Kabral's Book Outdoored
Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Omanhene of Essikado launching the book
The Former Ambassador of Ghana to Cote D' Ivoire and Sierra Leone during Former President John Agyekum Kufuor's tenure of office, Mr. Kabral Blay-Amihere, has officially launched his fourth book entitled: Ayeyi Praises: A Celebration Of Life.
Ambassador Blay's new book, as its title suggests, urges people to appreciate and praise global figures like accountants, journalists, mothers, lawyers, business men and women, writers, footballers, among others, not necessarily for the contributions that they have made or are making towards the socio-politico- economic development of their respective societies, but for the mere fact that they exist.
In this regard, he praised such people in the book, including even practitioners of the oldest profession - prostitution - not leaving out teachers as well.
The book was launched on Friday in Accra. Many politicians, including Mr. Freddie Blay, former Deputy Speaker of Parliament; senior journalists like Kwasi Pratt Jr and Kweku Baaku Jr., traditional leaders and renowned business men and women, were in attendance.
Mr. Kabral Blay Amihere, Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), wrote his first book in 1994 which covers his time at Harvard University in the United States.
His second book: Fighting For Freedom – An Autobiography Of An African Journalist - was published in 2001 and it captures his experiences as a practising journalist during his days with the Ghanaian Times.
His third book was Between The Lion And The Elephant – Memoirs Of An African Diplomat. Besides Ambassador Samuel Quarm, who wrote a brief sketch of his experiences, Ambassador Blay, according to Mr. Anis Haffar of Gate Institute who reviewed the new book, had established himself” as a pioneer in the genre of 'Statecraft and Diplomacy'”.
The Book
The Chairman of the NMC, in praising musicians in the book, especially those of the civil rights movement in the United States and the Liberation Struggles in Africa, gave the lead roles to Bob Marley (Redemption Song) and James Brown (Say It Loud, I'm Black And Proud).
In the chapter on politicians in Ayeyi Praises- A Celebration Of Life, Ambassador Blay urged that politicians in Africa who are mostly regarded as heroes of corruption and brutalities, should not and must not be neglected and/or left alone but must be encouraged and praised so that they could bring out the best in them.
He thanked former President Kufuor and George Walker Bush, former US President, for their initiative in constructing the Tetteh Quashie-Mallam Highway.
Meanwhile, Mr. Blay, one of the candidates aspiring for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) 1st Vice Chairmanship position, whilst chairing the launch, urged Ambassador Amihere to carry on with the great job that he had started and not to relent on his past glory.
For Mr. Blay, there were still a lot of great things to come from Ambassador Blay which could not be achieved if he (Ambassador) took to dancing to the melody of his past achievements in the field of writing.
The first copy of the book was purchased by President Kufuor at an undisclosed price, whilst Mr. Freddie Blay purchased the second copy for GH¢5,000.00
BY Melvin Tarlue & Vincent Kubi