“LITTLE MAWU” BOOK LAUNCHED IN THE
HAGUE ON 7th 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!"
