Review

Chronicling the journey

They say time flies when you are having fun! That probably explains why one year feels like three months!

We are one year old!! Wow! God has been amazing!!

As a storyteller, it is only fair that I tell you the story of how it all began..

A year ago, I was at home, unemployed, bored and desperate to get into law school. I used to spend a lot of time on Facebook. Naturally, it became the ideal place to vent out my frustrations about trotro mates, mosquitoes, Mahama and of course my love for food! 🙂 Before I knew it, my friends started looking forward to reading my statuses. It started as a joke but I soon began to warm up to the idea of starting a blog. I downloaded the app on 26th October but I didn’t have the nerve to put up anything until 28th.

My first post was about my dad because it was easy to write about him, and I couldn’t think of a better way of eulogizing him than by making my first post about him. That’s how They don’t make them like him anymore was born. That evening, I plucked up courage to write a story inspired by a couple I had seen fighting- the guy was emotional, the lady was ‘hardcore’. He looked like he was the ‘girl in the relationship’, so yes once again, the title came to me even before the actual story did.

If you know me even remotely, you would have probably heard about my love-hate relationship with trotros. 50% of my Facebook posts are about my trotro adventures. After watching a trotro mate stand in the rain, looking for passengers, I decided to tell their side of the story, hence the rights of the trotro mate. Then Campus Romance came to me because I happened to be on campus during last year’s congregation. All those graduation gowns and caps sparked the story 🙂

Then I took a daring step to write a longer story. They say you write about what you know, so maybe writing about a widow came naturally to me. (No, I am not a widow 🙂 ) If you felt like crying during the burial scene from Till death do us Part I and Part 2, it is because I re-created the only two burial services I have attended in my entire life. The response was overwhelming!! That was probably what inspired me to start telling people’s stories. It felt like such an honour for someone to read a story and actually identify with it.

Things pretty much escalated from there and before i knew it, Three is a crowd was born, because really Three IS a crowd! My uncle called me and threatened to disown me if I didn’t finish it. In fears of being disowned, I wrote my second sequel. Accidental intention came from an article on domestic violence- I wanted to show people that the signs were always there and that it was never too late to get help.

Of all my posts in the last year, it appears Don’t judge me is the most popular story, followed by Call me Kwesi. I guess we can all relate to doing things that our hearts want and our minds probably don’t approve of. All the poems were spur of the moment things, but you are such amazing readers and welcomed the change with open arms. The story that received the most interesting reactions was The Help.

I can’t wait for year 2!!! When we started this, I had no idea how big it was going to become!

40,000+ views? Wow! I don’t even know 5,000 people! I definitely don’t know anyone in Trinidad and Tobago either and yet the stories are read there as well! Which brings me to my next point- you!

Yes, you!

I can’t tell the Kenikodjo story without talking about the whole new world of people it has opened me up to- all these amazing people who keep reading and reading, and sharing and leaving such amazing comments. My favourite group of people are those who I have never met and yet are such great Kenikodjo ambassadors. It is because of all of you that I keep writing- you make it easy to tell yet another story! Once again, you leave the most heartwarming comments! I’d love to hear what you hope to see in the coming year!

The thank yous are so many but of significant mention will be Breezebrand for designing the Kenikodjo logo and to Benjamin Anyan of Goldinwords for helping me set up the blog and the Facebook page properly. They have contributed so much to the Kenikodjo brand and I will always be grateful.

I am excited for the new year! This year, I hope to post more frequently (say a prayer for my procrastinating self!). I also hope to write a few children’s stories! I am also starting an SSS series- feel free to share your SSS experiences with me – from Nino’s night to Interco! Who knows, maybe your experience would inspire an episode or two! Hopefully our first book will arrive just before we turn 2! 🙂

I know! Super exciting times ahead! As you have probably noticed, we have a new web banner. Gerard Nartey of Epic Dreams graciously took that awesome shot of me. We’ll be changing a few things around here. Who knows, soon even our url will be customized!

Oh, and if you need someone to write customized wedding vows for you, you know where to find me! 😉

On my birthday, one of you sent me a tear jerking message. Yes, I am a cry baby!

‘No. It’s not just your stories we love. It’s you we love. And we love them also because we love you. We love them because they are our stories. You tell our stories. Far better than we could tell them ourselves. And it serves as a reminder that Someone is with us in our stories. That someone is writing our stories for us. And He’s not finished with us- neither is He finished with you.’

With your permission, I will keep telling your stories! It’s been an amazing one year! Let’s do thirty more, shall we? (Picture me on bended knee, proposing!)

Happy anniversary to us!!

57 thoughts on “Chronicling the journey”

  3. I say yes to the proposal. It’s been an amazing first year. I look foward to a more thrilling second year……. can’t wait for what you have in store for us.

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  6. I wouldn’t ask for blessings for you cos you are over blessed….just wanna say ‘we love you Keniiiiiiiiiiii!’ I’m coming for my customized wedding vow so please start writing it

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  7. You are so good with words. Keep it up. Receive the grace and inspiration to keep it up! Looking forward to the next 30 years, the 1st book launch and the many more launches.

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  8. its about 2 weeks since i started reading your stories. my first was the help III. it was manesseh azure who shared it on facebook and i love ur stories since. happy first anniversary!!!

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  10. Oooh yes!.I will say prayers for your procrastinating self.lol
    We love you,Keni. You don’t know how much these stories have been helpful here. Pls keep writing our stories. You tell our stories better.

    ‘Three is a coward’ is my favourite tho… #smiles

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  11. Yes, yes, yesssss to thirty more years! God bless you Keni! The person who sent you the tear-jerking message couldn’t have said it any better. God is not finished with you. The best is yet to come, trust me! And we look forward to year two with excitement and so much anticipation!

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  16. I would want to comment during this one year anniversary by saying keep it up Keni. What I did today, as part of the year celebration is to read all the stories again and finally comment and applaud you for your determination and drive.

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  18. just 30??? dw….am accepting a proposal for 50 more years😉…. #Kenikodjo…. always and forever 🙌

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  20. YES YES to forever Keni. so that our children and our children’s children will read about the best stories ever. Happy anniversary to you with loads of love. And as the journey continues May you be like the tree planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. Amen

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  23. Congratulations Keni. Im looking forward to a successful year ahead. im commenting on this basically cos of the excitement injected into my system as i reflect on the good stories u’ve given me the pleasure of reading and also cos its a new year. i had vowed never to comment on your posts the moment you replied every comment on one of your posts and skipped mine (for reasons unknown). now, that vow has been erased and reset. Go bless you for the work you put into this blog.

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    1. Awww Manuel, it must have been an oversight. Which story is it? I’ll go back and leave a reply. Thanks for sticking with me over the last year and for resetting the vow. Here is to an interesting year two together😊

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  25. Keni, I totally love your stories. Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I cry and they are all so real…. I hope the coming year brings so much more for you. I think this is what you were born to be… You’ve found you and I hope that in reading your stories, we find ourselves. Happy anniversary 🎇🎊

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