This paper takes a critical look at the novel manner in which Danny Laferriere weaves personal, collective and multifaceted imaginary spaces in which his narrator lives, while highlighting the erasure of such an imaginary world through a return to the physical tangible native country. In l’Enigme du retour (2009), the narrator carves for himself a universe in which he resides quasi-comfortably and tumultuously in other to escape the fact that his father just passed on, on the same land where both of them have been living, as Haitians exiled I Canada. In Pays sans chapeau (2007), the focus is on the anti-thesis of the imaginary characteristics of life in Quebec, through Laferriere narrator: the realities of life back home and the changes that settled during the several decades of absence. The notion of ecotone is therefore of paramount importance in this work, where it is used to mean ‘the virtual space between the universe that the narrator create in those two novels and the physical native land, Haiti’. The thrust of this paper is therefore twofold: firstly, to unveil and dissect the various literary features that the author uses in his construction of the ecotone, which is represented as a complex and impressive dream land where sorrows, fears and sadness are nullified and secondly, to scrutinize the various multiple components of the nodal space which, ijn this paper is the mutations or changes that the geopolitical order of the world terms as the north and the south, or the east and the west. The north or west (Canada and Quebec here) which was hitherto synonymous with happiness and abundance is surprisingly reduced to need, want, fear, suppression of sad realities and feelings, as the narrator’s life in l’Enigme du retour shows. The south or east (Haiti in this case) which was associated with all negative traits now has ‘sophistication ’ and opulence, although such good asset lie in the hands of the few agents of imperialism and its local allies as Pays sans chapeau reveals. The theoretical framework guiding this work is the Diasporan Cultural Literacy Theory, propounded by Raphael Confiant et al. in In Praise of Creoleness (1993) where the physical and virtual distance between the Francophone Black Diaspora in the Caribbean on the one hand and continental Africa on the other hand are explored and analyzed as unifying factors, not as a gap or fissure. Key words: Spacio-temporality, Ecotone, Diaspora Nodes, Escape, Homeland
A Senior Programmes Officer of Nuffic, Mrs. Marieke Nieuwendijk, has commended UCC’s commitment towards promoting Water and Sanitation as an academic programme in the University. She lauded the University for implementing new teaching methods, developing new curricula and embarking on staff development to strengthen the University’s capacity to offer professional training in the area of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). Mrs. Nieuwendijk gave this commendation when she called on the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey, at his office as part of her working visit to Ghana to assess the implementation of various projects that are being supported by Nuffic in UCC and other Ghanaian academic institutions in line with the organisation’s vision of internationalizing education. The Water and Sanitation Unit of the Department of Chemistry was awarded a grant by Nuffic to strengthen the capacity of the Unit to provide professional development support for Environmental Health and Sanitation Experts in the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in 2014. The Unit is being supported by the Maastricht University of the Netherlands to implement the project. With a budget of €919, 039, UCC is expected to develop the Water and Sanitation Unit into a full-fledged Department to offer sustainable expertise, services and training to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and other clients, as well as provide support to the MMDAs in the Monitoring and Evaluation of WASH services. The Former Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Prof. Samuel Yeboah Mensah, who is the Director of the Project on campus, noted that the Water and Sanitation Unit has made significant strides towards the implementation of the project. He noted that Water and Sanitation has become key to the development of Ghana and, therefore, called on the University to take advantage of the national and international attention that is being paid to this area of social development to enhance the development of the subject area in the University. He appealed to the University management to support the School of Physical Sciences to establish the Department of Water and Sanitation in the University. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, for his part, said that the University was happy to partner Nuffic in the area of Water and Sanitation and gave the assurance that the University would do everything that it could to support the project. He said management would support the School and the College to establish the Department of Water and Sanitation and ensure the success of the project, which will end in 2018. He said even though the University currently has a challenge with office space, additional space would be created that after the completion of the Science Annex Block, adding that the Department of Water and Sanitation, when established, would get offices in the Block. Accompanying Mrs. Marieke Nieuwendijk were the Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Prof. L. K. Sam-Amoah, the Dean of the School of Physical Sciences, Prof. Kofi Essuman and the Coordinator of the Water and Sanitation Unit, Dr. Peter Appiah Obeng. In an interview with Dr. Peter Appiah Obeng, who doubles as the Project Coordinator, he shed more light on the specific interventions being implemented by the Unit to achieve the goal of the project. These include the offer of scholarships for four lecturers of the Unit to pursue their PhD studies in Maastricht University, as well as three former teaching assistants to pursue their Masters and return to support the future Department of Water and Sanitation. Dr. Obeng also indicated that physical facilities including laboratory and office equipment worth two hundred thousand euros (€200,000) are being procured as part of the capacity building. According to Dr. Obeng, the project is supporting the Unit to review its existing curricula and to introduce additional relevant programmes in close collaboration with industry and other stakeholders of the WASH sector to respond to the perennial and emerging water and sanitation needs and challenges of the nation. Dr. Obeng said that, with monitoring and evaluation and gender issues having been recognised as key challenges in the WASH sector, the project has a specific component aimed at developing a short course in gender-sensitive monitoring and evaluation of WASH to be run by the future Department after piloting it in five selected MMDAs under the project. He also noted that the Centre for Gender Research Advocacy and Documentation (CEGRAD) of UCC is supporting the Unit in promoting gender equality among staff and students, as well as integrating it into the curricula being developed by the Unit.
A lecturer at the Department of Computer Science, Dr. Kester Quist-Aphetsi, has underscored the need for academic institutions to build Cloud Computing System to enhance their operations. According to him, Cloud Computing could help academic institutions to store files (for example examination scripts), perform computational research works through high performance computing applications, collaborative research work between departments, data mining from stored works and research work repository such as research articles, books, thesis and other administrative documents and information. Dr. Quist-Aphetsi stated this at a seminar organised by the School of Physical Sciences on the topic “Directions in Computing Academic Researches and their Applications in Industry”. He said such research repository was key to the development of academic institutions as regards its ranking on the educational ladder, stressing that “the traffic will boost the institution’s ranking.” He said Cloud Computing System provides a platform for people to mine information and conduct research to address challenges in society. Dr. Quist-Aphetsi said that the application of Cloud Computing System in industries was cost effective, adding that " it enhances security, increases productivity, language analysis, business applications, fight crime and terrorism." At the end of his presentation, Dr. Quist-Aphetsi demonstrated and displayed some of his research projects, ranging from Cloud computing, where he directed some participants to use their smartphones to switch on and switch out light, fan and other electrical appliances. The Dean of the School of Physical Sciences, Prof. David Kofi Essumang, expressed gratitude to Dr. Quist-Aphetsi for his insightful presentation. He admonished the students to emulate the creativity of the speaker and work towards excelling academically in their area of specialisation.
The Department of History has received 10 sets of computer and accessories from the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah. Presenting the computers, the Vice-Chancellor said management considered the request by the Department and decided to donate the computers. He commended the Department for taking up the responsibility to produce a book on the history of the University of Cape Coast. The Head of the Department of History, Prof. Osei Kwame Kwarteng who received the computers expressed gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor for the donation. He thanked the Vice-Chancellor for recognising the Department’s contributions to the University. He said the computers would facilitate administrative and academic work in the Department. Present at the presentation were the Provost, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, Prof. Dora Edu-Buandoh; Dean Faculty of Arts, Prof. B. A. Afful and some lecturers of the Department of History.
Speakers at a roundtable discussion have unanimously stated that Africa will not benefit from the wind of ultra nationalism blowing across Europe and North America. The roundtable discussion was organised under the auspices of the Faculty of Arts, College of Humanities and Legal Studies. The theme for the discussions was “The Rise of Ultra Nationalism in Europe and North America- Opportunities for African Political Unity and Economic Integration”. Speaking on the sub-theme ‘A historical framework for nationalism and ultra-nationalism, and the challenges and opportunities for African political and economic development’ Dr. K. B. Maison of the Department of History stated that until Africans retuned their minds, they could not unite. “We need to get real, without a change of our mindset, we cannot be ourselves and unite. Unity lies with us, we embrace others but not our own”. Other Speakers were Dr. Vladimir Antwi-Danso, of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College and and a Research Fellow at the Institute for Development Studies, Dr. K. A. Tuffour. Dr. Maison who did not mince words said Africa defined itself from the side of Europe. This, he said has not helped the continent because it was not part of reality, since the Europeans forced their ideals on the continent, describing them as meaningless. He said Africans were suffering from “Psychological control” since they learn from someone else’s worldview. “ The narrative of Africa is controlled from Europe” “Till we realize that this is Africa and no whiteman comes to Africa for Africa’s interest, we will remain where we are”, he stressed. The History lecturer called on Africans to get real and have a change of mindset without which they could not be themselves and unite. “The one who divided you is benefitting from your division”. Citing an example from the Japanese, Dr. Maison said they took the bold decision to become who they are and now have common purpose. Similarly, he indicated that the Germans decided to speak German instead of French to take their destiny in their own hands and now have their identity intact. He noted that there was intellectual failure in Africa since people in the continent were always imitating the Europeans. “Let’s get real, we need to go to originality and not copy Europe hook, line and sinker”, he stated. Dilating on the sub-theme “New Opportunities for Economic Integration in Africa in the Era of Rise of Ultra-Nationalist Movements in Europe and North America”, Dr. Antwi-Danso explained for integration to possible in Africa, it has to be brewed in ‘an African Pot’. Dr. Antwi-Danso wondered how Africa could integrate while he could not for example drive from Ghana to Senegal, again, there was only 14% of trade among Africans and 86% with Europe. “So if Europe implodes which kind of benefits could inure to Africa?”, he asked. He stated that the only trade opportunity available to Africans was for us to create the infrastructure and trade among ourselves. “If Europe implodes how do we succeed, where will we get the 70% of AU’s budget from?” he asked. Dr. Antwi-Danso stated that there would be no opportunities, until African leaders understood integration in the African sense”, he said. He predicted that by the year 2030, most positions in Europe and America would have been taken over by foreigners such as African and Latinos. He indicated that as the reason why there was a sharp rise in ultra nationalism in those places. Taking his turn, Dr. K. A. Tuffour mentioned it was as a result of economic reasons that was why currently in Europe and America, some people believe that attacks must be on all fronts for those who did not have their colour to leave their domain. He added that ultra-nationalism has created hatred for foreigners. “If you do not belong to their culture or district you need to be sent away. This is even evident on election posters”. Giving examples, he mentioned that 200 Guatemalans have been sent away from America since President Donald Trump declared that “America should be for Americans”. He indicated that the Rwandan experience has created an awareness that Africans should always look for African solutions to their problems. It has also brought Africans together to the extent most people were prepared to fight authoritarian regimes. Dr. Tuffour however, deplored the way safe havens were being paved for despots to go and enjoy the loot from their prolonged stay in power, citing the recent African Union (AU) decision to get former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh a safe haven in an African country. “Even though recent history points to some form of change, recent events seem to negate the gains made”, he averred. Prof. Akua Britwum of IDS chaired the function and said the so-called change we all clamour for must start with the youth.
Groupe Ideal (GI), a Financial Institution, has presented 30 Desktop and 5 Laptop computers, and 5 printers to the Department of Economics of the Faculty of Social Sciences at a ceremony held at the K. B. Amissah-Arthur Language Centre. The donation was made in fulfillment of a promise made by the President of the Ideal Groupe, Dr. Nii Kotey Dzani, to the Department about a year ago. The Provost of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies, Prof. Dora Edu-Buandoh, said the College was always open for discussion with the relevant publics. She said it was a privilege to have a team from Ideal Groupe to make such a donation to the Department. The Provost commended the President of the GI for giving back to “the hand that fed him”. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, was grateful to the company for the kind gesture, saying, “Not many people will remember their Universities because of some little things, but Dr. Dzani has seen what the University through his lecturers did for him and is giving back”. “You should also learn to give not when you are gone but even as you are here”. Prof. Ghartey said the Department was doing its possible best to introduce more innovative programmes to feed industry and urged the company to recruit students from the Department. Prof. Ghartey said GI was manifesting itself through the presentation to the Department but urged them to also make its physical presence felt by partnering the University. “Going forward, we will become a partner, the University partner GI by patronising their products”, he stressed. President of GI, Dr. Nii Kotey Dzani, said education is the only means through which the country could develop. “It will not take the setting up of numerous factories to bring us the needed development. But by training the minds of the citizens, we can get somewhere”. Dr. Dzani assured that GI would help in the establishment of a School of Economics that would in turn impact on society. “I hope such a school could predict the economic future of the country and even be consulted by the outside world”, he noted. Later at the forum, Dr. Dzani told the students that they do not have any excuse to perform better now since the department was better placed than his time at the University. The CEO of GI reminded the students that they came to the University alone as individuals and, therefore, they should take their studies seriously rather than getting involved in acts that would jeopardies their future. The member of Council of State advised the students to acquire the tenets of integrity since it would be their trump card in case they ventured into business. “I started business and succeeded because I had integrity which I acquired from my teachers while here. I started from nowhere but today, look at what we are doing" He urged the students to work hard to get good grades and the sky would be their limit. The Economics Students Association also presented a plaque to Dr. Dzani in honour of his contributions to their activities and the Department.
Beautiful Creations Company Ltd, major importers and wholesaler of hospital consumables, has donated laboratory equipment valued at thirty-two thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢ 32,000) to the Department of Biochemistry of the School of Biological Sciences under the College of Agricultural and Natural Sciences. The items included HP laser colour printer, a digital 221 Steam autoclave, portable 381 autoclave, 800D Centrifuge and 20 boxes of microscope slides. The Company also promised to provide Incubator shaker and Water bath to the Department following a request made by the Head of Department, Dr. Michael Adinortey, at the presentation ceremony, which was held at the School of Biological Sciences Conference Room. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Beautiful Creations Company Ltd, Mr. Samuel Dankyi Ansong, who presented the equipment to the Department, said the donation was meant to facilitate teaching and learning, as well as assist students with their practical training. The Provost of the College, Prof. L. K. Sam-Amoah, who received the equipment on behalf of the Department, thanked Mr. Ansong for the kind gesture. He appealed to benevolent cooperate institutions, non-governmental organisations and other public-spirited philanthropists to emulate the exceptional example of Beautiful Creations Company Ltd. The Dean of the School, Prof. J.N Boampong, said that the School would honour Mr. Ansong for his immense contribution towards science education in the University during the annual Prof. K.N. Eyeson lecture series next academic year. Expressing gratitude to the donor, the Head of the Department, Dr. Michael Adinortey, said the donation was timely and added that the Department intended to start new programmes such as BSC, Master's and PhD in Food Science and Master's and PhD in Biochemistry. Present at the ceremony were the Registrar of the College, Mrs. Mildred Asmah, and some lecturers and Teaching Assistants.
The Department of History in conjunction with the United States Embassy has mounted a month-long photo exhibition at the John Evans Atta Mills Memorial Library, near the Cape Coast Castle. The exhibition was put together through the initiative of a Fulbright Scholar from the Miami State University, Prof. Edmund Abaka has the theme: “Ties that Bind: Roots and Routes of Ghana-U.S. Relations, A 75- Year Retrospective- 1930 -2016”. Prof. Abaka who is an alumnus of the University is currently a faculty member at the Department of History. The photo exhibition is aimed at providing a retrospective look at the relationship between Ghana and the United States of America for the past 75 years. It is also looking at the period where a lot of African Americans visited Ghana at the instance of the first president Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to help in nation building. The Vice-Chancellor whose speech was read on his behalf by the Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Prof. L. K. Sam- Amoah said Ghana has had a strong relationship with the US for a long time and has even hosted three presidents of America, these are Bill Clinton, George Bush and Barack Obama while they were in office. “UCC has similar connections. Both countries have a long history and the exhibition seeks to trace that,” he added. The Provost of College of Humanities and Legal Studies, Prof. Dora Edu-Buandoh, who also spoke at the function said the College was always ready to collaborate with its external publics adding that the exhibition provided an avenue for both diplomacy and governance. Prof. Edu-Buandoh said she was happy that the first academic programme was being held at the Library since its official opening about a year ago. The Head of Department of History, Prof. Kwame Osei Kwarteng, in a remark, commended the ingenuity of Prof. Edmund Abaka saying he has brought manifold advantages to the Department and also put the University on a high pedestal. Delivering the keynote address, a Fulbright Specialist, Prof. Emerita of Art, Assistant Provost at the Pennsylvania State University, Dr. Grace Hampton said both Africans on the continent and African Americans came from the same source but with time they got spread to other places. Using a tree as a metaphor she said, “We came from the same source but as we grow, we went to different directions”. Dr. Hampton noted that the beauty and fashion in Africa have influenced how Americans especially, their women dress. She said this was even reinforced through music as the father of soul music, James Brown depicted in his popular song “I‘m black and proud” to show the connection between Africa and America. Present at the opening ceremony were the Registrar, Mr. John K. Nyan, Dean Faculty of Arts, Prof. J. B. A Afful, Cultural Affairs Specialist, U.S. Embassy, Maya Parker and the Acting Director of Public Affairs, Maj. (retd.) Kofi Baah- Bentum and a section of the University community.
A third year student of the Faculty of Law, Mr. Tony Henry Arthur, has been elected as the Students Representative Council (SRC) President for the 2017/2018 academic year. The Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Kwasi Opoku Boadu, who announced the official results, said Mr. Arthur, a former Local NUGS President, polled 3,508 votes, representing 35.02% to beat his closest contender, Mr. Robert Bosco Owusu, who obtained 2440 votes, representing 24.48 %. Mr. Boadu, who is also the Valco Hall Master, indicated that the other contestants, Mr. Eric Adjei, the incumbent Valco Hall President, garnered 2,125 votes, representing 21.32 %, whilst Mr. Frank Owusu, Casely Hayford Hall Secretary, got 1,891 votes, representing 18.97 %. Below are the full results of the SRC/ Local NUGS Elections: SRC PRESIDENT & VICE-PRESIDENT Eric Adjei and Juliana Kwoffie (The Hope)- 2125 votes (21.32 %) Tony Henry Arthur and Grace Naa Korkoi Amoah (De Hope) -3508 votes (35.20%) (ELECTED) Robert Owusu and Abigail Mamle Tetteh (Team Bosco) -2440 votes (24.48%) Frank Owusu and Estelle P. Marfo (The General) – 1891 votes (18. 97%) SRC SECRETARY Valarie Adjei Mensah (Val) – 4978 votes (50. 45 %) (ELECTED) Mabel Anokwah (MZ MAY)- 4888 (49.54 %) PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER Aziz Mamudu Watara (Aziz) - 2009 votes (20.40%) (ELECTED) Lambon Kanbirsua (The Good Man) - 1140 votes (11.57%) Samuel Ofobi Bamfo (Ofobi)- 1182 votes (12.00%) Micheal Ekom (Micky)- 929 votes (9.43%) Catherine Antwi Boasiako (Cathood)- 1574 votes (15.98%) Latif Lawrence Jorhowie (The Barrister)- 1316 votes (13.36%) Asiedu Bekoe Louis (PDF)- 1696 votes (17.22%) SRC TREASURER Amoah Issac (One Ike)- 2877 votes (29.99%) Kumi Issac (One Super)- 3031 votes (31.59%) James Odei Aseidu (Lebron)- 3684 votes (38.40%) (ELECTED) SRC COORDINATING SECRETARY Ernestina Mambono Nyaaba (Tina)- 847 votes (8.64%) Kumba Tamba (Kumba)- 2094 votes (21.37%) Phanny Tackie Otoo Millicent (Phanny)- 5422 votes (55.35%) (ELECTED) Justice Benjamin Drafor (BKD Justice) – 1432 votes (14.61 %) SRC GENERAL SPORTS SECRETARY Bada Michael Hamoulton (Bada One)- 2732 votes (28.25%) (ELECTED) Tokoli Collins Tettteh (Toko)- 1771 votes (18.31%) Atule Jerry (Atule Agenda)- 1898 votes (19.62%) Avumegah Godfred (God Dey)- 1945 votes (20.11%) Appiah Bismark (Fifa One)- 1324 votes (13.69%) LOCAL NUGS PRESIDENT Mandela Cleson Amegayibor (Mandela)- 583 votes (5.95%) Michael Appiah (Biggie)- 701 votes (7.15%) Caleb Otabil (The Otabil)- 1661 votes (16.96%) Mintah Prince Obour (Mintah)- 4366 votes (44.58%) (ELECTED) Yeboah Enock (Barima)- 2482 votes (25.34%) LOCAL NUGS SECRETARY Ophelia Ivy Mensah (Ivy)- 9838 votes (95.80%) (UNOPPOSED) LOCAL NUGS WOMEN’S COMMISSIONER Jacqueline Kusi Duah (Jackie)- 9813 votes (95.55%) (UNOPPOSED)
The Department of History of the University of Cape Coast has won a five-year project from the Norwegian Partnership Programme for Global Academic Cooperation (NORPART) to facilitate faculty and graduate student exchanges. The project, which commences from 2017 to 2021,will provide support for academic partnerships and student mobility with an emphasis on Master and PhD level between higher education institutions in Norway and others selected from developing countries. With financial support from the Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education, the project will also include the design of new graduate programmes and organisation of conferences and workshops. Other partner institutions for the project are Department of Historical Studies, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Trondheim, Norway; Department of Archeology and Heritage Studies, University of Ghana; Department History Education, University of Education, Winneba. Through the NORPART project, the partner institutions will work to improve the quality of programmes in their respective Universities by using innovative ways of enhancing the intercultural and digital competence of participating students to make them employable assets for both the public and private sectors of their respective countries and internationally.