Sights and Sounds
How One Father’s Decision Helped Ama Ata Aidoo Become a Global Literary Icon
Long before Ama Ata Aidoo became one of Africa’s most celebrated literary voices, her future was shaped by a decision that defied convention. In the 1940s, when educating girls was far from the norm in many parts of colonial Ghana, her father chose a different path.
He established a school in his compound and ensured his daughter received a formal education—a choice that would eventually influence African literature for generations.
Born in 1942 into a chiefly family in Saltpond, in Ghana’s Central Region, Aidoo grew up surrounded by storytelling and a strong sense of community. Family history also left a lasting impression.
According to accounts, the death of her grandfather during the colonial era inspired her father to see education as a powerful form of resistance and empowerment.
That foundation bore remarkable fruit. After attending Wesley Girls’ High School and studying English at the University of Ghana, Aidoo published The Dilemma of a Ghost in 1964 at just 22 years old.
Appearing only seven years after Ghana gained independence, the play became one of the first works by an African woman to earn international recognition.
Through stories exploring identity, migration, family and the relationship between Africa and the West, she helped redefine how African experiences were presented on the global stage.
Her influence reached far beyond literature. Aidoo served as Ghana’s Minister of Education, contributed to educational development in Zimbabwe, taught at universities across several countries, and mentored countless young writers, particularly women, throughout her career.
When she passed away in May 2023 at the age of 81, Ghana honoured her with a state funeral—a reflection of a life that transformed both education and literature.
Ama Ata Aidoo’s greatest legacy may not simply be the books she wrote, but the generations she inspired to tell their own stories with confidence and authenticity.
Sights and Sounds
Mind Craft Camps Accra Turns School Holidays into Adventures in Creativity and Discovery
For children, a school holiday is an invitation to explore, imagine and play. For parents, finding activities that keep young minds engaged while providing a safe, supervised environment can be a challenge.
In Accra, Mind Craft Camps offers a way to bring both needs together, turning school breaks into opportunities for creativity, discovery and practical learning.
Organised by Cheeky Monkey Club, a provider of holiday camps in Ghana’s capital, Mind Craft is a multi-activity, outdoor-based programme built around invention literacy and skill development.
Its approach gives children room to enjoy their holidays while engaging in imaginative activities designed to encourage curiosity and new skills.
The camps run around school holidays throughout the year, with the summer programme taking place from July through August. Sessions run from 9am to 3pm and welcome children aged three to 12, offering families a structured option during the long school break.
A key feature is the way children are grouped according to age. Participants aged three to five, six to eight, and nine to 12 are placed in separate groups, allowing activities to be suited to their different stages of development.
This arrangement helps ensure that younger children and older participants can engage with programmes appropriate to their abilities and interests.
Located in East Legon and Cantonments, Mind Craft also offers parents flexibility when planning their children’s holiday schedules. Depending on availability, families can choose drop-in sessions, half-day or full-day attendance, bookings for the entire summer, or weekly packages.
Fees are charged in Ghanaian cedis, with options starting from GH₵100, making it possible for parents to consider different arrangements based on their schedules and budgets.
By combining outdoor activities, supervised play and skill-building, Mind Craft Camps presents school holidays as more than a pause from classroom learning.
They become an opportunity for children to experiment, make discoveries and develop their abilities while enjoying the freedom of play.
Step inside Ninano Korean and Japanese Restaurant, and the atmosphere offers a welcome escape from the familiar.
With its distinctive wooden interiors, freshly prepared sushi and traditional East Asian dishes, the restaurant brings a taste of Japan and Korea to Ghana, creating a dining experience that has attracted both international attention and expatriate diners.
For Japanese and Korean nationals living and working in Ghana, Ninano offers familiar flavours far from home.
For other diners, it presents an opportunity to explore two celebrated Asian culinary traditions under one roof.
Japanese cuisine takes centre stage through freshly prepared sushi and udon noodles. Thick and satisfying, udon is a Japanese wheat-flour noodle commonly served in a hot broth, offering a comforting alternative to lighter dishes.
Sushi, meanwhile, provides a fresh, carefully prepared option that has helped the restaurant gain recognition beyond Ghana, including a feature on Japanese television.
Korean food brings a different character to the menu. Bulgogi, a popular Korean dish whose name translates roughly to “fire meat”, features thin slices of beef or pork marinated before being grilled.
Its savoury, richly seasoned flavour makes it a natural companion to the restaurant’s Japanese offerings.
Yet Ninano’s appeal extends beyond the food. Live music adds to the atmosphere, while large-screen televisions occasionally show live sports and other events.
The bar serves cocktails, wines, soft drinks and Japanese and Korean favourites, giving guests another reason to linger after their meal.
Service and ambience also contribute to the experience. Previous diners have praised the speedy service and quality of the food, describing the restaurant’s wooden setting as an environment that can momentarily make them feel as though they have travelled beyond Ghana’s borders.
Ultimately, Ninano offers more than a menu of Asian specialities. It provides a meeting point for familiar tastes and new discoveries, making it a distinctive destination for sushi lovers, Korean food enthusiasts and anyone seeking an East Asian dining experience in Ghana.
A child searching for their first picture book, a university student hunting for a prescribed textbook or a reader hoping to find their next favourite novel can all begin their search at the same place: EPP BookShop at Legon City Mall.
Located at 7 Lagoon Street, off Giffard Road, the Legon branch brings together books for different ages, interests and stages of learning.
Its appeal lies in the range of titles available, making it a useful stop for families preparing children for school, students pursuing higher education and readers looking beyond the classroom.
From a Small Accra Shop to a Growing Book Business
EPP Books began in 1991 as a modest bookshop in Accra, occupying a space of no more than 20 square metres.
Over the years, it grew into a chain with branches across the West African sub-region, expanding its reach beyond its original location.
That journey reflects the continuing need for accessible books in homes, schools and educational institutions.
For many learners, textbooks and supplementary readers are essential tools, while novels and self-help books offer opportunities for entertainment, personal growth and discovery.
Books for Different Stages of Life
At the Legon branch, the selection spans preschool materials, children’s readers, school curriculum books, secondary-school textbooks and university-level titles. Customers can also browse bestselling novels and books on personal development.
EPP BookShop serves both retail and wholesale customers, giving individual readers and organisations options for purchasing books. If a particular title is unavailable on the shelves, the shop can also arrange to order it.
For residents, students and visitors in the Legon area, the branch offers more than a place to buy reading materials. It provides a practical starting point for the search for knowledge, whether that begins with a child’s first schoolbook or a reader’s next literary adventure.
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