‘Pit Of Snakes’

‘Pit of snakes,’ just three letters in this phrase but the combination impacts negatively, and all the more deadly if used to describe humans. Dr. Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe has a reputation for saying it as it is, so no need to wonder if he boldly issued this adjectival phrase on JOY TV in Ghana.

On this occasion, he reproduced the exact words of a predecessor Chairman of the Ghana Football Association, GFA, Mr. Ben Koufie. He said, Mr Koufie had told him in confidence that his appointment to that job marked an entry to the ‘pit of snakes.’

A pit is an uncomfortable space to ever be. If the top is sealed off, ventilation will be non-existent, and this can cause suffocation. Suffocation is only an euphemism for death. It looks like death this way could be extremely painful for those who met such a fate for it denotes burial alive. To have snakes to contend with in such an uncomfortable situation could be hellish. A dire encounter indeed.

However, students of literature would dig deeper for figurative meanings. In this vein, this would only mean a precarious situation’ a loner finds himself or herself, virtually in the lion’s den. The term ‘pit of snakes’ may also refer to the extreme form of malevolence or negative behavior.

Dr. Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe said,  as strong as he is, a circumstance forced him to resign his position to protect his integrity, having initially scaled one of the ‘landmines.’  He placed his comments in context, saying they applied to times then. Facing off with the status quo which had vowed to uproot him like cassava, he took supplanters by surprise when he uprooted himself with a resignation.

Despite the negative attachments, to whom it may concern, has managed to steer Ghana football to a four-time participation in the Soccer World Cup.