Awoonor's remains arrive in Ghana

The remains of Ghanaian literary figure, Prof. Kofi Awoonor, has arrived in Accra from Kenya, where he was killed by al-Shabab terrorists in the Westgate mall attack.

The body was brought home via Kenya Airways and was accompanied by his son Afetsi Awoonor who survived gun shots wounds in the attack and family of the late Council of State Chairman.

Prof. Awoonor died alongside 61 others in the attack.

His body was met on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport Wednesday afternoon by his wife and big wigs of the NDC, including Hon. E.T Mensah, Koku Anyidoho, NDC Chairman, Dr. Kwabena Adjei, Dan Abodakpi, National Security Coordinator Larry Gbevlo Lartey, Capt. (rtd) Kojo Tsikata, among others.

Per the poet’s wishes, as contained in his will, his body is not to be seen by strangers.

He will also be buried at a site he specifically chose in his will.

About 175 other people were injured in the attack which targeted mostly non-Muslims who were going about their normal business at the mall in Nairobi on Saturday when the attack happened.

Biography

Professor Awoonor, born George Awoonor-Williams in 1935 in Ghana when it was educated at Achimota School and then proceeded to the University of Ghana, Legon.

He taught African literature at the University of Ghana. While at the University of Ghana he wrote his first poetry book, Rediscovery, published in 1964.

Like the rest of his work, Rediscovery is based on African oral poetry.

He managed the Ghana Film Corporation and founded the Ghana Play House. His early works were inspired by the singing and verse of his native Ewe people.

He then studied literature at the University of London, and while in England he wrote several radio plays for the BBC. He spent the early 1970s in the United States, studying and teaching at universities.

While in the USA he wrote This Earth, My Brother, and My Blood.

Professor Awoonor returned to Ghana in 1975 to be head of the English department at the University of Cape Coast.

Within months he was arrested for helping a Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings who had been accused of trying to overthrow the military regime at the time.

Professor Awoonor was imprisoned without trial and was later released.

The House by the Sea is about his time in jail. After imprisonment Awoonor became politically active and has written mostly nonfiction.

From 1990 to 1994 Awoonor was Ghana's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, where he headed the committee against apartheid.

He was also a former Chairman of the Council of State.

Literary works

Rediscovery and Other Poems (1964)

Night of My Blood (1971) – poems that explore Awoonor's roots, and the impact of foreign rule in Africa

The House By the Sea (1978)

This Earth, My Brother (1971)

Comes the Voyager at Last (1992)

The Breast of the Earth: A Survey of the History, Culture, and Literature of Africa South of the Sahara (1975)

Ghana: A Political History from Pre-European to Modern Times