Anthony John Lovat

Ghanarama Anthony John Lovat

With a naive sense of adventure and idealism, Anthony and his wife Laura, a teacher and a vet from Croydon, South London, volunteered with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) in northern Ghana for two years - a country they knew virtually nothing about beforehand. Their experiences were sometimes depressing, sometimes hilarious and always bizarre. Whether losing a sheep's head during a dissection lesson because the students want to "make soup" or hearing from science teachers how Indian footballers were banned by FIFA for using juju magic to trick the opposition, Anthony fondly describes in hilarious detail experiences that are as unpredictable as they are fascinating. Anthony also describes wider truths about West African politics, history, culture and economics; about the corruptions and double standards within the development industry and how Ghanaians perceive the UK in particular and Europe in general. Global issues are highlighted such as Goldman Sachs profiting from the privatisation of Ghanaian gold mines and the family of one of the July 7th London bombers being from the small town of Bolgatanga - a bustling regional capital in the most optimistic of African nations. A keen musician, Anthony joined a group playing modernised traditional music at weddings, parties and, most importantly, funerals. Whether trying to convince the Regional Government Director for Culture that they are all under twenty-six or playing Michael Jackson on local radio, the trials, hopes and disappointments for TangaCulture trying to break into the Ghanaian music industry make "Spinal Tap" seem like an easy ride. This book paints a picture of an Africa generally ignored by the sensationalist or romanticised media but recognised and loved by all those who have visited this marvellous continent.