The Rock of Tabiri

It’s been hanging over me since I arrived in Koforidua. Early on Sunday morning I finally conquered it. Approaching the town from any direction the best indication that you have nearly arrived is the sight of the distinctive mass of Obuotabiri. The local mountain, home to the local gods, is visible from all over Koforidua and the surrounding settlements. Sometimes shrouded in cloud and at others veiled in Harmattan haze, it provides a reassuring point of orientation, often helping when confused by the eccentric street patterns. Early on Thursday morning I had been in the countryside near the Densu River looking at a piece of land with the chairman of the local association for the blind. I had never been this far out in this direction but to the north-east stood Obuotabiri, not presenting its usual silhouette but nevertheless there.
For some time we had talked about climbing it, but with the Harmattan gone and much clearer conditions and a spare Sunday morning Gijs and I decided the time had come. We wanted to avoid the heat of the day so we agreed to meet at the wine shop at 7 am. Not familiar with town at this hour on a Sunday, I was surprised to see three running clubs set off from Jackson Park. With drums, horns and chanting they seemed much more exciting than their British counterparts. We knew there was a road to the cluster of communication masts at its summit and that it left the Ho Road just beyond the waterworks. The route could not have been easier. It took just over an hour from the wine shop to the top. There were a few people about, most asked where we were going. We thought this a little strange as the road went to the top of the mountain and stopped. There wasn’t really an alternative. We said we were going up the mountain (and, OK, it isn’t really a mountain but it is certainly regarded as one). Much of the land on the slopes is cultivated. Oranges were particularly apparent. We reached the top drenched in sweat. There was a good view point from which to take in the whole municipality. To the left Jubilee Park, straight ahead, Jackson Park, the central market, Assembly building and Ghana Commercial Bank, to the right the Roman Catholic Cathedral and in the distance the distinctive blue shape of the New Capital View Hotel. I could see my landlord’s two storey house, the spot at the garden gate and the roof of my house. There was a slight mist so the view was not as good as it could have been, but the cloud had kept the sun off us. The vultures wheeled below us rather than above. Koforidua looked calm, neat and tidy. Little sound made it up the mountain other than the occasional shout of ‘AccraAccra’ from the loudspeaker at the tro tro station. The view taken in and the day warming up we returned to the track and were back in the town by 10.