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Tq/ Book Reviews 373 .tq/ Book Reviews 373 ATUKWEI OKAI, The Anthill in the Sea: Verses and Chants for Children (Tema: Ghana Publishing Corporation, 1987). A TUKWEI OKAI'S THE ANTHILL IN giving days, etc., let us pause and briefly THE SEA, I subtitled "Verses and reflect on the fate of this Black Sheep Chants for Children," was among a number whose image our children are being forced of new titles launched in Accra on Decem­ to take on. To begin with, how many of the ber 14, 1988 by the Ghana Publishing children have any idea what wool really is? Corporation. The book had been released a Most sheep, we know, are white, but this few months earlier in the same year, particular one is black. Could that be the despite the 1987 publication date it bears. reason why even though she produces With this publication, Okai has joined "three bags full," in the end she has no­ the growing number of Africa's best­ thing left for her own use? One bag is for known writers who have found it necessary the master, one for some maid, and the last to invest some of their creativity in the one for a little somebody who lives down future of Africa - the children. Among the street. There is much racial bigotry and these writers are Chinua Achebe, Ngugi wa presumption of black inferiority buried Thiong'o, the late Flora Nwapa, and the within the sugar-coated rhythm of this late General Mamman J. Vasta, in whose 'innocent' verse. That is how the founda­ house in Lagos, Okai tells us in his After­ tion is laid for our uncritical acceptance of word, some of these verses and chants were the ultimate meaning of black sheep - "A composed in 1982. person considered undesirable or disgrace­ In turning attention to children's litera­ ful by his family or group," according to ture, our writers are certainly turning their the American Heritage Dictionary of the heads in a most vital direction. What is the English Language, compiled by "An wisdom in devoting all their energies to exclusive panel of 118 experts on using the prize-winning works to be read by an often right words the right way"! detached, sometimes indifferent population The havoc being wrought by famine on in Europe, America, and Australia while Africa's children gets explosive musical their own children's psyche is continually and Technicolor publicity all over the fractured by such dangerous nonsense as world. Perhaps we need to be equally con­ cerned about the dangers of book famine. It Baa! Baa! Black sheep is sad enough that we do not offer much Have you any wool? nourishment to our children's bodies. To Yes, sir, yes sir! add undernourishment of the mind and soul Three bags fulL.? to that of the body is to raise the sadness to the level of tragedy and doom. Is it fair that Next time we watch our children happily we saddle our children with both elephan­ singing such verses on Ghana Television, tiasis and a hunched back, and then push in any classroom, at speech and prize- them onto the stage to perform in an agbadza dancing competition? I This review was originally published in Uhuru (March 1989): 27-28. 374 FONToNFROM ~ The reasons for the tragic situation Once upon a time, there was in this referred to here as "book famine" are many country the Creative Writers Association and complex, and have often been debated for students in Training Colleges and at many a conference. The writers accuse Secondary Schools. Thanks to the pioneer­ the publishers of not caring enough to ing work of the American lady, Ellen Geer bring out what they produce, however in­ Sangster. Thanks to the full support of the adequate. The publishers, in turn, accuse Ministry of Education. Thanks to the free the writers of not doing enough of the right editorial consultancy services of some of kind of writing, writing that could actually the Research Fellows at the Institute of sell. Both the publisher and the writer may African Studies, Legon, among them the accuse those who decide on which books late Dr Efua Sutherland, Dr Jawa Apronti, our children must be reading in the schools Mr Ofori Akyea, Mr Asiedu Yirenkyi, and of finding it "most profitable" to keep the Dr Kofi Agovi. And thanks to the many overseas titles on the reading-list. After all, teachers in the various schools and colleges Longman, Macmillan, and Evans Brothers who freely gave of their time to help know how to do business! organize and coordinate the activities of the I remember how, at a Children's local creative-writing clubs. It was this Drama Workshop organized for writers kind of collaborative work that made pos­ under the Ghana Drama Studio Pro­ sible the Talent to Tomorrow series, issued gramme, one lady lamented over her seven annually by the Ghana Publishing Corpora­ manuscripts of children's literature that had tion, from 1965 to about 1972. been lying with Ghana Publishing Corpora­ When Nana Sangster, in her old age, tion for years. Another writer told a tragi­ had to return home to the United States, comic tale of how his book Sasa and Esi she arranged for the programme to be mysteriously disappeared from the 'ap­ transferred to the Institute of African proved' reading-list for schools, its place Studies. Her anxiety to ensure its survival probably given back to Cinderella, or per­ was such that she offered a personal grant haps the wonderful story of Gulliver's to the Institute to be used towards the travels among the Lilliputians. After all, administration of the programme. For these stories are classics. But our friend reasons not too clear to those of us asso­ suspected that some gentleman was not ciated with this programme, it seems that joking when he kindly reminded him that as soon as the seed money left by Nana he had not demonstrated enough gratitude Sangster ran out, the Institute's administra­ to his "friends" who had put Sasa and Esi tion tossed the programme over to the on the list. So, who really is to blame? Ministry of Education. The Ministry, of As usual, everybody is busy pointing course, took it back. But up there in the accusing fingers at someone else. Mean­ State House offices of the Curriculum while, our children's tragedy deepens. The Research and Development Division, the fact is, we all are to blame - the writers, the programme was reported to have suffered publishers, the teachers, the parents, the death by strangulation. No reports were Ghana Education ServicelMinistry of filed with the police; and, of course, the Education and Culture, the "Government" Bureau of National Investigation had not (whoever he/she was/is/will be). been dreamt of then. So those responsible .
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