SUMMARY OF CHAPTERS

ALEX AGYEI-AGYIRI’S
UNEXPECTED JOY AT DAWN
CHAPTER 1
It‟s 4 AM on a Monday morning in Accra, Ghana. A young man walks into his
room to meet the seemingly lifeless body of his lover. The young man, Nii Tackie,
is overwhelmed by panic and fear at the thought that Massa has stopped breathing.
His screams attract the attention of his neighbours. In between the tension, he
remembers the doctor‟s words on Massa‟s ailment. The doctor had told him Massa
has only a few months to live more. Weeks before, a friend had suggested he
consult an herbalist; having in mind, Odeefo Nkansah‟s “God is beyond Science”
at Gomoa Dago. Massa‟s ailment is a very serious one:

“within the six months that the sickness had run, she had become a third of her
size”.

Nii Tackie is relieved when he realises that Massa still breathes. The ailing lady
tries to smile in spite of her pain. She is concerned about the expenses incurred on
her treatment. Nii Tackie tries to conceal his indebtedness from her despite owing
outstanding debts in the bank where he works. He informs her of his friend‟s
suggestion on going to an herbalist.

Nii Tackie goes out to empty Massa‟s chamber pot into an open drain. On the
street, there are sounds of gunshot; a sign of insecurity in the streets of Accra.
Worried of being hit by stray bullets, he hurries back into the room after disposing
Massa‟s excrement. He sits by the table beside Massa‟s bed and sleeps off.
CHAPTER 2

It‟s 8 AM that same morning in Illera, Nigeria. Mama Orojo and Ibuk are on an
evangelical mission in the town. The two women are both members of the Amen
Kristi Church. Mama Orojo becomes nostalgic at the sight of an immigration
officer. When asked by Ibuk on why she keeps staring at the immigration officer,
she says:

„anytime I see an immigration officer, I‟m reminded of my past‟.

Then, Mama Orojo tells Ibuk about the past she is reminded of. Fifteen years
before, Mama Orojo came to Lagos from Ghana when the Ghanaian government
passed a law that all aliens without resident permits should leave. This was
sometimes during the Nigerian civil war. Her grandparents had migrated to Ghana
many years before. Mama Orojo left Ghana with her parents leaving behind her
grandmother and brother. On the way to Nigeria, her parents died. She was left
with no family. In Nigeria, she struggled with the little money on her to make a
name for herself; a thriving construction industry and a confectionary store being
what she has to show for it.

Their evangelical mission in the town is not as fruitful as they want. Many people
show little interest for fear of the Sahm brotherhood.

Mama and Ibuk move to Tom Monday‟s house, an elderly man to whom they‟ve
preached the gospel. Tom Monday is a widower with two children. His daughter, a
twenty-eight years old lady, holds contrary views to him. He claims she has been
influenced by her husband, a man of the Sahm (a politico-religious brotherhood).
Mama flips through the pages of her bible as she prepares for a session with Tom.

CHAPTER 3

This chapter shuffles between Lagos and Accra. In Lagos, the authorities are
deliberate on their expulsion of aliens from Nigeria. The government of the day
has also embarked on a TOTAL WAR AGAINST WAYWARDNESS. It‟s five
days to the 25th deadline given to every alien to leave the country. Movements on
the street are evident of the compliance to this deadline. The aliens are leaving with
their belongings.
The setting changes to Ghana where Massa and Nii Tackie are in the middle of a
chit-chat. Massa is obviously lively and better than her sickly version portrayed in
the first chapter. Massa asks Nii Tackie how many cocktail parties he had attended.
The reader learns of how the two lovers had first met in a cocktail party. Massa
calls him by the sobriquet she had given him, “my young banker”.

Nii Tackie tells Massa of another cocktail they are having at the moment; one he
describes as “SPECIAL” and has just the two of them in attendance, away from the
world.

It is evident that the duo loves each other passionately. Nii Tackie feeds her with
porridge made from the corn dough given to him by Linda, a junior colleague at
work. Nii Tackie wishes Massa could keep up with her new mood and strength.

CHAPTER 4

It‟s 10 AM on Tuesday morning in Accra, Ghana. The reader learns of Nii

Tackie‟s everyday working schedule and the dearth of experienced and competent
hands in Ghanaian various sectors (education, banking, etc.) owing to the exodus
of many citizens to other countries.

This chapter chronicles the experiences of the early days of Jerry Rawlings‟
revolutionary government and its various reforms. It also bores into Nii Tackie‟s
everyday activities; his work at the bank, his part-time teaching job and his job as a
credit collector for Susu Credit Union. He does these part-time jobs to supplement
his salary and offset Massa‟s hospital bills.

Despite his young age and little experience, Moses Nii Tackie has risen to the post
of the Assistant Manager of Expense Bank.

At Expense Bank, he and the Bank Manager examine some applications submitted
for loan grants. Among these applications is Aaron Tsuru‟s Ant Hill Project. Nii
Tackie roots out for Aaron‟s Ant Hill Project because of its creativity and capacity
to solve the high building cost in the country. But his profit-oriented boss
dismisses the project with the claim that the bank policy does not support such
projects. Nii Tackie tries to make his boss see the benefits in the project but the
Manager refuses to yield. Linda, a typist in the bank, brings in the newspapers.
Right in the news is the expulsion of aliens happening in Nigeria; about three
million of them, out of which two million were Ghanaians. The bank manager
swears (in a way that suggests he has Nii Tackie in mind) that if he has his way, he
would sack all aliens in the bank in reprisal.

Nii Tackie fears the repetition of what happened in Ghana fifteen years back. Nii
Tackie fears he would one day be expelled from Ghana. Though he was born in
Ghana, given a Ga name and bred in Ghana, he is still considered an alien by virtue
of his tribal marks and Nigerian parentage.

Due to the harsh economic realities, Nii Tackie has always longed to go Lagos but
Massa disapproves of such decision. Nii Tackie hopes Massa‟s get better so they
can reach a consensus.

Linda pesters Nii Tackie to come to her place. But Nii Tackie tells her he is not
ready at the moment.

Nii Tackie hurriedly leaves the bank before closure for a three-storeyed remedial
school where he teaches students Economics in preparation for their G.C.E.
examination. He walks some five kilometres to the place. He gets there late. The
headmaster complains about his lateness and his breach of contract he signed to
teach the students. Nii Tackie requests for the rescheduling of his classes to late
afternoons for convenience.

Nii Tackie proceeds to the market to collect ten cedis per trader as susu for Susu
Credit Union. The market is near empty and a drought is setting in. There is
scarcity of petrol and the roads are bad. The government‟s withdrawal of fifty cedi
denomination from circulation is taking its toll on the market women. A particular
woman whines, at the sight of Nii Tackie, of loosing ten thousand cedis as a result.
Another trader, Auntie Joe, died of heart attack from loosing forty thousand cedis.

Nii Tackie goes to the house of Susu Credit Union leader. He learns that the boss
has absconded to Nigeria in search of greener pasture; after he has embezzled the
Union‟s money. The escapee leaves no money for his family to survive on. Nii
Tackie is also informed the Secretary of the Union is gone too which automatically
puts Nii Tackie as the only one of the union left. Out of pity fior the forsaken
family, Nii Tackie gives the only ten cedis he had in his pocket to the wife of the
chairman.

Nii Tackie returns home to find Massa moaning. She has vomited on her cloth. He
starts to clean her mess.
CHAPTER 5

Back in Lagos, Mama Orojo and Ibuk are still in a session with Tom Monday. The
elderly man seems to have interest in Mama Orojo. The conversation has become
interesting. It has shifted from gospel to business talk. Both Mama Orojo and Tom
Monday talk about their business empires. Had Mama Orojo not come to him as an
evangelist, Tom Monday would have proposed to her immediately.

Ibuk wades into the conversation and brings them back to the reason for their
gathering. They discuss death and its causes, and eternity. At the tail end of their
conversation, Tom Monday tells Mama Orojo he would be in Lagos that week
while the latter says she would do the best she can to meet him on his visit.

Part 1: Chapter 6 to Chapter 10

In Chapters One to Five of Part One, we have encountered the characters of
Mama Orojo, Nii Tackie, Massa, Ibuk, and Tom Monday. Obviously, Mama
Orojo and Nii Tackie are in the center of the narration.
While Nii Tackie is trying to nurse Massa to good health, Mama Orojo feels
the vacuum of her long separated brother. Nii Tackie does multiple works in
order to make ends meet while Mama Orojo is doing well in her business.
Tom Monday, on his part, is interested in Mama Orojo and it appears he
would do anything to win Mama Orojo’s love.

CHAPTER 6

In this chapter, the rottenness of the Ghanaian society is portrayed

through its physical ruins as expressed by the debris of Kantamanto
market and the putrid lagoon. We see this through the eyes of Nii Tackie
the contrast between Ghana of the past and of the present.

Nii Tackie is walking across the streets of Accra when he sees Aaron. He
calls out to him but the latter is beyond hearing distance. Nii Tackie avows
his admiration for Aaron because the latter is an inventor. He believes
“every inventor was a great man”. Then, the reader is apprised of
Kantamanto market, now no more being used, and all it represented. The
defunct market used to be a home to traders from different tribes and
races across international divides.

Kantamanto gave expression to African unity. One could, standing at one spot,
sample the diverse races and tribes in Africa and Asia.

Gao from Mali; the Yoruba (Anago) and Ibo from Nigeria; Syrians and
Lebanese all carried out their trading activities in the market. Katamanto is
the African unity Ghana lacks.

The market was brought to ruins by the combined efforts, each at different
time, of “an unexplained fire” and the army who saw its remains,
„Kalabule‟ as shameful to the Ghanaian society. It is a relic of a part of
Ghanaian history when there was no xenophobia and all nationals made a
living in the country without fear and restraint.

Nii Tackie walks to the stinking Korle Lagoon. The lagoon also symbolises
the pervading rottenness of the Ghanaian society and everything wrong
with Ghana around this period. Apart from the pungent smell and
collected wastes, it is the hideout or to put it better, the rendezvous of
young men who smoke marijuana.

Nii Tackie squats around the lagoon to excrete. Quite an eyesore for an
Assistant Bank Manager to condescend himself to and a clear indication
that all is not well with his country in financial terms. After he is done, he
finds the body of a dead woman and hurries away.

CHAPTER 7

Massa is retching when Nii Tackie walks in. Even while she is in deep
pains, she downplays it as if it were nothing.

„I‟ve a little pain in my ribs.‟ She always played down the extent of her pains.
(Page 36)
The author portrays Massa as a strong woman despite her critical
condition. Massa diverts the discussion from her condition to the rats and
mosquitoes troubling her.

Nii Tackie and Massa sleep. Nii Tackie has had a full night‟s sleep in a
very long time due to Massa‟s critical illness.

Some days, his entire night‟s sleep lasted only a few minutes; the rest of the time
he watched over his ailing lover. (Page 36)

Nii Tackie wakes up, shouting from his sleep:

„Blackness is not enough! Blackness … Enough! Three stripes only …!‟

Massa is observant enough to know Nii Tackie has been having

nightmares like this. It‟s obvious that the alienation issue is starting to take
toll on Nii Tackie.

Now let me paint the scenario.

Nii Tackie was born and bred in Ghana. He’s given a Ghanaian name,
particularly of Ga origin. He has lived his all his life in Ghana. He is like every
other Ghanaian but what distinguish him from every other Ghanaian are his
tribal marks. Nothing can change that; not even his Ghanaian accent and
mannerisms. Everyone, including his colleagues at work, see him as an alien
because of this. The view is further reinforced when Nigeria begins it
Ghanaian-targeted alien expulsion. As a Nigerian in Ghana, he has every
reason to worry.

Only Massa, a staunch Pan-African, sees Nii Tackie in a different way.

She believes that as Africans, “where one finds peace, there is one‟s
home also”. She douses Nii Tackie‟s worry.
CHAPTER 8

Mama Orojo plans to travel to Ghana. She is making preparations for the
trip. She plans to take gifts along for her brother and “the old landlord and
surrogate father of her brother”.

The author intimates the readers of Mama‟s business empire, how she
maintains a strong connection with Nigerian politicians and how this has
been getting her contracts. Her company is „Mama Sansi Group of
Companies‟.

She is the first to build a house in Ijase. Her company is responsible for
the construction of “more than half of the houses there too”. The author
also hints that Ijase has become a target for robbers.

Mama Orojo creates a hollow in her bible cover with a knife. She hides six
hundred naira (in twenty naira denomination) in it and seals it with glue.

We encounter Mama Orojo‟s tenants: Idem (a provision store owner) and

her husband, Wachuc (a shift worker in a printing house). Idem is found
saying “Omo Ghana no go go” when two labourers with dirtied clothing
speak impeccable English to her. This is a pointer that Ghanaians are the
primary victims of the alienation law. Idem is equally concerned about how
her business will be affected by the expulsion law because most of her
customers are aliens.

Mama reflects on her impending visit to Ghana. She remembers how she
had to leave Ghana in compliance with its indigenisation policy and how
she had started her business with sales of second-hand clothes. Her
father gave her the name Mama; her other names being Olu Orojo.

Members of Corpus Kristi (a seven-member policy-making body of Amen

Kristi) come to her place for a meeting on their next mission and the
running cost. Mama Orojo is the treasurer of the local church, and thus a
member of Corpus Kristi. The only non-member present at the meeting is
Ibuk who in a way fills in for the dead seventh member.
The setting changes to a construction site undertaken by Mama Sansi
Group of Companies. Mama Orojo, the director, visits the site before she
leaves for Ghana.

Here, we are beginning to see the effect of the new immigration law in the
form of scarcity of labour force. The conversation that ensues between
workers hints that there is hunger in Ghana, which is not very far from the
truth.

CHAPTER 9

This chapter shuffles between Ghana and Nigeria. Opening with Ghana,
Linda asks Nii Tackie to come to her place in the evening for a treat while
Nii Tackie says he will think about her request.

In Nigeria, around 10.30am, Mama Orojo encounters delay on her way to

the airport. First, there is traffic gridlock caused by two quarrelsome
drivers. Then, her car develops fault. And her flight is scheduled for
10.45am. She has to take a taxi to catch the scheduled flight.

When examining her bag at the counter, the immigration officer is

surprised that she does not have “excess money, foreign money,
contraband goods”. All she has include “a few clothes, tinned food and a
bible”.

He begins to wonder how she intends to survive in Ghana. From him, we

learn about the newspaper reports about the widespread molestation of
Nigerians in Ghana. He advises Mama Orojo to be careful while in Ghana.
Ironically, sealed right in Mama Orojo‟s bible cover is six hundred naira.

The setting then moves to Ghana. Nii Tackie reckons his debt. He owes
the bank he works with a thousand cedis. He is banking on his leave
allowance and an extra six hundred cedis (from his part-time teaching job)
for taking Massa to the faith healer and for his survival during leave.
Linda reminds him of her request; adding that she wouldn‟t have invited
him if it is not special. Nii tackie tries to make her see that there is nothing
to him than his title when Linda addresses him as “Assistant Bank
Manager Nii Tackie”. However, Linda does not seem to understand.

Nii Tackie goes on to interview loan applicants.

CHAPTER 10

Mama Orojo is aboard flight HT954. The flight is stormy and she is not
particularly comfortable. She fears the plane may crash. A co-passenger
strikes a conversation with her.

The unnamed man (we will encounter him many times later in the novel)
piques Mama Orojo‟s interest in gold. He brings out a gold ring. Mama is
fascinated by gold products and the prospect of trading in gold.

„I like gold products,‟ she intimated.

The man offers to sell the gold ring for two thousand five hundred cedis.
Mama jumps at the offer.

Mama Orojo, when asked, intimates him that she is going to Ghana after
fifteen years of leaving the country. She was eighteen when she left
Ghana. This means she is now around thirty-three years old.

Mama seeks the man‟s help as to where to change naira to cedis. Mama
Orojo acknowledges Ghana as her second home as the plane descends.

Part 1: Chapter 11 to Chapter 14

In the previous chapters, the narrator lets us into the past history of an all-
embracing Ghana. We also get ourselves acquainted with Mama Olu
Orojo‟s humble business beginning and now, the important position she
occupies in her community and within the church.

Mama Orojo travels to Ghana to reunite with her brother. During her flight,
she meets a man who offers to sell a gold ring to her. Nii Tackie too is
bedeviled with the reality of his tribal marks.

CHAPTER 11

Nii Tackie is in the bank, at work, tensed about the Ant Hill Brick project.
He feels strongly the project will change the narrative of the construction
industry of the country. However, contrary to Nii Tackie‟s expectation, the
project is not approved by the bank authorities.

Linda again reminds Nii Tackie of her request. Nii Tackie consents and
they fix the time for the visit for 5.30 p.m. later that day.

Also, in this chapter, we have our first glimpse of Joe. Though his name is
not specifically mentioned, his office location (Sixth floor of Beyeeman
Complex) and mission at the bank (which would be repeated) give him
away. And this description too:

Nii reasoned that the young man was fortunate. He was young with little
education, but his account at the bank said that he was a millionaire. (Page 62)

Joe is also affected by the revolutionary government‟s directive which

does not allow any withdrawal from any account above fifty thousand
cedis unless he provides receipts and “records which established the
bank account”.

Aaron, the initiator of the Ant Hill Project, walks into the bank to receive
the bad news about the rejection of his project.
CHAPTER 12

Mama Orojo exchanges some naira notes for cedis, under the direction of
the man she meets on the plane, the one who wants to sell a gold ring to
her.

The exchange rate is one naira per forty cedis. For her one hundred naira,
she receives four thousand cedis and pays the unnamed ring seller. Here,
there is a subtle reference to Ghanaian bad economy through its poor
exchange rate.

Mama Orojo later books an appointment with the man for the following
day at Room 8, Nova Hotel (for more gold transactions). Back at Expense
Bank, the Bank Manager breaks the news to Aaron Tsuru about the
bank‟s decision; reiterating that Aaron‟s project does not suit the bank‟s
objectives or fall within the purview of the bank‟s aims.

Aaron Tsuru meets Nii Tackie as the former emerges from the manager‟s
office. Aaron confides in Nii Tackie about his troubles on the project;
about government officials who okay the project but begin to avoid him;
and now, the bank.

Nii Tackie expresses his genuine support for the project.

„If I had some personal funds,‟ said Nii. „I would have helped you […] I am
personally interested in your achievement‟
However, Aaron is not the one to give up easily. He says:

„But I‟ll fight on. […] The way out does not lie in this country.‟
From the foregoing excerpt, it seems Aaron may be considering leaving
the country like many of “its creative thinkers, inventors and innovators”.
CHAPTER 13

Mama Orojo takes a taxi. The driver (once involved in illegal gold
business called Daga) tells her the gold ring she holds dearly is not
genuine.

Mama Orojo realises she has been duped. The driver takes her to a police
station near the airport to lodge her complaint. The scene changes to
Expense Bank. Aaron has left. Joe is introduced into the story proper. He
laments to Nii Tackie about not being allowed to withdraw his money from
his “own account in the bank” without the Attorney General‟s letter of
permission. He expresses his dire need of money.

Nii Tackie tells him nothing can be done when Joe seeks his assistance.
He says:

„You‟re suggesting to me to change a man into a woman […] Not even the
governor of the Bank of Ghana can withdraw money from his account, if the
account is over fifty thousand cedis . . .‟
The author takes us back to the unnamed man, who hiding behind a giant
teak, sees Mama Orojo entering the police station to file a report. He
quickly leaves for Korle Lagoon where he changes into new clothes.

A little probe into his character reveals that he has some kind of
connection with Joe. There is also a clear indication that he is a man of
many names:

His professions were as varied as his names. (Page 73)

At the police station, Mama Orojo realises the man is a wanted criminal
identified as I-Put-it-to me. The sergeant on duty promises that he and his
men will look into the case.

Away from the police station, a police corporal (with number A.1601)
offers to take her to a friend who deals in pure gold. Weighing her options,
Mama Orojo agrees to follow him.
 He being a policeman gave her some security. (Page 76)
Mama Orojo‟s swindler (a.k.a. “the man”, “I-Put-it-to me) coincidentally
boards the same taxi Mama Orojo took moments back.

The driver, a loquacious person, talks about how one of his passengers
was duped on the Lagos-Accra flight. The man quickly lies about his flight
details; that he travelled through Rome-Paris-Accra flight. This, he does,
to avoid being suspected.

CHAPTER 14

In this chapter, the narrator takes us to the sixth floor of Beyeeman

complex.

Here, we encounter an unidentified occupant of one of the two offices that

flank Joe‟s office. Joe‟s office is Room 5. All we could draw from the
man‟s identity is that he is into illegal mining. His job and source of
livelihood is being threatened by security agencies and the vigilante
groups keen on keeping the country safe from the activities of criminals
and social deviants. Most of his customers have gone into hiding to evade
arrest. For him, that‟s bad business.

Joe is in his office, going through the bank statement of his foreign
account (a balance of forty thousand pounds). He is grateful to Nii Tackie
for giving him the advice to save some of his income in a foreign account.

He thinks of acquiring the two rooms at the either side of his office (Room
Four and Room Six); he is ready to pay the landlord double the rent in
order to acquire the two rooms. He wants to expand his office as he
intends to go into the legal mining business. His original plan is to build a
large office building but that has to wait till the Mineral Board‟s decision on
the availability of legal mining to all.
Like the unidentified man, he is also into illegal mining business and has
been affected too by the new security measures. He is wise not to go to
the gold fields to mine gold. He and his Daga group devise ways of
supplying their foreign customers; they often insert the precious gems into
the stomachs of parrots.

Reacting to this, the government places a ban on the export of birds.

Joe calculates his net worth and he feels proud of himself. Joe catches a
glimpse of the man in Room Six and the unidentified man seems familiar
to him. It‟s least surprising because the both are into illegal mining.

Mama Orojo and the Corporal are on their way to Beyeeman Complex.

And in Nigeria, Tom Monday is trying to draft a love letter for Mama Orojo.
He has written two letters and is on his third. He feels the first two are
inappropriate for a very important woman like Mama Orojo. At the end, he
ends up writing:

„I love you, Mama. I‟m all for marriage. Just give me a chance …‟
He wrote about some religious issues before he enveloped the letter and
addressed it to Mama Orojo.

Part 1: Chapter 15

The narrator tells us Joe‟s story; one Joe himself has often described as
“a mixture of chance and hard work”. The millionaire gold dealer used to
be a tailor apprentice at Oda whose prospect of becoming a tailor ended
when his master Alvorovo left for the city in search of greener pasture.
Joe was at loss until a long-lost friend, Kuuku, came around and told him
about Daga, where people mine gold and diamonds illegally. Kuuku was a
“a private dealer” and had made a fortune for himself through illegal
mining; “he already had two cars and a house”. He also told Joe of the risks
involved and dangers of being shot or arrested. Joe did not immediately
follow Kuuku to Daga. He tried his hands on a few other things. He
roamed the streets of Oda and later, Accra looking for job and even had to
sell dog chains at some point in time. Then, he met Tally O with whom he
went on his first adventure to Daga. At thirty years old and still a bachelor,
he has made a considerable level of fortune his illegal mining business.
Before his fortune, he had earlier led a reckless life and had had children
with two women whom he could not muster courage to claim because of
his penury.
The Corporal and Mama Orojo enter Joe‟s office, interrupting his thoughts.
The corporal intimate Joe of Mama‟s interest and how she is swindled on
the Lagos – Accra flight that morning. Joe sells her real gold. Mama Orojo
promises to come for more if it sells on the Lagos Market.
Joe decides to play the role of the hospitable host. He takes his guests to
Beyes Restaurant for a good meal. As they are about to leave the office,
his friend, Naidoo who serves on the Minerals Board comes to tell him
about the board‟s recommendation of a massive gold hunt for both local
and foreign investors. What this implies is that illegal miners like Joe can
mine gold legally. The door to Room Six opens and closes almost
immediately; it seems its occupant is eavesdropping on Joe‟s and
Naidoo‟s conversation.

Joe is super-excited about the prospect of going into legal mining and
most certainly believes Mama Orojo carries some luck. Mama Orojo is
excited too because of her new acquisition of gold; about her new line of
business.

At Beyes Restaurant, Joe feels they have been short-changed by the

waiters as the food served seems to be less than the money paid. But he
does not complain. They are even lucky to have gotten food. Beyes
Restaurant is frequented by many customers and a lot of these people
hardly get their orders before the Restaurant runs out of food.
The Proprietor of the establishment strolls by. He is a friend of Joe and a
business associate in the illegal mining business. He looks troubled and
seems to be having problems of his own. He tells Joe about how the
police visited him and searched his place for one I-Put-it-to-me. You
remember him? Yes, the same guy who duped Mama Orojo. They claim
he works in one of the offices at Beyeeman Complex.

The proprietor of Beyes Restaurant and landlord of Beyeeman Complex is

then summoned by the information Bureau and indicted for owing five
million cedis in taxes which he pays to save his head. Joe could not figure
out any friend or acquaintance going by the cryptic name of “I-Put-it-to-
me”. The old man warns Joe to lie low because “the whole of Beyeeman
is under the close watch of the security forces”:

„Let us, you see, be careful with the stones – until the dust settles‟
On their way out of the restaurant, Joe excuses himself, leaving Mama
Orojo with the Police Corporal at the corridor of Beyes Restaurant. He
goes to Expense Bank to share with Nii Tackie “the news of the proposed
privatization of the mines”. Nii Tackie wishes him well and Joe hurries
back to the restaurant to join Mama Orojo.

Proposition: If Joe had taken Mama Orojo and the Corporal into the
banking hall, Mama Orojo and Nii Tackie would have met each other and
the story could have ended here. This is the closest Mama Orojo comes to
reuniting with her long-lost brother. Joe and the Corporal accompany
Mama Orojo to the airport. They go on foot due to the scarcity of fuel.
Along the way, a friend of Joe who after spending five hours in a queue at
a filling station in futility offers to take them to the airport.

Part 1: Chapter 16 to Chapter 17

CHAPTER 16

In the beginning of this chapter, Nii Tackie goes on leave in an emotional

way. He is late again for his “three-hour weekly job” and worried about the
lessons he has missed knowing well that he will not be paid unless he
makes up for them.

On his way to the school, he has to contend with queues. At the school,
he is insulted and humiliated by his students for his unseemly lateness.
Nii Tackie could not hold on to his coolness when two students laugh over
an insult written on the chalkboard intended for him. Nii Tackie confronts
them and while trying to chastise one of them, he loses his balance and is
falling on a chair before the boy being chastised knocks the chair out of
the way. As a result, Nii Tackie lands face down. The headmaster comes
to his rescue. He berates the students for their conduct and promises to
punish the erring boy. Nii Tackie again misses that day‟s allowance. He
however requests for his pay for the previous three weeks. The
headmaster agrees to pay him and also re-assigns him to a new class to
teach economics.

At the airport, Mama Orojo is subjected to thorough examination.

Remember she has some pieces of gold and money on her (hidden in the
compartment of her bible). When the metal detector is used on her, it
shows red light, a sign that there is metal on her. However, after rigorous
searching, the custom officers discover no metal and she is cleared for
her flight despite the metal detector‟s warning. What eludes them is that
Mama Orojo could have hidden something in the bible she jealously
clutches to.
Nii Tackie left the school having collected his allowance. He is quite
satisfied. On his way, he sees people rushing to the market. In curiosity,
he follows them. Here, we witness the true definition and sordid details of
the Ghanaian revolution. A minor barely ten years old is shot by
revolutionary soldiers in front of her mother for “selling above the control
price”. And everyone is triumphant and happy about this. Nii Tackie is
irritated about this human degradation.

Nii Tackie finds himself in the strong grip of Mama Akosua who threatens
to hand him over to the soldiers if he does not give her her two thousand
cedis Susu contribution. Nii Tackie becomes apprehensive for his safety.
As the crowd disperses, Mama Akosua tries to reach for a soldier but she
is denied access to him by a young man who calls at her in this way:

Fat makola mummy, how long will you continue milking the poor folks?
(Page 102)
One of the soldiers scares the crowd away with his gun and in the
process, Mama Akosua faints. When asked by a soldier if he is with the
fainted lady, Nii Tackie quickly denies while the old lady is dragged away.
Nii Tackie doubts if the government is aware of the atrocities committed
by the soldiers. And through his inquiry, we realise that anyone who
questions the extra-judicial act is seen as conservative, spy, “reactionary,
imperialist stooge” and the soldiers are seen as “messengers of the Saviour,
the Master” who must be obeyed to be free forever. So Nii Tackie keeps
his dissenting views to himself.
He walks to Linda‟s place which appears to be nearby.

CHAPTER 17

Joe pays the landlord of Beyeeman Complex a visit. Contrary to the

author‟s vague representation in Chapter 15, the landlord of Beyeeman
Complex and the proprietor of Beyes Restaurant are two different
characters.

The picture the narrator gives us of the old man is that of a politician who
still hopes for partisan politics. He does not in any way believe in the
revolution which he believes has chained Ghana. He is saving money for
the return of politics when his money will do the talking even if he can‟t.

When Joe informs him about his interest in a bigger space (having in mind
the adjoining Room 4 and 6 of the Complex), the old man declines his
offer. The landlord says the occupants of the two rooms are businessmen
like Joe, educated and innovative. Even when the Joe offers to pay him
five years‟ rent in advance, the old man refuses to oblige him. Without
saying it himself, one can see that the old man is principled and a contrast
to the hot-blooded revolutionaries with their youthful exuberance. Joe
leaves the landlord‟s place, “defeated in his intentions”.
At Linda‟s place, Linda reveals her true intention for her special treatment
of Nii Tackie. Her husband is in London. She needs a British Visa to join
him. This she can‟t get in Ghana. Hence, she needs to go to Nigeria to get
one. To her, Nii Tackie is the only key to her admission into Nigeria
because of his tribal marks. She even makes it obvious that she knows
that Nii Tackie does not have money, which is why he hasn‟t gone to
Nigeria yet. She throws him sexual overtures there and in Nigeria if Nii
Tackie could accompany her to Nigeria. However, Nii Tackie, despite how
sex-starved he is, turns down her offer and makes his way out. At first, the
two of them struggle. But later, a weakened Linda relaxes, taking
consolation in the fact that the curfew is on and Nii Tackie will not dare go
into it. On the contrary, Nii Tackie is not someone to give in to a
temptation because of a curfew. He roughened his hair; stripped himself
naked and in a way typical of a mad man, he runs into the street,
shouting:

„Curfew is a bar! I‟m behind the bar…‟

(Page 109)
The soldiers, thinking he is a mad man, see no reason to punish him for
breaking the curfew.

When Nii Tackie gets home, Massa is moaning on the bed with pain. Nii
Tackie has barely finish dressing when a man and a lance corporal
intrude into their room. The man lies to the corporal that the critically sick
woman (Massa) is his sister. He claims the woman has been in his care
before the arrival of Nii Tackie, her husband.

That is how he escapes the dreaded punishment of breaking the curfew.

He would later introduce himself to Nii Tackie and a moaning Massa as I-
Put-it-to-me. Remember him? The man with multiple identities who duped
Mama Orojo in the plane. I-Put-it-to-me walks afterwards towards the
Korle Lagoon.
Nii Tackie is increasingly concerned about his tribal marks which give him
away easily as an alien or a foreigner. He has tried clearing them from his
face with “Neco and Asepso soaps” but without positive changes. Linda‟s
reference to his marks has suddenly made him aware they are still there.

Nii Tackie looks into the mirror and examines the three vertical marks on
the both sides of his face. Massa jokes about it while Nii Tackie says he is
only trying to find out how he looks. Nii Tackie packs things for the
following day‟s journey (to the spiritualist‟s home).