Eighteenpence

One of the earliest African novels, written in 1943, this seminal work criticises colonial administration of justice. It is acknowledged as the first novel in English from The Gold Coast. Widely admired and discussed, it is an extended allegory extolling the virtues of a large family, honesty, and the rural life.

The author draws attention to the relevance of customs and traditions to life, and to the conflicts and confusion created by the imposition of British colonialism and English law. Ultimately it is a moral fable vindicating the virtue of labour and the reward of an honest life.

This new edition is introduced by Kari Dako, who has edited and annotated the original manuscript.