_The opportunity eluded me yesterday to make a rendition and reiterate my love for a gentleman who, for obvious reasons, means much to my life. It has become a ritual among men of the ink fraternity to celebrate one another in a very unique way through the pen and by that established norm, I could not live by yesterday because of busy schedules. Be that as it may, it is better late than never._
_Comrade Raphael, the incumbent best student writer of the University of Education, Winneba, Kumasi, has often done same with alacrity in such or similar occasions. His loyalty and comradeship is never in question and as such, it was only appropriate that a column of mine be dedicated to the intelligent young writer._
_I must be part of the celebration of the prolific writer because he has been part of the successes chalked during my social, academic and political life in the University. Also for the fact that he considers me as a mentor in the comity of writing, he must enjoy, at least, some inspirations from my pen._
_There is common attribute I share with him. It is that of his enviable humility. It is that of his hard work, it is that of his quest for learning and it is that of his unquenchable and insatiable passion for putting pen to paper._
_When he met me somewhere in 2015 and needed my guidance for writing, I promised him that I was capable of making him better than I was in the near future. I think it is a good time to reflect on how far the gentleman has grown. He has indeed grown bigger. His pen is sharp. He is touching society positively through his pen. I am proud to be a mentor. When I won the best student writer two consecutive times, a record that is yet to be broken, he asked me how and I told him that he was going to also win it in the near future. Today, as I write, Raphael is holding that respectable title too._
_In the political arena, he has staged quite strongly and making it through his passionate communication, mobilisation and writing skills, perhaps the reason he won the deputy youth organizer position of the National Democratic Congress in his constituency in the Nandom Constituency._
_I feel proud to celebrate comrade Raphael on the occasion of his birthday. He deserves more than a mere eulogy. It is my humble wish and prayer that he grows bigger and bigger in his chosen profession of teaching and in his political escapade._
_I therefore extend my best wishes and felicitations to him as he celebrate his milestone._
_Denis Andaban_
_The village boy from Daffiama-Bussie-Issa_
