John Benibengor Blay

John Benibengor Blay (born 1915) was a Ghanaian journalist, writer, publisher and politician, who has been called "the father of popular writing in Ghana".^[1] His work encompasses fiction, poetry and drama published in chapbooks that have been compared with Onitsha Market Literature.^[2]

Life and career

Blay was born in Half Assini, Western Ghana, and educated at the Regent Street Polytechnic in London.^[3]

He began writing poetry in 1937, publishing stories from the early 1940s onwards.^[4] Some of his work was published by his own publishing company, the Benibengor Book Agency, Aboso.

He later became a politician,^[5] and in 1958 Blay was elected to the Ghanaian National Assembly. He later served as Minister for Art and Culture (1965–66)^[6] under Kwame Nkrumah,^[3] about whom he published a biography in 1973.

Works

Stories

• Emelia's Promise, 1944
• Be Content with Your Lot, 1947
• Parted Lovers, 1948
• Dr Bengto Wants a Wife, 1953
• Operation Witchcraft, 1956
• Tales for Boys and Girls, 1966
• After the Wedding (continuation of Emelia's Promise)
• Emelia's Promise and Fulfilment, Accra: Waterville Publishing House, 1967
• Alomo, Aboso, 1969
• Coconut Boy, Accra: West African Publishing Company, 1970

Poetry

• Immortal Deeds, Ilfracombe: Stockwell, 1940.
• Memoirs of the War, Ilfracombe: Stockwell, 1946
• King of the Human Frame, Ilfracombe: Stockwell, 1947
• Thoughts of Youth, Aboso: Benibengor Book Agency, 1961
• Ghana Sings, Accra: Waterville Publishing House, 1965. With an introduction by Kwame Nkrumah.

Other

• The Gold Coast Mines Employees' Union, Ilfracombe: Stockwell, 1950
• On The Air: (B.B.C. Talks), Aboso, 1970
• Legend of Kwame Nkrumah, 1973
• The Story of Tata,^[7] c. 1976