The sound of that single person clapping echoed through the vast conference room was like that of a gunshot. It was slow, deliberate, and completely unexpected. As my eyes adjusted to the lighting and scanned the seated figures, I spotted the source. It was a tall, dignified man with dark skin and an easy smile, wearing a perfectly tailored navy suit. He was seated about halfway around the circular table, and unlike everyone else who was staring at me with various degrees of calculation or wariness, he looked genuinely pleased to see me.
The clapping continued for perhaps ten seconds, each measured beat seeming to stretch time itself. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped, and the man's smile widened.
"Welcome, Mr. Reynard," he said, his voice carrying a slight accent that I couldn't immediately place. "I'm Samuel Osei, President of Ghana. It's an honor to finally meet you in person."
