Seventy-Two Hours in Ghana

Book excerpt: In the rural terrain of Côte d'Ivoire, several people are trying to carve out a life in an unforgiving landscape. Eze, a member of the Akan tribe, becomes a village chieftain and is popular with the villagers. However, life as village leader proves to be complex as Eze struggles to maintain his authority over the unrelenting villagers, who scrutinise his actions and his flaws. Eze becomes involved with Jose, a slave ship owner, who is enticing villagers to travel to South Carolina on the promise of a better life, a promise which may not be all that it appears. Meanwhile, a love triangle develops between Ben, who is suspected to be Eze's son, Carla, Jose's sister, and Jira, Eze's stoical housekeeper. The lives of all will be irrevocably intertwined by the conclusion of this evocative tale.