John Benibengor Blay (born 1915) was a Ghanaian journalist, writer, publisher and politician, who has been called "the father of popular writing in Ghana".[1] His work encompasses fiction, poetry and drama published in chapbooks that have been compared with Onitsha Market Literature.[2]

Life and career

Blay was born in Half Assini, Western Ghana, and educated at the Regent Street Polytechnic in London.[3]

He began writing poetry in 1937, publishing stories from the early 1940s onwards.[4] Some of his work was published by his own publishing company, the Benibengor Book Agency, Aboso.

He later became a politician,[5] and in 1958 Blay was elected to the Ghanaian National Assembly. He later served as Minister for Art and Culture (1965–66)[6] under Kwame Nkrumah,[3] about whom he published a biography in 1973.

Works

Stories
  • Emelia's Promise, 1944
  • Be Content with Your Lot, 1947
  • Parted Lovers, 1948
  • Dr Bengto Wants a Wife', 1953
  • Operation Witchcraft, 1956
  • Tales for Boys and Girls, 1966
  • After the Wedding (continuation of Emelia's Promise)
  • Emelia's Promise and Fulfilment, Accra: Waterville Publishing House, 1967
  • Alomo, Aboso, 1969
  • Coconut Boy, Accra: West African Publishing Company, 1970
Poetry
  • Immortal Deeds, Ilfracombe: Stockwell, 1940.
  • Memoirs of the War, Ilfracombe: Stockwell, 1946
  • King of the Human Frame, Ilfracombe: Stockwell, 1947
  • Thoughts of Youth, Aboso: Benibengor Book Agency, 1961
  • Ghana Sings, Accra: Waterville Publishing House, 1965. With an introduction by Kwame Nkrumah.
Other
  • The Gold Coast Mines Employees' Union, Ilfracombe: Stockwell, 1950
  • On The Air: (B.B.C. Talks), Aboso, 1970
  • Legend of Kwame Nkrumah, 1973
  • The Story of Tata,[7] c. 1976

References

  1. ↑ Albert S. Gérard, European-language Writing in Sub-Saharan Africa, Volume 2, 1986, p. 833.
  2. ↑ Abotsi, Maureen, "J. Benibengor Blay" Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine, Ghana Nation, 13 September 2013. From Douglas Killam and Ruth Rowe (eds), The Companion to African Literature (James Currey 2000).
  3. 1 2 G. D. Killam, Alicia L. Kerfoot, Student Encyclopedia of African Literature, Greenwood press, 2008, p. 68.
  4. ↑ Angmor, Charles (1996). Contemporary Literature in Ghana 1911-1978: A Critical Evaluation. Accra: Woeli Publishing Services. pp. 24–5. ISBN 9964-978-20-0.
  5. ↑ The Sacramento Bee, 24 September 1959, pg. 42
  6. ↑ Africa Who's Who, London: Africa Journal for Africa Books Ltd, 1981, p. 230.
  7. ↑ The Story of Tata, "a very comprehensive account of the life of Mr. Joshua Kwabena Siaw ... one of Ghana's most prominent business men".


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