• The Ewe People: A Study of the Ewe People in German Togo

    The Ewe of Ghana, Togo and Benin have been one of the most documented ethnic groups in West Africa, given their encounters with the German, French and British colonial administrations. In 1906, Jakob Spieth, a German Bremen Missionary, published Die Ewe-Stamme. Die Ewe-Stamme is one of the most comprehensive treatises on the history, religion, economic life, traditional social structure, and, indeed, the entire spectrum of everyday life of the Ewe. Published over 100 years ago the book had limited circulation and became increasingly rare to the extent that it almost became a deified piece of work and source of classified knowledge. Additionally, Die Ewe-Stamme was published in German and old non-standard and colloquial Ewe languages. It is hoped this translation of Die Ewe-Stamme into English and contemporary Ewe might create a revival of interest amongst researchers, enhance the understanding for the traditional Ewe culture and become reading material in schools and universities.

  • The Library Tree: How a Canadian Woman Brought the Joy of Reading to a Generation of African Children

    “You are proof that the vision and actions of just one person can make a tremendous difference in so many lives!” — Michaelle Jean, former Governor General of Canada, following a visit to the Nima Library, November 2006

    It began one afternoon in the shade of a tree in the yard of a Canadian woman living in Ghana, West Africa. Kathy Knowles brought out a basketful of books thinking she might amuse the neighbourhood kids by reading to them.

    Over 20 years, that simple storytelling session morphed into seven large community libraries in impoverished areas of the country’s capital, support for more than 200 similar initiatives around Ghana and other African countries, and a publishing venture that produces children’s books tailor-made for the African culture.

    Kathy Knowles now runs her volunteer-based Osu Children’s Library Fund from her Winnipeg home with twice-yearly trips to Ghana. Her work promoting libraries and literacy in Africa has been recognised internationally. Her unflagging enthusiasm has created bricks-and-mortar projects and has brought the wonder of reading to thousands of children.

  • Lagos: City of the Imagination – Hardcover

    “I don’t think you can be in Lagos without becoming aware of its potency; when Lagos gets itself organised it will be extremely powerful; and already – without organisation – it is very powerful.” Rem Koolhaas, 2002

    Lagos is fast becoming a global city – a place people visit for curiosity and the vibe as much as for business or family. The mesmerising energy and intensity of the city have to be experienced to be understood. But what is the story of Lagos? When did the city begin? Who were the first inhabitants? When did it become the city of iniquity and wisdom that continues to confound all who encounters it? Who have been the key chroniclers of this real yet imaginary city?

    Veteran journalist and writer Kaye Whiteman has given us a gem that answers these questions and more. Lagos: City of the Imagination explains the origins of Lagos as both outpost of the Benin Empire and also the city run by the White Cap Chiefs. Whiteman shows that Lagos was always multicultural and cosmopolitan, with the Portuguese and later educated returnees from Sierra Leone and artisans from Brazil adding to the eclectic mix.

    The book examines the key moments in the history of Lagos: from the concerted attack by the British in the 1860s, Independence in 1960, the 1966 coup through to FESTAC and the assassination of Murtala Muhammed. Also included are vivid character portraits of some of the most powerful Lagosians in history, from Oba Kosoko and Madam Tinubu, to well-regarded colonial figures such as Sir Bernard Bourdillon and those – like Lord Lugard – not so fondly remembered.

    As the name suggests, Lagos: City of the Imagination deals extensively in those for whom Lagos is the backdrop of their work, from highlife musicians and Fela Kuti to Wole Soyinka and, more recently, the American-Nigerian writer Teju Cole.

    Lagos: City of the Imagination is an absorbing and delightful “must-read” for anyone with an interest in one of the most dramatic cities of the 21st century.

  • Amu the African: A Study in Vision and Courage

    This book is an account of the life and work of Dr. Ephraim Amu, the renowned Ghanaian educationist and reformist — a great creative musician of world rank whose contributions are a cultural heritage for the world. It gives the story of Amu’s life and the contribution he has made to the development of the Church, Education, Morality, the Youth, Agriculture, Nutrition, Ghanaian Cultural Nationalism and, especially, the evolution of Ghanaian music.

    Not since Dr Kwegyir Aggrey has any other Ghanaian influenced more positively the development of Ghanaian culture and pride in the African Personality than Dr Ephraim Amu.

  • Gathering Seaweed: African Prison Writing (African Writers Series)

    This anthology introduces the African literature of incarceration to the general reader, the scholar, the activist and the student. The visions and prison cries of the few African nationalists imprisoned by colonialists, who later became leaders of their independent dictatorships and in turn imprisoned their own writers and other radicals, are brought into sharper focus, thereby critically exposing the ironies of varied generations of the efforts of freedom fighters.

    Extracts of prose, poetry and plays are grouped into themes such as arrest, interrogation, torture, survival, release and truth and reconciliation.

    Contributors include: Kunle Ajibade, Obafemi Awolowo, Steve Biko, Breyten Breytenbach, Dennis Brutus, Nawal El Saadawi, M J Kariuki, Kenneth Kaunda, Caesarina Kona Makhoere, Nelson Mandela, Emma Mashinini, Felix Mnthali, Augustino Nato, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Kwame Nkrumah, Abe Sachs, Ken Saro Wiwa, Wole Soyinka, and Koigi wa Wamwere.

    Although an often harrowing indictment of the history, culture and politics of the African continent and the societies from which this literature comes, the anthology presents excellent prose, poetry and drama, which stands up in its own right as serious literature to be cherished, read and studied.

  • Dark Days in Ghana

    Kwame Nkrumah, foremost exponent of African unity and socialism, never saw Ghana in isolation from the rest of Africa or from the world revolutionary struggle.

    In Dark Days in Ghana, he exposed the true nature of the military-police dictatorship that was established after the overthrow of Ghana’s Constitutional Government on 24th February 1966, setting the event in the context of the wider continental and world situation.

    Dark Days in Ghana demolishes the “big lie” that Ghana had needed to be rescued from “economic chaos”. Nkrumah recounts the systematic sell-out of Ghana’s assets to neo-colonialist interests by the military-police junta, and the subsequent reduction of Ghana from democratic statehood to the humiliating position of neo-colony.

    Since this book was first published, Ghana has had several governments − military and civilian. None have succeeded in restoring Ghana to the position it occupied in Africa and the world during Nkrumah’s stewardship.

    This and other works of Nkrumah demonstrate the accuracy of Nkrumah’s political and philosophical vision, and the clarity of his understanding of the problems and possibilities for all those resisting oppression and exploitation throughout the world, and for the continuing development of continental African unity.

  • Sam: A Life of Service to God and Country

    Lawyer. Politician. Democracy and human rights activist. Prisoner of conscience. Rotarian. Father. Grandfather.

    These are among the many roles Sam Okudzeto is most proud of. In his very easy-to-read memoir, SAM: A Life of Service to God and Country, he describes the journey from his village childhood, through his education in Europe, and finally to his life in the legal profession, politics and civil society of Ghana. As one who personally knew many of Ghana’s founding fathers and giants, and was active in politics during the seminal moments after independence, he offers a unique perspective of the people and events that shaped the history of Ghana and the growth of its democracy. He sheds light on the origins of many issues and shares his regrets such of the boycott by the legal profession during the drafting of the current Constitution in 1992 and the impact that boycott has had on national governance.

    In this must-read memoir, he shares many lessons from a life spent on the frontlines of human endeavor. Now in his 80s, and with a life well-lived, Sam Okudzeto hopes that the current generation of Ghana will continue to build upon the foundation laid by his pioneering generation.

    “Uncle Sam as some of us know him is iconic. He is larger than life in his profession, his faith and his service to humanity. His memoir deepens our respect for his intellect and joie de vivre and provide steps for us to emulate his rich and blessed life.” – Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee, Executive Director, Salt & Light Ministries, Management and Communications Consultant
    “There are people you meet in life who change you. Their goodness, their kindness, their willingness to speak out for what is just and right make you look at the world in a different light. They inspire you simply by being themselves. Sam is one of those persons in my life. He is a giant in the field of law. In the fifteen years I have known him I have witnessed endless times where he has brought insight and compassion and leadership to the issues at hand. I have been in awe of Sam for these many years. Someone once said that fate chooses out relatives, we choose our friends. My friendship with Sam is cherished gift.” – Dr. Mark S. Ellis, Executive Director, International Bar Association
    “Sam’s reputation as a redoubtable and fearless advocate for the rule the law, truth and integrity has won him the respect and admiration of his peers, juniors and even his harshest critics. He is indeed a legal colossus, a true patriot with a strong moral character and an unswerving passion for pursuing the cause of right without fear of might. He is a very warm and wonderful, human being – a selfless, compassionate lover of people who seeks the good, happiness and progress of others. Above all else, Sam is a man of faith who loves the Lord with all his heart.” – Her Ladyship Georgina T. Wood, Former Chief Justice of Ghana
  • Stones Tell Stories at Osu

    Stones Tell Story at Osu is a creative biographical account of the Slave Trade at Osu, one of the leading slave trading centres off the West African Coast.

    Wellington employs a metaphorical device through the voice of the narrator, Ataa Forkoye, to provoke discussion, dissolve the shame and confusion associated with the slave trade and to persuade the current generation of Africans to abandon the taboo of not speaking about it.

    Wellington, an architect by profession, does this by rummaging through the remaining physical ruins of the slave trade, picks up the stones one by one to construct a compelling narrative through the amalgam of values, conflicting colonial hegemony, layers of economic syncretism and the collision of cultures to bring to life the force of the relationship between the Europeans and their African counterparts.

    Stones Tell Story at Osu has brought together the untold “fragmented” pieces of the story of the slave trade this side of the Atlantic and serves as the missing puzzle to those who seek answers.

    Wellington’s rich narrative style still shines in this long-awaited second edition, a book that will tug at the curiosity of historians, anthropologists and students of English and Literature in high schools and universities alike and an engaging traveling companion that resists being laid down.

  • Going to Town

    Professor Paul Archibald Vianney Ansah (1938-1993), Ex-Director of the School of Communication Studies, University of Ghana; reputed scholar, communicator, journalist, critic; a devout Christian, an uncompromising advocate of democracy, freedom and justice; generous, humorous, pedantic, but also defiant and choleric. Close associates called him “Uncle Paul”; his students made an acronym of him: PAVA. The world knows him as P.A.V. Ansah. His death on 14th June, 1993, created a big void in journalism, and dented the writer’s crusade against oppression and dictatorship in Africa.
    From 1968 when he assumed the editorial seat of The Legon Observer until his death, the name Paul Ansah became perhaps the most revered epitome of incisive journalism in Ghana. By 14th June, 1993 when he died, P.A.V. Ansah, over a quarter of a century had succeeded in perfecting a paradigm in Ghana’s journalistic tradition. Write-and-be damned was its hallmark, and Going-to-Town its colloquial shibboleth. Avid readers of Paul Ansah’s column in The Ghanaian Chronicle weekly, for which he wrote in his last years, eventually got used to the ominous prelude of his weekly sojourns to town.
    In this book, the editors put together a selection of the newspaper contributions of Paul Ansah from 1991 till his death in June 1993. The articles were mostly published in his column in the Ghanaian Chronicle, but also include his contributions in the Free Press, Independent, and the Standard.
    His writings, reflecting a broad range of themes, have been grouped under four overlapping headings: Media, Politics, Society, and International.

    Going to Town

    90.00
  • Growing Up

    Many years ago, there were rites of passage in the African communities. These were important initiations that consciously prepared young people in their transitions through life. These days, however, young people are left to figure out their maturity by themselves. This situation has plunged many young people into frustration and despair because they made mistakes on the journey. Some others have handled it quite well and are reaping the benefits.

    This book contains real life experiences of young people who are growing up. With the youngest contributor being 21 and the oldest being 40, everyone can relate to the contents of the book. The lessons in the books are captured through the fear, disappointment, failures, successes and accomplishments of the contributors. It also speaks to diverse sub-topics that influence a growing young person such as parenting, broken homes, death, faith, and education.

    Our hope is that reading the stories in the book will give you an awakening to the fact that you need to set your own growing path and walk through it. Definitely, you too can share your story about Growing Up with us and others. You will be helping them just as this book is helping you.

    Growing Up

    25.00
  • Through the Gates of Thought

    Once again, Nana Awere Damoah has a splendid achievement to his name in this, his second book of stories, articles, aphorisms and poetry. His style is graphic, entertaining and indisputably Ghanaian. Whether he is lauding the efforts of his countrymen, exhorting everyone to thoughtfulness and faith, deploring the politicisation of local issues or making astute comments on his schooldays, he is frank and ‘in your face’.
    Seriously funny, amusingly instructive and liberally Christian, Damoah offers insights from many sources and hope for the future for his pioneering homeland. He has, like some clever spider in folklore, spun a glittering web of words in our path, trapping many tasty ideas. These we can consume at our leisure, through the gates of thought.Nana Awere Damoah is a reflective thinker and engineer, a passionate believer in the good of man, determined to leave his thoughts for posterity. He is a Ghanaian Chevening alumnus educated in Ghana and the UK, and author of Excursions in my Mind and Tales from Different Tails.

  • Excursions in my Mind

    In this brilliant series of articles, supported by quotations from literary sources, the Bible and contemporary Church leaders, Nana Awere Damoah covers the broad sweep of Christian faith as practised in everyday life. The author’s background in Chemical Engineering, his studies in the UK and his work for Unilever in Ghana give him a sound working base for his outreach to fellow believers. His keen participation in the Joyful Way ministry and his manifest love of books also reveal his awareness of music and the power of ‘the Word’ in every sense.
    Among these easily digestible, bite-sized essays are pieces of poetry and passages of Bible study, amusing stories about the author’s family and schooling, and reflections on key issues such as self-help, leadership, love for one’s parents, the nature of friendship, and what he calls ‘partnership with Jesus’. Indeed, for Nana Damoah life is a business to be worked at and lived, not just dreamed about!
  • The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography

    I have no wish to play the pontificating fool, pretending that I’ve suddenly come up with the answers to all life’s questions. Quite that contrary, I began this book as an exploration, an exercise in self-questing. In other words, I wanted to find out, as I looked back at a long and complicated life, with many twists and turns, how well I’ve done at measuring up to the values I myself have set.” —Sidney Poitier

    In this luminous memoir, a true American icon looks back on his celebrated life and career. His body of work is arguably the most morally significant in cinematic history, and the power and influence of that work are indicative of the character of the man behind the many storied roles. Sidney Poitier here explores these elements of character and personal values to take his own measure—as a man, as a husband and a father, and as an actor.

    Poitier credits his parents and his childhood on tiny Cat Island in the Bahamas for equipping him with the unflinching sense of right and wrong and of self-worth that he has never surrendered and that have dramatically shaped his world. “In the kind of place where I grew up,” recalls Poitier, “what’s coming at you is the sound of the sea and the smell of the wind and momma’s voice and the voice of your dad and the craziness of your brothers and sisters…and that’s it.” Without television, radio, and material distractions to obscure what matters most, he could enjoy the simple things, endure the long commitments, and find true meaning in his life.

    Poitier was uncompromising as he pursued a personal and public life that would honor his upbringing and the invaluable legacy of his parents. Just a few years after his introduction to indoor plumbing and the automobile, Poitier broke racial barrier after racial barrier to launch a pioneering acting career. Committed to the notion that what one does for a living articulates to who one is, Poitier played only forceful and affecting characters who said something positive, useful, and lasting about the human condition.

    Here is Poitier’s own introspective look at what has informed his performances and his life. Poitier explores the nature of sacrifice and commitment, price and humility, rage and forgiveness, and paying the price for artistic integrity. What emerges is a picture of a man in the face of limits—his own and the world’s. A triumph of the spirit, The Measure of a Man captures the essential Poitier.

  • Selected Speeches of Kwame Nkrumah (Volume 2)

    The death of Kwame Nkrumah, first President of Ghana, demonstrated a great irony: a man so much maligned and rejected in life, should be so praised and loved in death. The force of his personality, his convictions in the face of powerful opposition, and his vision for Ghana and a pan-Africa, are evident in his speeches. The speeches in this second of five volumes are arranged chronologically.

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