Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, asked the audience to draw lessons from what the keynote speaker had said about the novel and the author. He indicated that Armah did not have the copyright to his book until recently.

He urged the current generation to consider themselves as the “Beautyful Ones” to solve the challenges in society. Britwum, Ayi Kwei Armah, in his book portrayed the ills of the African society with realities that were still prevalent in society today. He made mention of the inherent corrupt practices which the novel revealed about the society and the increasing levels of intimidation, bribery and fraud that characterised economic relationship.Īccording to Prof. Britwum, in his presentation said the novel described the failure of a socialist government, which repeated the mistakes of the colonial regime it replaced. “The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born” is a Reflection of the Realities of Today Sarfo-Kantanka said it was, therefore, prudent the Department chose to celebrate the 50 years of the existence of the “Beautyful Ones are Not Yet Born”. “But in all these wonderful works of Armah, ‘The Beautyful Ones are Not Yet Born (1968)’, Armah’s first novel, embodies the present state of the socio-political and moral decay, such as corruption of the Ghanaian (and the African) society, which has brought the progress and development of the African independence into question,” he noted.ĭr. Sarfo indicated that the novel touched on several aspects of the life of the people of Ghana in particular and Africa in general during the pre-colonial, colonial and post-independence periods.

Kwabena Sarfo Sarfo-Kantanka, explained that one of the notable writer’s the conference would be celebrating was Ayi Kwei Armah whose writings according to him epitomises the socio-politico-economic crisis of the present time.ĭr. In his welcome address, the Head, Department of English, Dr. The conference which is the first of its kind to be organised by the Department of English aimed at recognising the master craftworks of Ghanaian writers and also showcase and demonstrate the significance of such writings and how they speak to modern day issues of the Ghanaian and African. The Department of English has marked the Golden Jubilee celebration of Ayi Kwei Armah’s “The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born” with a one-day conference.

Ayi kwei armah the beautyful ones