian boys as not being your class … Do HIV test, all of you…” Blasting by Osofo Kum-cha-cha and Captain Smart.
The Ghanaian government has moved “fast” since the story broke… to the admiration of a Kenyan commentator: “Kenyan women were violated… government abandoned them… see Ghana…” Do we need this comparison?
Sam George, Minister of Communications was not critical of the unfortunate victims, but rather shifted the blame right to the door-step of the Russian villain: “That gentleman will be looked for,.. working with Interpol the way we’ve worked with Interpol to extradite Ghanaians to other jurisdictions … recording without their consent and later posting online constitutes a crime under the Cyber Crime Offences Act 1038 of Ghana, 2020… our Ghanaian men and women, we urge caution. … on the legal side, we will play our part…” Takes us to Apiiru’s Religion Class (1969) “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her…” (John 8:7).
“Do not judge, or you will be judged. For the same judgement you pronounce, you will be judged,.. Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye…” (Matthew 7:1–5). Best student: Religion, English, Education, Physical Education..
From the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection: “(It) has taken note of reports involving a foreign national who allegedly engaged in sexual activities with some Ghanaian women and recorded and circulated those acts without consent… The non-consensual recording and distribution of intimate images is a criminal offence and a clear violation of dignity and privacy…
The Ministry continues to work with the Ghana Police Service, relevant security institutions.. to explore all lawful options available committed to protecting the rights, safety, and dignity of all persons.. Bravo! Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey. Do we know the number of Ghanaian women lured by this smelly Russian rat? (25, 50, 75,100?). Let’s have pity on the victims … turn our venom on the rascally Russian brute.
Is that how tourists behave? Is that how our “hospitality” will be abused? Words like stupid, foolish, cheap… heaped on the Ghanaian women victims have the tendency to force some of them to commit suicide!
The Ghanaian Ministers can play their part. But they have difficulties to contend with. Article 61(1) of the Russian Constitution (called The Constitution of the Russian Federation, 1993) with Amendment, 2020 which replaced the Soviet-era Constitution of 1978 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union) stipulates: “A citizen of the Russian Federation may not be deported from the Russian Federation or extradited to another country.” Remember what Putin told America in 2018 when U.S. demanded the repatriation of some Russian citizens for election-meddling, “Russia does not extradite its citizens… the 13 Russians do not represent the Russian state.”
We have travelled to other countries and witnessed the vulnerability of women in Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, Mali, Kenya, South Africa, France, Germany, Britain. Ghanaian students return to Ghana with consorts from the countries they went and studied. Some of us were not so wicked to “take advantage” of the women in the home countries… Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, had a Ghanaian wife!
South African President, Nelson Mandela, after his divorce with Winnie Madikizela for public infidelity married Graca Machel, the widow of Mozambique’s President: Mandela had said in court: “I am the loneliest ma…” and Graca Machel was a beneficiary of Mandela’s estate, added to the three she had in Maputo and one in Chitembene when the Mozambican President died. Winnie was not mentioned in Mandela’s will.
Prof. Atukwei Okai, our Russian Literature lecturer would say poetically: “O let the sundown, soon, let melting mountains go… let the evening horns blow… let the graying day glow”. Ghanaian woman:” Beware, the ides of March…”(as Julius Caeser would be warned …before his assassination). Someone says:
Never convince yourself that your woman is so principled, she could never let her guard down… when the right guy appears at the right moment, with the right trigger, she’ll set aside whatever principles you thought she had… so you can’t blame men who refuse to let their wives work in hotels, bars, closed corporate environment… Delusional confidence gets men burned. Awareness keeps you ahead.” What is it “from Russia”? with abhorrence.
Paka, paka (bye-bye).
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