Former President and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, recently launched the Russian language translation of his memoir, ‘My First Coup D’etat and Other Stories from the Lost Decades of Africa,’ at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow.
Speaking at the event, Mahama emphasized that the book, originally published in July 2012, chronicles his upbringing and the history of Ghana and Africa during the political and economic instability of the 1970s to 1990s. He also noted that the memoir has been translated into Portuguese.
Mahama particularly highlighted a chapter that he believed would resonate with the Russian audience, recounting his time as a student at the Institute of Social Sciences in Moscow during the Gorbachev era and the Perestroika reforms.
He fondly remembered his philosophy lecturer, Mr. Gudoshnik, who opted for an interactive teaching method over the traditional socialist curriculum.
“We’re going to learn from each other. I’ll tell you what’s in the textbook, and you tell me what you know and what you think about it,” Gudoshnik had said.
Expressing gratitude, Mahama thanked the Russian Academy of Sciences, Comrade Dmitriy Savelyev of the Russian State Duma, the Russia-Ghana Parliamentary Friendship Association, and his old friends and comrades for their efforts in translating the book and organizing the launch.
He also acknowledged Nana Ama Danquah, his friend and editor, who encouraged him to share his stories in a memoir for the benefit of society.
Mahama encouraged the audience to read the book to satisfy their curiosity and gain insights into African history and experiences.
He expressed hope that the memoir would find a place in Russian academia, serving as a valuable resource for those interested in learning more about Africa.
