“I do works fuelled by words”
Ernest Agyeman-Duah is a Ghanaian literary writer with unique flair and mastery. He is much particular about words and will not use a word unless it communicates with exactitude the intended essence and effect. This skill, coupled with his fluid, creative abilities gives a classic touch, meaning, and purpose to his works.
His sense of objectivity, in-depth appreciation of our common humanity, and relentless pursuit of justice makes him a great writer to read from. Much of his writings have an inherent compelling power to command attention to the plight of the marginalised, especially in developing countries. His writings, therefore, centre on political authority, and either the excesses or the deficiencies that are often its character. He believes literary writing is a tool for all manner of purposes and an effective mechanism, when rightly appropriated, could bring enlightenment and development to people and put a check on the powers of persons occupying positions of consequence.
In 2012, while a tutor of Literature at the Bonwire Senior High Technical School, he and three other colleagues were met with injustice of epic proportions when a mere protest to collect monies accrued from extra lessons offered by teachers of the School was maliciously misconstrued as a riot against the legitimate authorities of the School. A mischievous Disciplinary Committee found them guilty and ordered for their month suspension without salary. They were further transferred to schools where they had to teach pupils they were not originally trained to handle. Agyeman-Duah and his colleagues first challenged the decision at the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ). Upon realising that they had ostensibly been denied justice, they applied to the High Court for a judicial review, specifically a certiorari. In a judgement given in their favour, Boon J, as he then was, quashed the judgement of the Disciplinary Committee and ruled thus: ‘‘For avoidance of doubt, the decision to transfer the applicants from Bonwire Senior High School , and their suspension for a month with accompanying loss of salary is hereby quashed by the writ of certiorari. Prohibition is also issued to prohibit the Respondent from further implementing any decision that adversely affects the applicants’ rights. Finally, the Court wishes to advise the respondent to take the necessary steps to update its code to conform to the laws of the land to avoid situations where the courts may be compelled to throw out its decisions, as has just happened.’’ See The Republic v Ghana Education Service; ex parte Ampofo Oppong, Agyeman-Duah Ernest, Arhin Wallace Jones and Adams Bright Nesta.
The above-cited case certainly changed the course of Agyeman-Duah’s life as it enlightened him to use his literary writings to help put a check on arbitrariness and various forms of injustice that persons occupying positions of consequence often unleash on the citizenry.
His first publication, ‘King Prempeh and Madiba, Rebirth of Conscience, and Other Poems’ represent a contribution to discourse, change, development, and a correction of a narrative that has long been skewed to the detriment of the beloved people of Africa.
Agyeman-Duah holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and French (double major), and an LLB from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He also holds a Master of Arts in Translation (English and French) from the University of Ghana.
He loves to read and engage in intellectual discourses which advance the cause of humanity. A stroll at sunset in solitary places is an experience he ever misses.
