Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com
By William Yaw Owusu
Saturday July 10, 2010
A BOOK authored by Brigadier General Henry Kwami Anyidoho (Rtd), one of Ghana’s decorated military general was launched at the KAIPTC in Accra on Thursday, raking in a whopping GH¢25,000 within 25 minutes of auction.
The highest purchaser was the Office of President J.E.A. Mills who bought the 350-page book being sold at bookshops at GH¢30 for GH¢ 2,000 while the general’s family members as well as a family friend bought a copy each for $1,000 respectively.
The book titled “My Journey…Every Step” (an Autobiography) which has a beautiful portrait of the general as the cover picture was published by Sub-Saharan Publishers in Accra and was auctioned by Fritz Baffour, the Member of Parliament of Ablekuma South.
Launching it, the Chairman of the Council of State, Professor Kofi Awoonor, who was also the guest speaker, was not happy about the way the international community distort history when it comes to the role that certain countries played in stopping the Rwandan genocide of 1994.
According to the Professor it was Maj. Gen. Anyidoho who stood his ground and told the UN Security Council he would remain in Rwanda with his troops to protect the people at a time when the world body had left millions to be slaughtered in the war through pull out.
“Anytime the history of the Rwandan genocide is told, they sideline Ghana’s crucial role in stopping the carnage in that country. We have to tell our story to the world.”
He said it was necessary for Africans to construct what he calls “an intelligent programme of integration into a self-reliant society to retain its dignity.”
He praised the author for his immense contribution towards the intellectual development of the country saying “Maj. Gen Anyidoho’s commitment to professional soldiering was second to none.”
Dr. Helen Yitah, of the English Department of the University of Ghana who was the reviewer said the book covers one of the important areas which have received less attention by writers.
“It is a refreshing inside scoop into the men behind the uniforms. He appears to have an encyclopedic mind on everything discussed in the book.”
Dr. Yitah said the book represents “a wealth of valuable information on the army and a pleasant story to read.”
Ms. Akoss Ofori-Mensah in her brief comments as the publisher called for the establishment of a national fund to support literary work in the country.
Reverend Professor Gilbert Ansre, a renowned translator who chaired the launch encouraged the academia to strive to get the best literary work to enhance development.
When he took his turn Maj. Gen. Anyidoho noted he overcame a lot of obstacles when writing the book, saying “I want to leave some traces for young officers and the future generation.”
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