The Torchbearers Of History (Of Time Past) And Of The Present And Of Future Narratives: A Review Of “All Ghana A Stage”

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 "In all of us, there is a hunger, marrow-deep, to know our heritage, to know who we are and where we came from."

— Alex Haley

Close to a year ago, I received a black box from the second lady of Ghana, H.E. Samira Bawumia’s office. The box housed several goodies, chief among them was an ARC of “All Ghana A Stage” an anthology of poems, short stories and essays. These are the shortlisted submissions from the winners of the first-ever Samira Bawumia Literature Prize.  Inspired by the contest theme, “Everyday Ghanaian Living,  this collection of poems, short stories and essays offer glimpses into contemporary life, the persisting influence of our ancient and storied cultures, personal struggles and triumphs, and the 21st-century realities that condition them all."

All Ghana A Stage is an ode to the shared experiences of young Ghanaians. 

As I always say, “What is a people without their story?” We are our stories—the tales handed to us from our ancestors and the tales we tell of our recent lives. We are the torchbearers of history  (of time past) and of the present and future narratives. The role of the storyteller in society cannot be under-emphasised. This is why it was of great joy to many when this project surfaced. The creatives, especially young writers, in the country needed ears to hear their untold stories, to hear their muffled voices and this collection does just that—gives them the needed ears and offers them a way to free their voices. And by doing so, they take Ghana with them...we get to experience, in more ways than one, what it means to have the "Ghanaian experience". 

The essence of being Ghanaian is captured in the first story, “Pilolo” by Anthony Morrison Kwavah. You see and feel Ghanaian even with the opening.  You feel nostalgic as you read through this particular story and several similar write-ups in the collection.

The ordinary Ghanaian life is brought to scrutiny, a trial of sorts. And through the viewpoints of the writers, you get to experience Ghana, one word at a time, a cluster of sentences as you go, until you are wholly taken by its rare, raw and creative ingenuity.

The government is questioned. A mother’s love and pain are shared. The surreal is reached. The creative's pain is given life. The writing staples are different and diverse—each carries a layer of its own, unique in its representations, yet together, they make a consolidated whole. 

 By being very descriptive, some of the writings get you thinking, feeling and seeing exactly what the writers intended to put across.  For instance the idea of destiny being written (predestination) as pondered on by Chi in “The smoke that thunders”. 

“The idea that all the pain and darkness and loneliness you bottled inside your little body was written somewhere in the cosmos felt elusive.”

Again, there are captivating think-pieces like “I bet I can Eat My Cake and have it: A Ghanaian’s manifesto” which I found myself nodding and smiling throughout my read. As a language fanatic and English linguistics student, I get every bit of the discussion the writer raised in the essay. I could only recall the number of times the argument on if there was a Ghanaian English and if it should be accepted as a standard and new English of its own had surfaced in my Sociolinguistics class. The writer did do justice to her side of the age-long debate. 

A piece like “Out of body” with the whole fantastical journey of Yaba through different life forms to “experience a pure Ghanaian life”

“...I’ve learned one thing from my...let’s call it a journey through life. The average Ghanaian life is seen from different points of view.  Not everyone lives th street life,  I am a perfect example. But I was there, in different perspectives of the Ghanaian experience.  

...Where my definition of my everyday Ghanaian life is a fancy house, the latest phone and parents who will take me everywhere without me seeing what public transport is like, that of others is totally different. 

…So, I'm noting this down. Appreciate where you are in life because it is by luck that you have it, and also be careful what you wish for...you just might get it. 

Some write-ups also dare to start conversations that matter. 

“The one who grows in the shadow of Nkrumah’s dream:  Memoir”. The writer brings up subjects that most people in the country turn a blind eye to, yet they are real. It is as if acting like they don’t exist would make it any less real. 

“When you are already in a position of privilege, equality is an imbalance, only equity is fair.” 

In more ways than one, this collection met my expectations and I am very happy and proud to have read it. It has 4.5 stars from me and I don’t have second thoughts about this rating! I will recommend it to you. Get yourself a copy. 

The Way Forward? 

At the very beginning of the foreword by the second lady, H.E Samira Bawumia, you read a bit about what the Samira Bawumia Literature Prize is about. “To unearth the promise and potential of a new, exciting generation of Ghanaian writers”

And I think they did.  My only hope is that this continues and that other organisations and individuals pick up from it. The young creatives in the country need a lot of avenues to explore their talents. We hope there are more such avenues available. 

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My favourites are:

Pilolo By Anthony Morrison Kwavah.

Pharmakeia By Jerry Edem Agbenu.

What You Will Hear When You Dip Your Head Into The Volta River By Jerry Edem Agbenu 

The Smoke That Thunders By Karen Adzoa Sena Donkor. 

I Bet I Can Eat My Cake And Have It: A Ghanaian’s Manifesto By Grace Mensah-fosu

Out Of Body By Sedem Segbefia

Never Again By Henneh Kyereh Kwaku

The Ones Who Grow In The Shadow Of Nkrumah’s Dreams: A Memoir By Maurice Djojo Adjetey

You Don’t Eat Fufu By Jasmine Agyeiwaa Balfour

The Ghanaian Creative By Nana Adjoa Agyepong

Responsible Citizenship, Reactive Leadership: The Case Of Tuba By Lawrence Nii Kotey Neequaye.

Mama Doesn’t Know By Yolanda Kwadey 

Baaba, Black Sheep By Amissah Kwadwo John

Theme: Everyday Ghanaian Life By Cynthia Emefa

The Government Versus The People By Enoch Acquah 

The Everyday Lives Of The Backbones Of The Ghanaian Society By Elsie Eghan. 

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Have you read the book? What are your thoughts? If you haven't read it, will you?