Author urge public to develop habit of reading

Madam Ayesha Harruna Atta, the Author of “Hundred Well of Salaga” has encouraged the public to develop the habit of reading, because it is one of the best ways of getting informed and educated about situations and events, which one could never had known.

She said reading also helps to open the mind and make an individual intelligent.

She gave the advice at an interaction session with the public dubbed: “Meet and Greet”, at the Ama Ata Aidoo Centre of Creative Writing, located within the African University College of Communications in Accra.

The Author challenged parents to encourage their wards to read books from infancy, to instil in them, positive attitudes, for a better life in future.

She encouraged the public to inculcate the habit of reading African novels to improve their knowledge and understanding of currents issues that affect developing countries and Africa in particular.

Speaking about her book titled “Hundred Well of Salaga”, she said “the book presented, not only a fresh perspective on the transatlantic human trade, but a nuanced exploration of the human heart, and asserted the need to keep pressing toward freedom, whatever the constraint or twist until we die”.

Speaking about her inspiration for writing the book, the Author said some years ago, she learnt that her great-great grandmother had been enslaved and ended up in the Salaga slave market and attempts to find out more about her led to obstacles.

She said people either did not know much about her or they didn’t want to talk and “writing the book was a chance for her to finally speak through me.”

Madam Ayesha said the book focused on a period right before the wars in Salaga in 1892 until the downfall of Salaga to German forces in 1897.

She said it was a dramatic era because not only were different families vying for the throne of Salaga, but also because the Europeans were making their way into the zone, following the Berlin Conference of 1884 to 1885.

Ayesha Haruna Atta’s book is the third edition of her piece. She is the daughter of Alhaji Rahman Harruna Atta, a Veteran Ghanaian Journalist.