Swedish writers call on Atukwei Okai

Mr. Atukwei Okai, Secretary General of the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), has urged authors to use their literary works to bring together peoples of the world to foster unity in diversity.

"This is the only way that writers can help build bridges in the world to help bring peace to our people", he stated. Mr. Okai said this when two Swedish writers, Mr. Janne Lundstrom and Ms Gallie Eng, who are interested in West African folk tales called on him at his office in Accra.

Mr. Lundstrom is currently re- writing West African folk tales in seven volumes from German, French and English into Swedish, while Ms Eng is a publisher and editor of children's books. She is also the editor and spouse of Mr. Lundstrom.

According to Mr. Okai, "it is important that writers in Ghana and Sweden work together to bring out the Swedish involvement in the history of the Gold Coast and the slave trade," adding that by so doing, "it will help explain the history to the Swedish people. This will humanise the issue of migration of Africans to Sweden."

Commenting on his most popular book on the Gold Coast, " John the Savage," Mr Lundstrom said he choose to portray the hero in the book, John, an 11 year old Swedish boy who escaped from a Swedish trade ship and was adopted by an "Asafohene" of the Wassa State. He was later involved in the clan wars between the Dankyiras and the Dutch.