After hitting its target of 10 million subscribers, there was no better way MTN Ghana could thank its customers than to dedicate the 2011 edition of the MTN Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols to them. It was, however, those who made it to the Accra International Conference Centre that will forever remember that great moment of inexpressive joy with a pang of nostalgia. They cannot forget the night “Madman” Kwaw Kese appeared on stage in his neatest outfit ever and did what would never have been associated with Ghana’s King of the Streets. They will not forget the night two of the nine distinguished persons chosen to read the scriptures were persons with disabilities. The memory of Okyeame Kwame conducting the Winneba Youth Choir to welcome the birth of the Saviour will forever linger with them. And they certainly will not forget that night when Stephen “Tornado” Appiah’s unmistakeably unique accent cut through the packed but placid auditorium like a sharp knife. Festivals of Nine Lessons and Carols are increasingly becoming as monotonous as civil servants’ memos and boringas academic writing. But this night was different. There was simply no place for boredom. After the cocktail, the Shabo Band gave every indication that they were in control as they welcomed guests with tunes that kept feet tapping the carpeted floor and sent a sea of heads nodding like a congregation of agama lizards. Press on Kids raised the curtains with an impressive show as they sang Happy Birthday Jesus and Merry X’mas to you. If anyone thought there would be an inescapable part of the programme with long speeches and sermons, which would keep drowsy eyes fighting hard to stay alive, then they got it wrong. Pastor Mike Nii Abossey of Joy FM’s word of exhortation about the need to exhibit love for all at Christmas was very succinct.But it was deep enough to keep everyone thinking about how they would have been described by the girl in Pastor Abbosey’s story, which ended the sermon. The small girl in question had heard a Sunday school teacher describe the attributes of Jesus Christ.But before the teacher, ended the girl screamed, “Jesus is my next door neighbour!” This was because the little girl had seen in the neighbour everything the teacher was talking about. The CEO of MTN Ghana, Michael Ikpoki, equally sounded like a preacher as the MTN Board Chairman, Mr. Ishmael Yamson, observe later. Both the CEO and Board Chairman thanked MTN’s subscribers for their loyalty, acknowledged the daunting challenges in the telecommunication industry and pledged a firm commitment to keeping faith with the company’s goal of providing their customers with nothing but the best of service they could get. They were very brief and straight to the point. As Dzifa Nti, one of the first subscribers of MTN, took the first lesson, the Winneba Youth Choir took their position beside the Shabo Band. They would forever remain there, punctuating the readings with soul conscripting tunes and serving as backing vocals to surprise artistes of the night, some of whom were on an unfamiliar terrain. But just as the first reading ended and the audience looked up to the Winneba Youth Choir, a voice pierced through the auditorium like a spear. It belonged to Bertha, the winner of Season Four winner of Stars of the Future reality show. Backed by the Winneba Youth Choir, Bertha treated the audience to an impeccable rendition of Silent Night and FalizNavida carols. Bertha’s performance paved way for Mr. Samuel Dowuona, a two time winner of GJA best reporter for ICT and telecommunications, to take the second reading after which Mr. Francis Adjetey Sowah took the third lesson. Mr Adjetey Sowah. President of the African Amputee Football Association, was helped onto the stage in clutches and would not read his lesson without showing appreciation for MTN’s enormous support to persons living with disability, especially those into sporting activities. It was, however,his love for “big words” that sent the audience exploding with cheers. The Winneba Youth Choir, led by a conductor who seemed to have been possessed by the spirit of music, took over the stage and sent the auditorium humming along before Afi Amoro, an MTN supplier read the fourth lesson. Boadiwaa of MTN’s ICT Department proved that the company is abound with all kinds of talents when she took her turn to sing Oh Holy Night and Eye Adom before Naa Latiokor Sene, Acting Human Resource Manager of MTN delivered the fifth lesson. In a moment of joy and normalcy, we often forget the grace of God in our lives. We take the greatest of God’s gifts for granted. For those who watched the splendour of the night, it might never have occurred to them that someone in the auditorium could not see what was going on until the reader of the sixth lesson was announced. Ms Esther Nagatey, a senior high school student, represented the Ghana School for the Blind.As she was led onto the stage, a numbing hush fell on the audience. Clutching a piece of paper, Esther read with her hands and received the loudest applause so far, with some giving her a standing ovation. It was not clear whether the acknowledgement was that of admiration or pity. But whatever emotion that triggered that thunderous applause was short-lived as KwawKese appeared. Sporting a spotless white long sleeved shirt over a pair of black trousers and shiny black shoes, and a Christmas hut to mask his hairdo, Kwao Kesse shot onto the stage and rendered onto a joyous audience a remixed version of “Bronya o braonyao Afe Ato hen bio.” Thanks to the Winneba Youth Choir, whether he sang “Bronya o” or “Chalalaa” (his own version of the Fante Christmas song) he had the accompanying chorus. Just as the audience thought they had received the biggest surprise of the night, former skipper of the Black Stars, Stephen Appiah, was named as the man to read the seventh lesson. The response was spontaneous. Indescribable! After Stephen Appiah came Ghana’s rap doctor, Okyeame Kwame, who conducted the Winneba Youth Choir to sing the Twi version of Hark, hark, hark the angels’ song. If there was any expectation of surprise, then it was who would be next; the organisers had given the audience enough. When Ken Ashigbe, the Managing Director of the Graphic Communication Group Limited took the eight reading necks started stretching and ears strained for the faintest clue for who was next. Hiplife sensation, Praye was next. The pair kept a good number of the audience on their feet as they sang Yeye Ahene Basaand Afehyiapa Ato Hen. It was however after Hyatt Ashkar of S&D Vendors delivered the ninth and final lesson that Kwaku Gyasi got the entire audience onto their feet. In his characteristic Pentecostal charisma, the wizard of gospel praise music doled out one praise hit after the other. The songster received perfect backing and from the Winneba Youth Choir and the needed collaboration from the Shabo band. The audience danced and danced and danced. If there were those who kept the fire of excitement perpetually ablaze apart, from the Winneba Youth Choir and the Shabo Band, then they were the MCs. It is not for nothing that MTN chose Bola Ray of Joy FM and Jessica of Citi FM as brand ambassadors. At a time when the entire country is pleasantly infested with the pandemic of Azonto dance, the two MCs were in their elements and did it to the admiration of all. It was time to go and there could not have been a better artiste to crown it all than Cecilia Marfo. Indeed, it was a night to remember, a night that brought together the rich and the poor, the young and old, able and disabled, secular and “profane” tongues to sing praises to God. After all, Christ Jesus came to save all humanity. To Him there’s no basis for discrimination. Writer’s email: azureachebe2@yahoo.com