Appreciating the novelist whose stories are set upon a steep gradient of adolescent drama and spectacular irony
An interview with Sophia Acheampong. By Darko Antwi
DARKO: Your first title in 2006 was Growing Yams in London. Three
years after that, you have released Ipods in Accra. How
significant is the mention of the two cities in both books.
SOPHIA: The use of the two city names in the titles is very significant in
both novels. Growing Yams in London
is set in London and concerns Makeeda’s
experiences as a British born teenager of Ghanaian descent, living in London. Ipods in Accra is different in that it deals with Makeeda’s
experiences in Accra
and her reactions to events that happen to her there, most of which are
different from what she would expect in the environment in which she has grown
and lived. Accra
is, of course, symbolic of Ghana
as a whole just as London can also be regarded
as symbolic of Britain.
DARKO: Now, let's talk about your first book. Almost all your young
readers adore Makeeda, the heroine. Why the excitement? Is it because
she's a character they can identify with, or there's more to that?
SOPHIA: I’m not sure I can answer this question beyond saying that peoples’
reactions to characters are mainly subjective. Some readers may love Makeeda
whilst others may relate more to Bharti, Nelson or some of the other characters
for different reasons. As a character, Makeeda also has faults, she is not
perfect but what makes her so interesting, is the way in which she navigates
her issues with her age, personality and cultural identity. In creating
Makeeda, I was trying to portray the kind of girls that one might see at a bus
stop, texting away every morning but whom one might not really know, in terms
of the highs and lows that she may be going through as a teenager.
DARKO: ''If parents of African descent do not recognise the difference
between African culture and that of Europe, domestic
conflict is most likely.'' In the context of your book, do
you agree?
SOPHIA: I believe that many parents of African descent readily recognise the differences between European and African
cultures. And they are also aware that Africa is a continent with a rich
diversity of cultures in the different countries and, therefore, that the
experiences of their children in Europe will
not necessarily be the same. Growing Yams
in London specifically concerns the teenage experiences of a girl of
Ghanaian descent; living in London. Makeeda’s difficulties with the rules and the
expectations of her parents are not solely due to cultural conflict but also
result from the fact that she is a teenager. Conflict between parents and
children is universal and part of the process of maturity. Cultural differences
may be just one of the factors which complicate the “rites of passage” for the
teenager.
DARKO: Would you say for certain that DJ Nelson, Makeeda's boyfriend,
is a typical persona non grata in the social standard of your script? In real
life, what do you think are the negative influences, undefined by your book, that boyfriends can have on under-age girls,
like Makeeda was, at the time of her relationship with DJ?
SOPHIA: The character DJ Nelson is the same age as Makeeda. They both
share similar teenage experiences and identity problems since Nelson’s parents are
also non-indigenous British, with one from Brazil
and the other from Togo.
Nelson is also coping with his parent’s divorce and their negative reaction to
his past-time as a DJ. Hence there is no imbalance in their relationship that
would justify Makeeda’s parents resenting him in particular. In fact they would
object to her going out with any other boy at her age, and her decisions to go
against their wishes form part of her natural teenage behaviour and desire to
assert her feelings of independence.
DARKO: If Growing Yams in London is not an autobiography of yours,
who or what inspired you to write such a lively story?
SOPHIA: Growing Yams in London
is not my autobiography. However I have shared some of Makeeda’s experiences as
a child with Ghanaian parents living in London
for example, I have had to put up with the reactions of some members of my
family to suspect Twi. I was
inspired to write by a burning curiosity I had about the teenage experiences of
people with dual cultural identities. I essentially wanted to write about the
life of a teenage girl of Ghanaian descent, living in London today. Reading novels by other teenage
authors like Malorie Blackman, Mildred D Taylor, Bali Rai and Meg Cabot were
hugely important to me and helped me to get as close as possible to the
authentic teenage voice.
DARKO: From professionals to the ordinary reader, you have
had amazing reviews. How true, perhaps how imposed is the following statement
I picked from Cameron Duodu: ''This book is easy to read and rich in its
revelations''
SOPHIA: I am naturally flattered by the positive review of such a
respected journalist as Cameron Duodu. Growing
Yams in London and Ipods in Accra
were written in a style and format that included text messaging and Instant
Message conversations, alongside the more conventional forms of dialogue. I
used these forms because I wanted to reflect the way technology affects the
average teenage experience. Having a great editorial team at Piccadilly Press
definitely assisted in ensuring that those aims were realised.
DARKO: If your second book is a sequel to the first, tell us briefly the
transformation or changes that Makeeda has gone through in Ipods in Accra,
if any?
SOPHIA: Ipods in Accra is
actually a stand alone book and not a sequel! However, I believe that reading Growing Yams in London and also Ipods in Accra, will help the reader to
have a better understanding of the dynamics surrounding Makeeda’s relationships
with her friends and family in London and Ghana. But sorry Darko, I’m not going
to spoil the surprise for anyone who has yet to read Ipods in Accra!
DARKO: Apart from sales online, what are some of the shops that sell
your books?
SOPHIA: Growing Yams in London
and Ipods in Accra are available in
WHSmiths, Foyles, Waterstones and independent bookshops. If you do not find
copies on the shelves, they can be ordered.
DARKO: We appreciate your creativity. Thank you so much for sharing with
us.
SOPHIA: Thank you too.
