A young poet, three MPs and other dignitaries are billed to read “Love Locked Down” with Okyeame Kwame to climax the 2021 edition of “Ghana Reads with Africa!” today 25 May, 2021 . ‘Love Locked Down’ is a book authored by the musician and his wife and with a foreword by Ghana’s most celebrated contemporary playwright, Uncle Ebo Whyte. It is based on the marriage life of the couple.
The three Members of Parliament who are joining the reading session are Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie (MP, Ketu South & fmr. Deputy Minister, Tourism, Culture & Creative Arts), Hon. Gizella Agbotui-Tetteh (MP, Awutu Senya West Constituency) and Dr. Emmanuel Marfo (MP. Oforikrom Constituency). They will be joined by Mrs Ama Serwah Nerquaye-Tetteh (Secretary-General, Ghana Commission for UNESCO), Ms Kate Addo (Head of Public Relations, Parliament of Ghana), Mr. Carl Ampah (National Programme Officer, Culture), Mrs. Ethel Sakitey (Regional Director, World Reader) and Apiorkor (Poet, and media practitioner with Citi fm/television) for the read. Valerie Danso (Broadcast Journalist, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation) will be the moderator.
‘Zoom Reading Of ‘Love Locked Down’ with Okyeame Kwame & Other Dignitaries’ as the session is dubbed, is the next zoom reading session after another interesting one on Saturday, 23 May, “Africa Reads on Zoom!” which featured literary/creative arts personalities from different parts of Africa to read ‘Things Fall Apart’ written by Chinua Achebe. It certainly promises to be the most exciting session among all the sessions. One which will leave a lasting memory in the minds of participants as the literary side of the Rap Doctor will be explored.
“Ghana Reads with Africa!” besides the above mentioned segments also featured other sessions which ran on 22 and 24 May, 2021. One was on zoom and the other, a physical session. The Zoom session, “Pre AU Day Zoom Literary Conversation” was on 22 May, 2021 at 6:00 pm (GMT). The session created a platform for a conversation on the theme “The Africa we want; from the Literary Perspective”. The panelists were Mrs Ethel Sakitey, (Regional Director, World Reader Ghana), Dr. Wale Okediran (Secretary-General, Pan African Writers Association), Blakk Rasta (Radio Presenter, Author &Musician) and Dr. Obadele Kamboh (Senior Research Fellow, Institute of African Studies).
The 24 May’s session was a physical one and featured Oswald Okaitei, Project Ambassador of Ghana Reads Initiative in a reading session with the students of Knowledgeworth Premier School located in Chorkor, Mamprobi.
Indeed, there is no better way to commemorate the AU Day than having a Reading experience with the Rap Doctor, especially when the book to be read is based on his marriage life experience. Participation is free. One can join by via zoom (Meeting ID: 970 1010 2040; Passcode: 584744) or through facebook (@worldreaderghana). For more information, one can contact +233 244 174 908.
Ghana Reads Africa was organized by Ghana Reads Initiative in partnership with World Reader Ghana and supported by Graphic Showbiz, Adwinsa Publications Ghana Ltd, Coca Cola Ghana Ltd, Celmar Travel and Tours, Play House.kom, Nayram Language Centre, Ghana Book Club and Uni Leaf Foundation.