There are certain phrases in Ghana that have stopped meaning what they are supposed to mean.
“I’m on my way” is one of them.
If someone calls you and says, “I’m on my way,” you might reasonably assume that the person has left wherever they were.
That would be your first mistake.
In Ghana, “I’m on my way” is not necessarily a statement of location.
It is a statement of intention.
It means, “I have decided that I will eventually come.”
How soon?
Nobody knows.
Where are they?
Also unclear.
Have they left?
Please don’t ask unnecessary questions.
You can be waiting at the agreed location while the person is still at home, standing in front of their wardrobe trying to decide what to wear.
And if you call again?
“I’m coming.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m on my way.”
That is all the information you are getting.
Sometimes, the person is genuinely on the way.
But even then, “on the way” can mean almost anything.
They could be five minutes away.
They could be forty minutes away.
They could be waiting for a trotro.
They could be sitting in traffic.
They could have stopped somewhere to buy something.
They could have just entered the shower.
There is no standard definition.
And then there is the more advanced version:
“I’m almost there.”
This one is dangerous.
“Almost there” can mean the person has reached the next junction.
It can mean they are about to leave the house.
It can mean they are putting on their shoes.
It can mean they have not even found their keys.
You simply have to trust the process.
The funniest part is that we have all become fluent in this language.
When someone says, “I’m on my way,” we don’t immediately believe them.
We calculate.
If they were actually on their way, they would probably have said, “I’ve left.”
If they say, “I’m coming,” they may still be preparing.
If they say, “I’m almost there,” they could be anywhere between their bedroom and the final destination.
And if they say, “Five minutes,” you should probably settle in.
There is also the classic phone call where you ask someone when they will arrive.
“I’m coming.”
“Yes, but what time?”
“Soon.”
“What does soon mean?”
“I’m coming.”
At that point, you realise you are not having a conversation. You are receiving updates from a customer service department that has no intention of providing useful information.
Yet perhaps we shouldn’t blame people entirely.
Ghanaian life does not always make punctuality easy.
Traffic can be unpredictable.
Public transport can take longer than expected.
Someone can genuinely be delayed by something beyond their control.
Sometimes, “I’m on my way” really does mean, “I am trying my best to get there.”
But sometimes, it means exactly what we all know it means:
“I have not left yet, but I don’t want you to be angry.”
And perhaps that is the real function of the phrase.
It buys time.
If you tell someone, “I’m still at home,” they may start complaining.
If you say, “I’m on my way,” everyone relaxes.
For a few minutes, at least.
It is almost a social survival skill.
We don’t always want to tell people the truth about how far behind schedule we are.
So we give them something comforting.
“I’m on my way.”
And the person waiting hears it, sighs and puts their phone down.
Because what else can they do?
You could call again in ten minutes.
The answer will probably be the same.
“I’m on my way.”
You could ask for their exact location.
They may say, “I’m around.”
Around where?
Ghana.
Eventually, they arrive.
No explanation.
No apology.
Just:
“Sorry, I’m late.”
And then they look at you as though the entire journey happened in real time and you should be grateful they made it at all.
Maybe this is why “I’m on my way” has become less of a geographical statement and more of a cultural expression.
It doesn’t necessarily tell you where someone is.
It tells you that they acknowledge your existence, they know you are waiting and they would like you to remain patient.
So, the next time someone tells you, “I’m on my way,” don’t ask, “Where are you?”
Ask the more important question:
“Have you left?”
And even then, don’t be surprised if the answer is:
“I’m about to.”
Now that is the truth.