• The Fear of Failure: An Autobiography

    From Agomanya in the Eastern Region of Ghana, a 65 year old J. P. Adjimani narrates his life and how his fear of failure spurred him on instead of derailing him. In his autobiography, the biochemist unravels why he was never promoted to be a professor despite having a 28-year admirable career in Ghana’s premier university, University of Ghana.

  • Fire from the North: The Origins, Growth, Development & Influence of Assemblies of Ghana, Ghana (Hardcover)

    This book examines the origins, growth and development of the Assemblies of Ghana, Ghana and its influence on the Ghanaian society from the church’s inception in 1931 to 2014. It is the most comprehensive  and up-to-date scholarly work ever documented on the history, growth and influence of the Assemblies of God, Ghana. Tracing the origins of the Assemblies of God in Ghana, the author narrates thoroughly researched finding on how the church found her way from the United States of America to Ghana.

    The book provides a well-researched discourse on the influence of the Assemblies of God on the Ghanaian society. This covers the domains of socio-economic, political, cultural and religious influences of the church, through its branches and agencies, on the larger society of Ghana.

    As the first comprehensive historical study of one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in Ghana, it makes a significant contribution to an understanding of Pentecostalism in Ghana and, by extension, Africa.

  • Evangelism in Ghana — The Presbyterian Church of Ghana: 1942 – 1954

    First published in Twi in 1965

    Author’s note about the Book

    This book is the translation of an account of the last 12 years of the work of my father, the Rev. Emmanuel Victor Asihene in the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.

    It refers to his work as the First Evangelist Minister appointed by the Church at a critical time in its history. He wrote the book deliberately in Twi to make the story of the Evangelism Mission that he undertook readily accessible to all members of the Church.

    He was grateful to be assigned to carry out the Mission of Evangelism. In his own words, he explains:

    “On the day of my ordination in 1960, this verse, ‘I will tell of thy name to my brethren; in the midst of the congregation, I shall praise you,’ Psalm 22, verse 22 was my major vow and promise. With great joy therefore, I thank God that I have been chosen and given the chance to spread the word of the Lord, through Evangelism, here , in my own land, and among my own people.”

    At the time of his appointment, he had no doubt that “what was needed most was the grace and guidance of God and a great infusion with a personal spiritual strength.”

    The journeys that Rev. Asihene made, most of them on foot, to distant areas of the country were extensive — as can be seen from the list of places that he visited.

    Many of the difficult-to-read areas where he took the message of God are, even today, not readily identified on the map of Ghana. Accounts of his easy engagements with Church members, non-Christians and even with fetish priests are as fascinating as the return of backsliders, by the grace of God, into the Church.

    When I received and read my signed copy of the book 47 years ago in 1965, I knew that I would one day translate this unique record of extensive Evangelism by a local member of the Presbyterian Church in our own country, from Twi into a wider read language. I am glad and I consider it a great honour that I have been able to translate, into English, this important piece of history of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.

    During this 125th Anniversary of his birth, this Translation of this book also marks the Dedication of the commemorative building, “The Rev. E.V. Asihene Quiet Room” at the Anum Presbyterian Secondary School, where he was Headmaster, about 90 years ago.

    — Letitia Eva Obeng (nee Asihene), January 2012

  • A Danish Jew in West Africa: Wulff Joseph Wulff Biography And Letters (1836-1842)

    Wulff’s life history is of considerable interest in itself. In her biographical essay (Part I) Selena Axelrod Winsnes portrays him as a ‘marginal man’: being a Jew in Denmark at the beginning of the 19th century was to some extent an uphill struggle for those who sought public recognition, and Wulff did not escape discrimination in his administrative career at Christiansborg either, although special circumstances allowed him to hold important positions, and yet, only for the short term.

    Paradoxically, on his arrival to the Gold Coast Wulff — as a Jew — was placed in a middle position in the racial hierarchy dominating the mind-set of his superiors in Copenhagen — between Africans and Europeans. In many respects he shared the fate of Euro-Africans, straddling two worlds and being ‘sealed off’ from the top echelons of the European establishments on the Coast.

    This book comprises two parts. The first is a biographical presentation of Wulff Joseph Wulff , a Danish Jew. It is an essay concerning the last six years of his life, spent on the Gold Coast of West Africa, based on letters he wrote to his family in Denmark. Those letters were published in 1917 as Da Guinea var Dansk [When Guinea was Danish], by Carl Behrens, a member of his family in Denmark. The second part of the book is an edited translation of the letters from Danish into English.

  • Ogyakrom: The Missing Pages of June 4th (Fireman Series) – Paperback

    Kwesi Yankah is currently the Minister of State for Tertiary Education in Ghana. Until April 2017, he was Vice Chancellor of Central University, Ghana, and was previously Professor of Linguistics and Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Ghana. Yankah, an inimitable satirist, is a proud product of Winneba Secondary School, University of Ghana and Indiana University, USA, where he did his doctorate. Well known in literary and academic circles, Professor Yankah has been a Public Intellectual since the late 1970s when, at 27, he started an anonymous column in The Catholic Standard newspaper, under the pseudonym Abonsam Fireman. The credit for the column, in a suppressive political environment, was often mistakenly given to the two great luminaries PAV Ansah and Adu Boahen.

    Later in 1986, when Yankah returned from doctoral work at Indiana University, he introduced another weekly column, Woes of the Kwatriot, this time in The Mirror which he sustained for a period of ten years. In 1996, the Ghana Journalists Association honoured him for ‘the longest running column in the history of Ghanaian journalism.’ His writings, both literary and academic, have won for Yankah various awards including the WEB Du Bois Award (GAW), the Zora Hurston Award (GAW), the Ghana Book Development Award (GBDC) and the Gold Book Award given by the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.

    The present volume represents landmarks within 22 months of Yankah’s weekly column in The Catholic Standard, from January 1979 to March 1980. It is inspired by topical issues in two military regimes (General F Akuffo’s SMC 2, Rawlings’ June 4th Revolution) and one civilian government (Hilla Limann’s PNP). This compilation altogether allows a veiled peep into the most turbulent period in Ghana’s political history, Rawlings’ June 4th Revolution, including preceding events and the aftermath of the Revolution. In the words of Dr Anthony Bonnah Koomson, Editor of The Catholic Standard at the time of Yankah’s celebrated column: “The book captures a momentous era in Ghana’s immediate political history, reminiscences of which the author has sough to recreate and preserve with phenomenal linguistic skill. It presents, through satire, an accurate heartbeat of a people under intense political paralysis.”

    This book makes compelling, even if hilarious, reading on Ghana’s enigmatic June 4th Revolution.

  • Critical and Biographical Essays of Nana Dr. S.K.B. Asante: From an African Village to the Global Village and Back (Hardcover)

    Few Ghanaians of any generation have had a career as long, as varied, and as consequential as Nana S.K.B. Asante’s: government attorney; law teacher; international public servant; constitution framer; adviser to sovereign parties; commercial arbitrator; public intellectual; traditional monarch. Just as impressive is the fact that, in each of these substantial roles, Nana has left a trail of writings. My own first encounter with Nana’s scholarship happened during my time at Yale Law School, his alma mater. As an editor on the law review, I was curious to know whether any Ghanaian had been published by the prestigious journal. My search led me to a fascinating article on Ghanaian property and customary law written by Samuel K.B. Asante in the 1965 volume of the journal. At the time of my discovery, his was the only article by a Ghanaian published in the 100-year history of the journal. I would later discover many more of his academic writings, some of which I assigned to my class in my years as a law teacher.

    This book collects in one volume some of Nana’s mostly “non-academic” writings. The essays tell, in characteristically fine prose rich in biography and history, the story of an intellectual-technocrat keen to use his wealth of knowledge to address contemporary problems of development and to put that expertise in the service of his country–and of the developing world at large. The publication of this selection of Nana S.K.B. Asante’s writings, in the 90th year of his life, is a monumental accomplishment and a befitting capstone of a long and distinguished career.

    PROF. H. KWASI PREMPEH
    Executive Director of Ghana Center for Democratic Development

     

    The incredibly rich collection of writings by the eminent international lawyer, scholar, respected global development expert and prominent traditional ruler, Nana S.K.B Asante, takes the reader on a remarkable journey of nearly seven decades of illumination. His vivid experiences, enormous achievements and witty recollections reveal the remarkable growth of a curious mind and a disciplined intellectual dedicated ultimately to the service of humanity from his native village to the global village. In characteristic modesty, Nana claims not to be a historian, but this book is a historical gold mine filled with nuggets of analysis on the evolution of education, law, science, social policy, public service, constitutional development, nation building and chieftaincy in Ghana, enriched with valuable insights into the solid contributions of illustrious men and women. His penetrating and critical analyses of international development cooperation in the fields of investments, energy, water and natural resources in Asia and Africa must be lessons for all developing countries. This rich resource book is highly recommended.

    DR. AGNES AKOSUA AIDOO
    Former Social Policy Adviser, UN Economic Commission for Africa

     

    This masterpiece by Nana SKB Asante which narrates his life journey from his hometown at Asokore to Achimota, academia, diplomacy and finally back home is unique, inspiring and educative. The Book covers a broad spectrum of academic disciplines including constitutional law, commercial law, criminal law, international law, chieftaincy, leadership and governance, sociology, history and religions. It provides a vivid account of the constitutional history of Ghana from the author’s personal knowledge. The author who had the singular honour to chair the Committee of Experts which gave birth to Ghana’s 1992 Constitution also held the positions of Solicitor-General and Deputy Attorney-General under different democratic and military governments. Nana SKB Asante has used simple diction to convey his wealth of knowledge, experience and wisdom, acquired from both local and international levels in different capacities to inculcate in his audience the spirit of patriotism. The book is a must read!

    JUSTICE DENNIS DOMINIC ADJEI, FGA
    Justice of The Court of Appeal

  • Baffour Osei Akoto: A Royal Patriot and the Making of Ghana (Hardcover)

    Foreword by President John Agyekum Kufuor

    This book is primarily composed of speeches presented at the 16th edition of the annual Re-Akoto Memorial Lectures held at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. The Re Akoto Memorial Lectures, instituted by His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, life patron of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) of the Ghana School of Law, seeks, amongst other things, to promote research, study and educate the citizenry on the development of Ghana’s constitutional democracy and human rights. Over the years, it has been presented by a good number of eminent Ghanaians and through which they have illuminated various spheres of life, especially issues regarding law and fundamental human rights, which are the key components that form the genesis of the famous Re-Akoto Case.

    The presenters included Kwame Pianim, one of Ghana’s eminent economists; Maxwell Opoku-Agyemang, then-acting Director of the Ghana School of Law; Chief Justice Kwasi Anim Yeboah and Attorney-General Godfred Dame. Prof Mike Aaron Oquaye, a veritable political scientist and accomplished politician, knitted the strains together to discuss how Baffour’s strides and successes reaffirmed the liberal democratic political philosophy of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). He indicated that human beings have a dignity that must be protected and that dictatorial tendencies must not be accepted. Finally, provided a historical trajectory of Ghana’s stint with an authoritarian regime focusing on the country’s post-independence one-party political system.

    “Baffour excelled in this career as an Asante diplomat, a valuable repository of Asante and Ghanaian social, cultural and political history, and a defender of the power of traditional leadership in the face of the onslaught of modern post-colonial politics in Ghana.” – His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene

  • Inspirational Stories of Some Distinguished Ghanaian Captains of Industry (Volume 2)

    Have you denied yourself the joy of owning your own company and having your financial freedom because of lack of capital, difficult background, and lack of support? Or do you lack the practical know-how to manifest your entrepreneurial dream? You have come to the right place of possibilities.

    Even though abilities and opportunities may differ, everybody can make it and make it big regardless of age, race, gender, socio-economic status, religious creed, political affiliation, academic background, or environment.

    This book is about the life stories of 22 Ghanaian Captains of Industry who have defied all odds and managed to succeed in this challenging business environment. The book shared their deep and rich experiences as well as principles, which have aided their business success.

  • Special Book Launch Set: Autographed Hardcover of From Achinakrom to Pro-Vice Chancellor (plus paperback and Emancipation book)

    This is a special launch set – limited – that includes an autographed copy of the hardcover of Prof Florence Dolphyne’s new autobiography, a paperback version of the autobiography and a copy of her best-selling book The Emancipation of Women: An African Perspective.

    Blurb for the Autobiography

    An autobiography serves the purpose of relating experiences of the writer. These are usually personal experiences and readers can draw inspiration from such experiences.

    This is a book written by a renowned academician, but unlike many books written by academics, it reads like a story written by an accomplished novelist. It tells the story of a girl of very humble parentage who was able, by dint of hard work and divine providence, to make it to the very apex of academia. It is a book that tells the story of ‘Mmofraturo’, synonymous with the training of girls to influence their world before the advent of militant feminism. It is a story that gives another peep at the practice of racism in Europe.

    But then, it is also the book that confirms the subtle discrimination that women are often subjected to in our education system, even at the highest level.

    Moreover, it is a story that tells the history of the practice of education in Ghana over a number of decades. Then, the writer draws us into the age-old issue of family life, foster children, biological children, and the Ghanaian family set up.

    From Achinakrom to Pro-Vice Chancellor is a book about friendship and love that tells the story of women, individually and in groups trying to help make others enjoy the life of work and leisure. Furthermore, this book gives a hint that speaking one’s first language can be the source of the survival of an individual in certain critical situations.

    This inspiring story is also a personal history of Ghana from pre-independence by someone who has helped to shape Ghana’s education system, women’s rights during the UN Decade for Women, and human rights through Ghana’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It is a story of a phenomenal woman who has made Ghana and Achinakrom proud.

  • Joy Comes in the Morning

    Coping with the loss of a loved one can be devastating. In this authentic account, the author describes the various stages in dealing with the loss of a loved one. In addition, she addresses countless trials that are bound to take place during the period of loss, the highs and lows of grieving and how to start the process of healing.

    Her encounter with people from all walks of life going through the same ordeal encompassed with her personal experience ignited the flame within her to share her story and her journey.

    You don’t have to languish in uncertainty. You can shake off the dust and move on to accomplish your life’s purpose and set goals. You will be energized to move on, and chart a new future through the darkness and uncertainties until you finally wake up to the truest, purest joy that comes in the morning which only God can give.

  • The Destiny of A Horse Boy

    The Destiny of a Horse Boy, an autobiography, tells Mahama’s story of growing up as a member of the nobility in an Africa of bygone days. Raised by his grandparents, Mahama, an exceptional boy, starts life in the parched and inhospitable landscape of Northern Ghana, a far flung place that is thoughtfully, even lovingly, brought to life through the words of this prolific author.

    His hunger to go to school, to be educated, to rise above his time and place, is so powerful that he runs away from home, travelling in cars that can sometimes go no faster than eight miles an hour, in decrepit trucks, on unreliable ferries and pontoons, past menacing wild animals, ultimately to present himself at a school and beg for admission. Once accepted, he studies through school holidays, excels at nearly every undertaking, and proves himself to be a remarkable young man. At a time when the literary rates were in the single digits, Mahama goes on to become a lawyer and a politician of influence and note, thanks to his integrity and his desire to better his country and the lives of his fellow countrymen in Ghana.

    The Destiny of a Horse Boy delineates the steps from colonial rule to self-rule in Mahama’s beloved Ghana. He tells of violent, warring royal clans, the worst kinds of political jockeying and bloodshed at the hands of government lackeys, politicians and leaders who quite literally risk theirs lives in their quests for power.

    This resourceful and accomplished man has left an indelible mark on Ghana and global politics.

  • Closing the Books: Governor Edward Carstensen on Danish Guinea (1842-50)

    Sitting on the terrace of the royal plantation Frederiksgave, his favourite retreat, Governor Edward Carstensen came to see the inevitable: Denmark had to give up her “possessions” in Africa. As fate would have it, he came to be the instrument by which two centuries of Danish involvement on the Gold Coast was terminated, thereby making way for the emergence of the colonial system that developed there.

    After the abolition of the slave trade, Denmark had struggled to find ways and means to legitimate her continued stay at the Coast. At an early stage the Danes initiated a number of attempts to establish experimental plantations to cultivate export crops such as cotton, coffee and sugar. But a transition from slave trade to “legitimate” products required stability and peace, and a need for control, which the rather limited Danish presence was not able to maintain.

    Closing the Books comprises a compilation of the official reports that the last Danish Governor sent home during his term of office at the Gold Coast. The reports reflect his personal views regarding the economic and political situations there, as well as his ideas on the “civilization of Africa”.

  • Book Set: Red Oak Heroes Series (6 Books)

    *Available from 15 August 2023

    Age Range: 10 – 14 years

    This is a bookset of all six titles in the Red Oak Heroes Series:

    • Theodosia Okoh
    • The Big Six
    • Abedi Ayew Pele
    • John Agyekum Kufour
    • Kofi Annan
    • Dr. J. B. Danquah
    Introduce your children and adolescents to these Ghanaian Heroes.
  • Accra Aca Blɛoo: The History of the Accra Academy from James Town to Bubiashie (Hardcover)

    Accra Aca Bleoo – the first comprehensive history book on the Accra Academy – captures nine decades of the school’s history, including the most epic events and pivotal moments. It takes the reader through the life journeys of the founders and those who believed in their dream to educate the underprivileged youth of the Gold Coast. It also recounts the aspirations and achievements of successive administrations of the school and how they overcame the challenges of their time and influenced the character of their students.

    The book brings to light several unknown facts about the Accra Academy and examines the educational policies that have influenced its development and growth.

    It is not only informative and educative but also entertaining, as it is interspersed with interesting stories and several pictures that will undoubtedly take the minds of alumni back to the good old days and give other readers a perspective into how life in the school has evolved.

    This book is the outcome of many hours of personal interviews and research, and is intended for anyone interested in the history of education in Ghana and what has made the Accra Academy what it is today.

  • Idia of the Benin Kingdom (Our Ancestories)

    Age Range: 4 – 12 years

    • Children’s Africana Book Awards (CABA) – 2021 Winner – Best Books for Young Children
    • Wishing Shelf Book Award – 2020 Finalist
    • Kidsshelf Book Cover Award -2020 Winner
    • Eric Hoffer Award – Honourable Mention (Children’s Category) First Horizon Finalist Grand Prize Short List

    “She became a queen, a warrior, the first woman to fight for the kingdom, and the first Iyoba (Queen Mother) of Benin.”

    What do you know about African History?

    African history spans thousands of years, has been moulded by many intelligent artists, scientists, and thinkers, and is bound to fascinate you.

    Explore the history of Africa in a way that will be more memorable and enjoyable than what you get from traditional textbooks.

    Idia of the Benin Kingdomis an empowering children’s picture book (loved by kids ages 4-12) that takes readers on a beautifully illustrated journey to the 1500s in ancient Africa. Readers are captivated as they watch Idia transform herself from the young and curious daughter of a village warrior to becoming the Queen of the Kingdom of Benin.

    Idia was an actual queen who helped rule the ancient kingdom of Benin with her wisdom, charisma, and prowess. Much has been written about her bravery, and artefacts in her image are treasured in museums all over the world.

    This book imagines what her childhood may have been like, and shares the story of this well-loved and successful African queen in a way that is relatable to young readers.

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