Book review: Romancing Ghanaland Kofi Akpabli

It sure does feel good to be back or did I even leave? 

We need time off social media. Wait let me rephrase, social media detoxing or reducing screen time is essential for your wellbeing. I understand we have communities online that we are accountable to. However, a break away from the screen is a need and is beneficial for one’s mental health. I have seen this with myself and yes I reap the benefits.  

I am often asked why I take social media breaks. My answer is simple, there is life outside of social media. Being consumed by social media has a way of contributing to losing yourself in the moment. Or even missing the very small yet important aspects of life that we tend to take for granted. For me personally, it is just watching the sun set or taking long walks to reflect. The thrill of being one with nature. Again, my social media breaks also involve me catching up with books. 

I was looking for a book to read and came across this baby. Yes, my books are my babies. Nana gifted me this book when I visited Ghana, along with many other books. I had forgotten about this one and it found me. 

As someone aspiring to travel the entire African continent one day. Romancing Ghanaland rebirthed a holistic perspective on African tourism. 

The first perspective, I would like to point out is that when selecting your travel destination. Identify why you selected the specific country, city or region. Every country, city or region of choice has its own significance. 

However, one region or single city must not give you an entire view of the country. There is more to the country, you are experiencing one region. 

I will make reference to my visit to Ghana. I personally chose Ghana because it is ranked as one of the safest African countries. As a solo traveler safety comes first when I travel. I had built connections in Ghana making it easier to move around the country. 

However, being in Accra only did not give me a full experience of Ghana considering my short visit. Accra is not Ghana. There is more to Ghana and worth exploring. So, next time I will open myself up for Cape Coast, the Volta region or even the Eastern to gain the full experience. 

For the purpose of the book review, I will keep it brief and share my last perspective. 

African tourism can be used to preserve African heritage and culture. The negative aspects of westernisation consuming our generation cannot be neglected. Our African voices are slowly dying and it’s becoming very difficult to stand out as Africans. Once again, these are my views based on my observations and encounters on the African continent. I believe one of the ways we can preserve our heritage and culture is through African tourism. 

Traveling awards us the opportunity to learn about our cultures and helps with the preservation of heritage. The time I spent in Kwa-Zulu Natal province in South Africa shaped my cultural overview. I was reminded of the importance of community which I had neglected by living in the city. The principle of ubuntu also reignited in me. 

With all the events taking place in the world. I just wanted to remind Africans that lets leverage African tourism and use it to preserve our cultural identity on the map. 

I  believe in African tourism. I still love Ghana. 

What an enriching read. 

 Book 10 in 2025.

Phiwe Mncwabe is storyteller, blogger and voice in Africa.

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I am not affiliated to any political party. I am affiliated to the Africans. 

The views that  I share are mine and not affiliated to any employer. These views are not meant to bring harm.

Let’s talk about Africa. Which African country must I visit next? 

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