Description
The Last Days of Alhaji Blanket (first edition 1980) is a satirical compilation by Ghanaian academic and writer Kwesi Yankah, originally published by Adwinsa Publications. This new edition is a collection of Yankah’s popular weekly columns written under the pseudonym “Abonsam Fireman” in The Catholic Standard newspaper between 1977 and 1979. It captures the political atmosphere of Ghana during a turbulent transition period, spanning the military regimes of I.K. Acheampong (SMC 1), General F.W.K. Akuffo (SMC 2), and the early influence of Jerry John Rawlings’ June 4th Revolution. He preserved a record of the late 1970s that would have otherwise been lost to the ephemeral nature of newspapers.
Yankah uses sharp wit and satire to bypass the “culture of silence” that prevailed under repressive military rule. The book provides a “veiled peep” into an era of intense political paralysis through humorous yet critical observations of societal issues. It stands as a classic piece of Ghanaian satire, showcasing Kwesi Yankah's ability to use humour as a political tool. Typical of Yankah’s writing, the text is infused with local vocabulary, proverbs, and “ogyalinguistics” — a term used by reviewers to describe his unique blend of academic linguistics with vibrant Ghanaian street expressions.
