Title: The Sunshine Land — Ghana Fifty: Memories of Independence, 1957
Author: David Wedd
Publisher: AuthorHouseUK
ISBN: 978-1-4259-8030-6
Pages: 202
Genre: Non-fiction / Memoir
Reviewed by: Susan Brown
Hollywood Book Reviews
Throughout most of the 19th century and up until 1957 the Gold Coast of West Africa was a British colony. In 1957, the country reclaimed its independence and became Ghana. This memoir recounts a year in the life of the author as a British officer and is “an account of the last days of the Gold Coast colony and the beginning of the new state of Ghana.”
Mr. Wedd arrived in 1956 to the Land of Sunshine, a phrase he coined because “not only does the sun shine almost every day, but no people I have met with, before or since, have smiled more, been more straightforward, or offered me more genuine trust.”
His memoir showcases the numerous characters that came in and out of his life, both in his role as a British officer and through the friendships he made with the local people. He returned to the country a number of times and considered time spent there, “‘dreamtime – which I can never resist but will certainly never forget.”
Clearly Mr. Wedd kept a journal of his adventures because the detail in this narrative is meticulous. He recreates conversations with the Africans in his orbit, who spoke in a pidgin form of English; capturing the engaging cadence and rhythm of their dialogues, adding a measure of authenticity to the story. During his one-year stint in the army, he traveled throughout the country, met witch-doctors, who exposed him to juju philosophy, interacted with tradespeople, religious leaders, teachers, and even political leaders. In fact, he was familiar with Kwame Nkruman, Ghana’s first Prime Minister and describes Nkruman’s speech and jubilant festivities during the country’s independence celebrations.
The author’s fascination with the country shines through in his commentary on the exotic flora and fauna he came into contact with, as well as the countryside he traversed, plus the exotic cities, perhaps primitive at times, he visited. Even when he returned, well after the change in government and saw that the country was struggling, his joy in being back in a country that helped define him is apparent.
Interspersed throughout are dozens of photographs, taken by the author, that showcase his friends, fellow officers and activities that occupied his days. It is quite a pictorial record of the period. His postscript chronicles his return to England and subsequent time as a teacher.
Memoirs are such wonderful glimpses into a person’s life and open a pathway to see the world through someone else’s eyes. Although we will never in real time experience the Gold Coast under British rule, we can, with the help of Mr. Wedd, appreciate and understand that period of the country’s history. And with understanding comes acceptance and tolerance of another culture, principles Mr. Wedd lived.