)ware

A village champion of the )ware game defends her title against a formidable opponent.

Abena, 6 time village champion of the game )ware though she knew everything about the strategic game. It was played in the past by royals on a board divided into two sections. Each section had six spaces, each filled with four green spheres, representing the asafo. 

For the first time in her life, she had only three  full spaces. She glanced at her opponent, a white haired woman who watched the board quietly. ' I've to concede defeat' Abena decided. 

Before she could voice out her thoughts, five women brushed away the crowd that had gathered around the players and addressed the old lady.

'Sarpomaa Sakyiwaa,' one of them began, 'You have been chosen to be the next chief of the village. Is this acceptable to you?' 

'It is.'

Immediately two of the women hosited her up on their shoulders and the others cheered as she was led away from the village centre, amidst drumming and cheering from the crowd. Abena sped off to the home of her ebusuapanin (family head), who taught her everything about the game.

Ebusaupanin Efua listened calmly to Abena's rehash of the events. She then brought out her own )ware board and for hours, they played together, until Efua's spaces were completely empty, signalling her defeat. 

Abena thanked her and sped off for the chief's palace, knowing that after 6:00 pm, it would be closed and she would never be able to complete her game with Sarpomaa. She arrived at the gate at 5:30 pm but an asafo prevented her from getting in.

'Sorry, child, Sarpomaa's training begins in 30 minutes. We can't allow any more visits to her now.

'It's alright' said Sarpomaa as she approached the two. 'I apologise for not finishing our game, Abena'.

They both took a seat under the Odum tree in the centre of the royal palace and Sarpomaa placed her own )ware board on the bench between them. As the minutes flew by, for each set of pieces that Abena lost, Sarpomaa lost twice as many pieces until she had only one set of seeds left.

At Abena's turn, she secured the last set of )ware pieces from Sarpomaa.

'Thank you for the game' said Abena.

'You're welcome, Abena, Champion of Seikrom.'