Former minister of state and founder of the African University College of Communications, Kojo Yankah has called on government to prioritise the study of history in school.
“Let me draw your minds to what happens in our schools. History is a core subject; so what statement are we making? That Our History, let alone the history of Africa, is not important. This is a dark blot on our development as a people.”
He was speaking at the launch of the 2017 Ghana Association of Writers (GAW) Literary Awards where he underscored the importance of documenting Ghana’s history and that of the entire African continent.
Mr. Kojo Yankah further emphasized the relevance of reading which he believes is a necessary requirement at all levels, especially in expanding one’s knowledge base and vocabulary.
“Reading improves writing skills and stimulates the mind; but for God’s sake, let us read our history, preferably written by Africans, and books and materials that empower us and make us more confident as Africans! At the end of the day, you are called an African writer,” he added.
Speaking on the theme “Educating a nation through reading”, Mr. Kojo Yankah charged writers to write because there is a message to share and enlighten society with, and desist from writing just for gaining recognition.
He pledged his support for the Ghana Association of Writers, and committed an amount of GHs20, 000 to set up a GAW award in 2018.
The GAW Literary Awards 2017 would be opened partly to best writings with an African message, and partly to winners in a Reading competition that encourages reading African books
