“LITTLE MAWU” BOOK LAUNCHED IN THE HAGUE ON 7^th OCTOBER 2016

Newly Launched Book

The long-awaited sensational book LITTLE MAWU The Story Of My Life has been officially launched at The Hague, the Netherlands.

The simple but impressive event took place in the Library Room of Vliethage in The Hague, on Friday, 7th  October 2016 between 19.00 - 21.00 hours. 

The Book Launch programme was strategically fixed to coincide with GHANAIAN HERITAGE DAYS of a Netherlands-based Asanteman Club Den Haag, held from 7 – 8 October this year.

LITTLE MAWU The Story Of My Life is an autobiography of Mawutodzi Kodzo Abissath, a bilingual Ghanaian journalist, author, poet and blogger. It was published in the Netherlands by MI Publishing. Even though the author could not be present physically, technology made it possible for him to participate in the programme via Skype. And the experience was fantastic!

The Publisher of the book, Ms. Joyce Herry, delivered the keynote address by giving a   chronological account of the genesis of the book. There had been several marathon Skype   sessions between herself as editor and Publisher in Europe, and the author in Africa. She described the author as a “mystery man” whom she first met in November 2014. It was at her friends, Sandra and Cor James’s residence in The Hague that year when she was invited to partake in Sandra’s natal day party.

She told the audience that the author Mr. M.K. Abissath came to the Netherlands in 2013 – 2014 academic years to pursue a Master of Arts programme in Development Studies at the renowned International Institute of Social Studies popularly known as ISS of Erasmus University Rotterdam, with campus located in The Hague.

According to Ms. Herry, while enjoying herself at Sandra’s birth day party, on that memorable day, Mr. Abissath whose first name Mawutodzi was nicknamed “Mawu” by the ISS community, approached her and asked her name: “I am Joyce,” she replied. Then he probed: “So what do you do?” “I am an author and independent publisher,” she explained. 

Ms. Herry recalled that, when she told the inquisitive man that she was an author, the word “author” caught his attention and he quickly retorted: “I have a poem about Joyce, composed as far back as 1987 and I have a lot more poems that need publishing.” Then he said to her: “I will send you my poems to look at,” he concluded enthusiastically.

The Publisher told the gathering that, at the time of meeting Mawu, she herself was busy struggling with the publication of her own book on SLAVERY – A phenomenon of All Times. Thus, she did not make any promise either or not to publish Mr. Abissath’s supposedly collection of poems.

However, when Mawu successfully graduated and received his MA Degree in December 2014, Sandra and Cor organised a special farewell party in his honour at their own residence. Then on 14 December 2014, a day before his departure from Europe to Africa, Sandra defied the chilly winter weather, took a tram all the way from their suburb to visit Mawu at his student’s hostel in The Hague. She went there specifically to inform him that she had arranged with a friend of hers to pick him up with her car to drive him the following day straight from The Hague to the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to see him off to Ghana.  

Mawu was overwhelmed by Sandra’s kind gesture and generosity. Already, he started calling Sandra “Queen Sandra” the first day Sandra dressed like an African queen to receive Mawu in their residence. Thus, through conversation, they were sharing ideas as what Mawu would like to do after his retirement in the civil service in Ghana. Mawu then briefly told Queen Sandra about his humble beginning in villages in Ghana and Togo both countries in West Africa because his mother was a Ghanaian and father a Togolese.

Then Mawu mentioned in passing how he used to be a very tiny boy but somewhat brilliant as a village school boy who happened to be the only candidate to have successfully passed a very tough common entrance examination in 1972 in his father’s village in Togo that year. Unfortunately for him, however, he could not go to secondary school due to financial challenges of his parents. Queen Sandra was dumbfounded by the mysterious academic life story of Mawu. She motivated him to write a book about his unpredictable life, which would be of great interest to European readers. It was Sandra who even suggested the operational title of  “LITTLE MAWU”.  As the adage goes, the rest is history… One must read the book, especially the youth, to appreciate the power of determination and perseverance in life. 

Earlier, the Board Chairman of the Asanteman Club Den Haag, Chief Kwakoe Boatong made a brief inspiring speech and gave a historical background to the Club, and how they have been supporting all Ghanaian residents in the Netherlands as part of their activities.

The curator of the historical museum, who was also present, did a presentation about the heritage of The Hague Migrants. But one person who stole the show at the book launch was Mr. Charlton Marcos. He is a veteran poet who gave a fantastic rendition of some selected poems extracted from the book LITTLE MAWU. The poems were:  

BE YOURSELF, BE USEFUL and NETHERLANDS – LAND OF LEARNERS.

Mawu himself recited three poems via the Skype for the listening pleasure of the gathering. One poem that was not in the book entitled: BELOVED JOYCE was recited and then he recited FLYING AMONG THE SCHOLARS and the very last poem published in the book: GHANA – CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSE. He told his distance audience what inspired him to compose his poems. It was a soul stirring experience indeed!

 Those who witnessed the official launch of the 269-Page  LITTLE MAWU The Story Of My Life felt self-fulfilled because the event was just inspiring to say the least. Ghanaian and African youths should be inspired that: "Even if your father died before you were born, you can make it and be whatever you want to be in life!"

The following photographs speak for themselves:

Publisher Ms. Joyce Herry (L) presented  first copy of the book to Sandra

Veteran Poet Charlton Marcos reading one of the poems

Ms. Kiran Sukul, curator of Haags  Historisch Museum and
event organiser , Mr. Ricardo Lemmer & Queen Sandra

Publisher Ms.  Joyce Herry (R) presents a copy of the book to Mrs Boateng.

"LITTLE MAWU" is available from the Publisher at 19.99 euros . Her email address is mi.biz@inter.nl    In Ghana the book is GHc40. Author's contact: abissath@gmail.com

• Report by Mawutodzi Kodzo Abissath with photographs from Sandra.