Next, Mr. Johnson Amarh introduced the chairperson and dignitaries. Then Mr. Owusu, the Local Coordinator of the Free Africa Foundation, gave a brief address, explaining the purpose of the gathering. He explained that we were only there to assist and that this assistance can only be effective and sustainable if they made their own effort to combat malaria. And that they shouldn't sit there and expect their friends in Sanibel, Florida, to come and do everything for them. There was a brief musical interlude, during which time the village cultural troupe entertained the guests to drumming and dancing.

Mr. Johnson Amarh, the spokesman for the ailing chief, spoke next. After asking all to pray for the chief, he thanked the Friends of Sanibel for coming to aid in the fight against malaria. He went to list additional needs of the village. They lack clean drinking water, toilet, and a clinic. But their most pressing need was housing for the teachers of their primary school. He complained that, because of transportation problems, not all the teachers make it to school and children often have to go without schooling on some days. A teachers’ quarter that would house the teachers there at the village would be most helpful.

I spoke next, thanking the dignitaries for their warm welcome and hospitality. Since there was a pack of journalists at the event, I appealed to African governments to pay more attention to the rural sectors of their economies. These sectors were the most neglected in the post-colonial period when African governments, in their drive to industrialize, channeled most of their development resources into the urban areas. The consequences of the neglect of the rural sectors are reflected in Africa’s inability to feed itself and a deteriorating rural health care system. Over 80 percent of Africans still rely on traditional medicine as a rural health care system is either non-existent or had collapsed.

Next, I reiterated the admonition Mr. Owusu gave them. The villagers need to take the initiative and make their own efforts to stanch the scourge of malaria. I enjoined them to clear the bushes where the mosquitoes hide during the day and drain stagnant water and swamps that breed mosquitoes. I asked if they had heard what I said and they roared in affirmation.

After another brief musical interlude, the school children of the village performed a skit for the guests. The setting was the royal court of some mythical king, who had summoned his subjects for an important announcement. Somebody had been polluting the river from which the people draw their water. The king threatened that, if the culprit is caught, he won’t be fined or sent to prison. Instead, he would be beheaded. When the culprit was finally caught, the king promptly handed him over to the hangman. A friend pleaded for his life, claiming the pollution was not intentional. To prove that he was telling the truth, he told the king that he was willing to exchange his life for that of the condemned man. Confronted with this brazen forthrightness, the king relented and set both of them free with a strong warning to desist from activities that would harm his kingdom.

It was then the turn of the District Assembly woman, Ms. Emelia Ayao Ntsuako to address the gathering. She also thanked the Free Africa Foundation and the Friends in Sanibel, Florida, for coming to the assistance of the villageype> of Ayim in their struggle against malaria. She also reiterated the additional needs of the village – clinic, public toilet and added that many of the children go hungry and as such can’t learn much in school. A school feeding program would be helpful. Mr. Owusu reminded her that the government has such a feeding program and since she is a District Assembly woman, it is probably more of her responsibility to see to it that the government feeding program for school kids was working.