• Oxford Street, Accra: City Life and the Itineraries of Transnationalism

    In Oxford Street, Accra, Ato Quayson analyzes the dynamics of Ghana’s capital city through a focus on Oxford Street, part of Accra’s most vibrant and globalized commercial district. He traces the city’s evolution from its settlement in the mid-seventeenth century to the present day. He combines his impressions of the sights, sounds, interactions, and distribution of space with broader dynamics, including the histories of colonial and postcolonial town planning and the marks of transnationalism evident in Accra’s salsa scene, gym culture, and commercial billboards.

    Quayson finds that the various planning systems that have shaped the city—and had their stratifying effects intensified by the IMF-mandated structural adjustment programs of the late 1980s—prepared the way for the early-1990s transformation of a largely residential neighborhood into a kinetic shopping district. With an intense commercialism overlying, or coexisting with, stark economic inequalities, Oxford Street is a microcosm of historical and urban processes that have made Accra the variegated and contradictory metropolis that it is today.

    “Oxford Street, Accra offers a fresh portrait of a rising African metropolis by one of the most original and skilled critics of the African condition. Deeply researched and packed with detail and bold in scope and analysis, Oxford Street, Accra is a unique addition to the growing body of work on contemporary African Urbanism. This extraordinary book shows the extent to which the future of urban theory might well lie in the global South.” – Achille Mbembe, author of Critique de la raison négre.

    KEY SELLING POINTS:

    • Oxford Street, Accra is a must-buy as an invaluable companion and compass for both newcomers and returning visitors to Accra.
    • Oxford Street, Accra was chosen as one of the ‘UK Guardian’s 10 Best City Books of the World in 2014.’
    • Oxford Street, Accra was also the Co-Winner of ‘The Urban History Association’s Top Award in the International Category For Books Published About World Cities in 2013 – 2014.’
    • Oxford Street, Accra contains an encyclopedic knowledge of the City of Accra, tracing the city’s evolution from its settlement in the mid-seventeenth century to the present day.
    • The book offers a microcosm of historical and urban knowledge of the making of the city that have transformed Accra into the sophisticated metropolis that is it today.
  • 1947-1957: The Story of Ghana’s Independence

    “I never realized what a prolonged battle I would have with the politicians, chiefs and people of the Gold Coast in order to give them the independence for which they have been clamouring all these years. Now they are going to have it whether they like it or not” – Sir Charles Arden-Clarke (Governor of the Gold Coast, 1949-1957)

    What would have influenced the above statement by the last Governor of the Gold Coast, which reveals the complicated, frustrating and tortuous trajectory of the last decade in the struggle for Ghana’s independence? This book, 1947-1957: The Story of Ghana’s Independence, not only answers this question but critically examines the roots of the nationalist movement and the role plays by several individuals, including Arden-Clarke himself and the various political organizations that led to the independence of the Gold Coast from British rule on March 6, 1957.

  • Ghana: An African Portrait Revisited (Photo Book, Hardcover)

    Ghana: An African Portrait by the American photographer Paul Strand was published in 1963 at the request of Kwame Nkrumah. It became a classic but is now out of print. Over 40 years after that landmark work, and coinciding with the 50th anniversary celebrations of Ghana’s independence, the country is documented again as it enters the 21st century.

    With more than 150 photographs, this book presents Ghana at a historic moment in time remembering its past and tradition, while looking ahead to a bright future. Six photographers with six points of view of working present a unique portrait of the country, through these photographs. From Accra to Bolatanga, and Elmina to Aflao, these are images of a country that is changing yet still retains much of its traditional character.

    There are photographs of bead makers, wood carvers, kente weavers and coffin makers; and of Ghana’s unique fishing industry, its historic slave forts, outdoor markets, and the diverse religious community. And at the same time, a country poised to compete in world markets is seen through Accra’s rising skyline buildings and Tema’s modern port facilities. Abena Busia’s essay provides a capsule history of the country.

  • Women Marrying Women in Northern Ghana: Wading into the Homosexuality Debate from a Ghanaian Perspective

    When the late Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, vehemently insisted that homosexuality is un-African, many scholars and commenters from around the world disagreed with him and went on to cite many cultural practices in certain African societies signifying the presence or traces of homosexual activities in African societies. Among many of these cultural practices often cited is the practice of women marrying women as evidence of female homosexual traits and, therefore evidence of homosexuality embedded in certain cultures in Africa.

    The Frafras of the Upper East Region of Ghana are a prominent ethnic group that practice this cultural arrangement. Delving into the the practice from the Frafra context, the books documents the practice of women to women marriage and its relationship or otherwise with homosexuality, with an explanation for the strong resistance of Ghana to homosexuality

     

  • 60 Second LifeClass: Become as you Think!

    Available on 14th October, 2024

    Why this book?
    In today’s fast paced world, there can be a tendency to neglect one of the most important aspects of our lives; making time to think and shape our mindsets. This book is a practical mindset-change tool, one in the Mindset Revolution [MR] mini-series. It is targeted at anyone who desires to live their best life through conscious thinking. In here you will find fifty life lessons, one for each week of the year with a two-week break of your choice. The lessons deal with the following themes; fear, love, forgiveness, belief, law of sowing and reaping of thoughts and the power in declaring ‘I Am’. The lessons are short and to the point but their effects are long-lasting and enduring.

    Why LifeClass?
    To be successful in any profession, we accept that you must receive the requisite training. Typically, the more technically challenging the profession, the more the number of years training one needs to receive. Somehow, we neglect the greatest profession of all which is Life. This has resulted in most of us existing instead of living. We operate as though our lives are happening to us rather than responding to us.

    Why 60 second?
    We now live in a world of busyness and this I believe is the ploy by which the ego keeps us from true fulfilment. Whilst this needs to change, it is unrealistic to expect that change to happen overnight. This mini-manual is meant to ensure that in spite of the busyness, we will be able to ‘fit’ in daily ‘snacks of conscious thinking’. It is my sincere belief that the addiction to these snacks will soon inspire you to have full ‘meals of conscious thinking’.

  • A Shred of Fear: A Memoir (Hardcover)

    Fifty years after the Biafran War ended in 1970, and as memories of the war fade and cultural, religious and tribal divisions rear their heads, Uche Nwokedi’s childhood memories of that time are presented in this memoir. Aged seven when the war began, he and his family would spend the next three years as refugees in their own country. A Shred of Fear brings dramatic events vividly to life. Moments of fear, sadness, tragedy, and family solidarity are told with pathos and humour. More than a war story, this compelling narrative shines a fearless light on a dark period.

    “Powerful and endearing. Uche Nwokedi’s A Shred of Fear is an open invitation to consider his boyhood memories of the Biafran War, told from his perspective as a man who also bore witness to its antecedents and aftermath. This is an inspiring book that is sure to mend bridges.” – Sefi Atta, Author, Everything Good Will Come

    “As one who participated fully in the Biafra War, A Shred of Fear is a powerful and vivid factual recollection of events that defined the war for the author. Written with such brilliant simplicity, one is taken on a journey of the changes in life in a time of war by the author. A must read. Highly recommended!” – Chief Arthur Mbanefo FCA, MFR, CON, Commissioner/Roving Ambassador in Biafra (1967-1970); Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (1999-2003)

    “A Shred of Fear is a beautifully evocative work that reveals the inimitable but understated role of the many women who confronted the war-within a war marked by hunger, agony and death. Rich in style and language, and full of humour, Uche Nwokedi’s writing is an emotionally wrenching, cross-over read.” – Yinka Olatunbosun, Journalist

  • Rose and the Burma Sky

    A gripping and intimate historical novel of a black soldier’s experience in the Second World War – a rare and moving tale of love and sacrifice.

    One war, one soldier, one enduring love

    1939: In a village in south-east Nigeria on the brink of the Second World War, young Obi watches from a mango tree as a colonial army jeep speeds by, filled with soldiers laughing and shouting, their buttons shining in the sun. To Obi, their promise of a smart uniform and regular wages is hard to resist, especially as he has his sweetheart Rose to impress and a family to support.

    Years later, when Rose falls pregnant to another man, his heart is shattered. As the Burma Campaign mounts, and Obi is shipped out to fight, he is haunted by the mystery of Rose’s lover. When his identity comes to light, Obi’s devastation leads to a tragic chain of unexpected events.

    In Rose and the Burma Sky, Rosanna Amaka weaves together the realities of war, the pain of first love and how following your heart might not always be the best course of action. Its gritty boy’s-eye view brings a spare and impassioned intensity, charging it with universal resonance and power.

  • Understanding TVET in Africa: A Collection of Selected Public Lectures and Journal Articles

    This book makes a strong case for the promotion of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Africa. It is a collection of selected journal articles on TVET and public lectures delivered by the author in several African countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.

    In a simple and clear language, the book explains the role of TVET in producing the skilled workforce that African countries need for industrialisation and transformation of their economies. It spells out strategies and policy actions that need to be implemented by key stakeholders in government and industry to derive the full socioeconomic benefits of investing in TVET, which include decent livelihoods for the youth, community wellbeing, sustainable economic growth, and protection of the environment.

    The topics treated in the book range from modernising traditional apprenticeships in the informal economy to higher level TVET education in polytechnics and technical universities in Africa. The book will therefore be useful reading and reference material for policy and decision makers in education and training systems, TVET system managers, students, TVET researchers, and parents, as well as persons interested in understanding TVET provision and its critical role in national socioeconomic development.

  • Contemporary Issues in Ageing in Ghana: A Multidisciplinary Approach

    The rise in population of the aged (also known as elderly, older persons, old adults, senior citizens) across the universe has become a global concern given the associated demographic, social and economic implications for the well-being of the aged. This increase has implications for future generations as well as the social and economic development of the country.

    This book, being the first from the Centre for Ageing Studies at the University of Ghana advocates for the study of ageing in many facets from health, science, and socioeconomic perspectives.

    It is our hope that the book provokes dialogue and serves as the beginning of many more avenues for academic discourse to embrace diverse views and science as the way forward. At the very least, this should motivate others to focus on ageing issues than ever before.

    Given the numerous challenges associated with ageing and the neglect of the welfare of the aged in Ghana, it is imperative that we pay attention to the plight of the elderly in our African societies. There is an argument to extend ageing issues to the larger population. It is hoped that Ghana would once again be the beacon of hope for research in ageing in sub–Saharan Africa with the Centre for Ageing Studies at the University of Ghana leading the way.

  • Realigning and Repositioning Africa: Confronting Challenges and Charting its own Courses in the 21st Century

    One of the challenges facing the continent of Africa is the continued marginalization it experiences in terms of its global political, economic and socio-culutral significance.

    This book, based on a collection of original essays from academics in Africa and across the African diaspora, seeks to address some of these concerns by positing Afri-centric expositions. The central theme of this book is the need for African perspectives and solutions to tackle African challenges, and for the realigning and repositioning of Africa.

  • Beyond Fear and Power: Osahene Boakye Djan – Pioneer Journey from the Village to the City and Back

    On 2nd June, 1979, the military high command of the Ghana Armed Forces picked up intelligence of an impending coup against their regime from the 5 Battalion, the only fighting unit in Accra at the time.

    General Odartey Wellington, the then Army Commander, informed his lower commanders to take steps to order Captain Boakye Djan, the D Company Commander of the 5 Battalion of Infantry to stop it.

    On 4th June, 1979, Captain Boakye Djan emerged to become the substantive head of government and official spokesperson of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council of Ghana.

    This is the story of one of Africa’s great military masterminds and why he has survived it all.

  • Akan Kasadwini (Akan Oral Literature)

    The book is a pioneering work of Akan oral literature written in the Akan language. It gives a theoretical view of oral literature and a detailed account of the major genres of oral literature in Akan. It deals with an introduction to literature and some aspects of stylistics. It ushers students of literature into some of the crucial issues of literature. The book deals with what literature is, and what it can afford to individuals and the society as a whole. It considers literature as an indispensable aspect of any society’s life. It also identifies the main characteristics of literature with specific reference to oral literature.

    The book treats some of the major terms in literature and supports them with examples. The book has 25 chapters and each chapter addresses, performance, composition, structure, functions and literary devices. Each chapter ends with sample questions that will help students to revise what they have learned from the chapter.

    The book is in response to the needs of students at the WASSCE, Diploma and Degree levels to the subject matter of oral literature in Akan. This book will also help Training College students both in their course work at college and also in their teaching.

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