<![CDATA[Dr. Edward Ackah-Nyamike Jnr.’s book ‘Adventures Beyond Mpataba: Reconciling with God’ is the unfolding real-life story of a young man’s walk with God. The autobiography illustrates the futilities of man’s propositions when they are not in keeping with God’s.
In addition to the personal story, ‘’Adventures Beyond Mpataba’’ poses critical spiritual challenges. What really is each person’s purpose on earth? How should the modern Christian relate to prophecy? Finally, when a man runs from God’s will, how long can he run? While giving anecdotal answers to these concerns the book offers more. It provides evidence that angels live among us; that God is ever faithful; and (in the long run), obedience wins.
The book opens with the rather mysterious circumstances of the author’s conception and birth. As one journeys through the 275 pages one encounters his family background and special events during his secondary school. The writer’s university days, his studies in the UK and his working life as a lecturer at the University of Ghana are all vividly recounted. A bitter divorce, as well as the high and low points of his marital experience is also shared.
The varieties of these encounters notwithstanding, the author stays focussed on the main themes of prophecy and answering the call of God. At every stage he remembers to tell us where he stood in his relationship with his Creator. In the third chapter, for instance, the writer tells us: ‘’I was kind and generous to my friends and strangers; I obeyed the elderly and related well to all manner of persons. But what I did not know at the time was that all my righteousness was like filthy rags and nothing compares to the righteousness of God that comes by faith in Jesus Christ.’’
Throughout the book we see the writer go through physical, emotional and spiritual battles. On a couple of occasions these struggles actually degenerated to the point of life and death. One case in point is where he was admitted at the Legon Hospital for two weeks, afflicted with an inexplicable ailment.
A feature of the protagonist’s life is the drudgery of frequent re-locations from one place to another, particularly during his childhood. The adventures that came with these movements helped to define the struggles of the main character’s life. It is no wonder that one such place, Mpataba ends up as part of the title. For all who get to read this book my homely advice is, visit Mpataba in the spirit of domestic tourism.
As captured in the book the theme of struggle continues beyond the person of the author. The affair of the students’ leadership crisis on St Augustine’s campus is an example. In that captivating narrative, our protagonist played an influential role in a student ‘coup detats’. This was in the mid 1980’s and what was being played out was the cloud of armed conflicts that had hunged over the national geopolitics of Ghana and Africa from the late 1970’s. Among them was General Akuffo’s palace coup and the Rawlings ‘real’ coups of 1979 and 1981. Preceding those was the period of ‘Fire in Soweto, Black September Movement, the overthrow of Idi Amin of Uganda and Murtala Mohammed of Nigeria. In terms of popular culture that was the time Bob Marley was ‘Uprising’.
Nostalgic, wouldn’t you say? We have the benefits of these references because the author freely dispenses them to us as he milestones his life journey. But it doesn’t end there. The author shares his recollections of Princess Diana’s fairy tale wedding. He tells us how he saw with his own eyes Pope John Paul II who visited Ghana in 1980. As fate would have it a year after he visited Ghana the Pope himself was shot four times at a public square in Vatican City.
What is the point in citing these events of national and global import? All shall pass. All shall pass. As stated in the Holy Book, these happenings have come to pass just as all those we are witnessing today shall also pass. For a Christian literature, there is no doubt that the work provides a rich social and political background. While this shows the extent he goes to paint an accurate picture, the reality of the matter is that this work has revealed to the world a creative writer in the person of Dr. Edward Ackah-Nyamike Jnr. His narrative style is so simple, easy to read and yet so compelling. The Doctor even manages to inject a good dosage of humour. Hear him: ‘’I always remember a comment an illiterate uncle made when I informed him about the admission. He said ‘why do you want to go to the University to learn how to farm?”
In his Ph.D. discourse on autobiographies, David Odoi, of the University of Ghana cited Opoku-Agyeman’s stance that the genre has not received much attention from African academics. In his work “the Inner I’’ Shapiro describes the autobiography as the dark continent of literature, especially in Africa.
‘’Adventures Beyond Mpataba’’ has come as a shining light to improve the situation. What makes it special is that the book successfully straddles Christianity and secularity. Effectively, the gift we have in hand is a Christian literature, a history guide, a social commentary and a motivational resources. The book under review teaches us how to take drastic decisions. It reminds us that bullying in school, exam leakages and drug use are rife among the youth. The tragic end of the author’s own cousin Jacob buttresses this.
For an autobiography, the author exercises sufficient emotional distance. Bothhuman sources and documentary records are adequately provided.Above all, the references given are rich and verifiable.
‘’Adventures Beyond Mpataba’’ is one individual’s travails and triumphs. Not only do we see the beauty and strength of the writer’s character, we also come to terms with his fears and failings. Nevertheless, we see ourselves in him. When he faces the viciousness of society we secretly wonder what we would have done in his shoes. When he receives comfort from his better half, the lovely Juliet, we are happy and inspired by the blessings of a life partner.
For many young people, the author’s restoration after finally heeding the call is eloquent testimony of God’s blessings and the fulfilments that awaits all of us. Dr. Ackah-Nyamike’s Jnr journey with God is by no means ended. But with this publication, he has allowed himself to be led by the spirit to become an agent of change. May this book mark a turning point in our own walk with God.
Review by Kofi Akpabli]]>
