A Desperate Season

Is if in a hurry to tell his story, Kofi Marrah delves straight into his narration.

Without any formalities, he begins to tell the story of six-and-a-half-year-old Akorkor in a fast-paced impossible-to-put-down narrative.

In 31 chapters, he unfolds the story of the sudden disappearance of Adjoa’s daughter, Akorkor from their compound house, Number 72/6, Akrade Street, Kaneshie.

It does not take long for one to notice Kofi’s strong descriptive power, which compels the reader to even picture the clothes of Adjoa’s neighbour, Mr Thompson, in his khaki shorts and a singlet with two holes in it.

In simple language packed with sentences with truly descriptive fluency, the story flows seamlessly and effortlessly, bringing the characters in the book alive.

There is Mr Thompson, a former boxer, nice guy, but who indulges in occasional domestic violence to end disputes between himself and his wife.

Taciturn Mr Pobee, with a limp, is also there with his quarrelsome and talkative wife, and their two children.

Then, there are two of the protagonists, Amstrong Adjei and his wife Adjoa, parents of Akorkor, who is the reason for this story. Not left out is Mr Clottey, the affable caretaker of their compound house, who is cousin to their landlord.

Then comes Mr Sowah, who took over from Mr Clottey as Caretaker and had wanted to transform the bathroom and toilet into a living quarter.

Mutawakil Issa and his 10-year-old son, Seidu, and Takyiwa Osei, a spinster, make up the final pair in the compound house.

Set in the mid-1980s, Akorkor’s case is one among a spate of abductions in the country then.

Accompanied by Bosco, the little girl’s irrepressible great-uncle, Detective Inspector Freku, goes after a brutal and hardened gang leader in a tale of ritual murder and subterfuge.

In a ding-dong action, at times, making the hunter a prey as the protagonists engage the antagonists in a battle of wits.

Detective Inspector Freku, known to Adjoa as Fresco, who was her sweetheart in their school days, but whom she dumped then over a misunderstanding, made Adjoa uneasy over his leading of the search for her daughter, and the investigations.

But need she worry? Her uncle Bosco, who considered himself one who could take care of himself, having once whipped an Irishman with a penchant for bullying the natives in his young days, was ever ready to face the hazards of searching for Akorkor with the police, who initially doubted his ability to do so.

Uncle Bosco, however, proved his mettle when along the line, he saved the Detective Inspector and a colleague from certain death when they were attacked by two assailants.

Lessons

This action-packed book inspired by a true event also has lessons for the reader. Akorkor was intentionally lured away from home by a woman paid to do so, and her regret was that she did not adhere to her mother’s advice not to take presents from strangers, which would have prevented her abduction.  

Kofi also allows humourous moments like when Uncle Bosco, as a youth, followed some elders to the morgue for the first time. I wonder if you would find the description of his walk in there as funny as I did.

Dear reader, let me stop here and leave you to find out what happened to Akorkor, whether she was found alive or not, and especially who Sir Charles, the kingpin of the abduction gang, is and his relation to Detective Inspector Freku, when you pick a copy of this book.

Let’s see if you would be as shocked as I was when I reached Chapter 30.

I agree with Kwasi Otopah, who writes in a blurb that Kofi Marrah’s book resonates on two levels; as a powerful reminder for those who experienced the turbulent 1980s in Ghana, and as a historical lesson for those who did not. He concludes, “Marrah’s work not only entertains but also educates, making it a significant contribution to contemporary Ghanaian literature.”

The book is available at the Kingdom bookshops, Tema 0501287406, Spintex 0506487557; Booknook 0245275948; Smartline 0208409235; Amazon, Kindle and by emailing koftich@live.com 

Reviewers E-mail: niiaddokwei@yahoo.com