What do you think?
Rate this book
Unexpected Joy at Dawn
This story of migration, identities and lives undermined by cynical and xenophobic politics pushed to its logical and terrible conclusion pertains to the Ghanaian orders of 'alien compliance' issued in 1970-1971, which was designed to force all non-ethnic Ghanaians, so called illegal immigrants, to return to their - so stipulated - 'home'. the novel thus touches on concerns of deeper relevance to the politics of race and migration in the twenty first century. Unexpected Joy at Dawn received a commendation in the Best First Book Prize, Africa Region, of the Commonweath Writers Prize.
- GenresLiteratureArtFiction
332 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
203 people are currently reading
1648 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
January 29, 2020
Please can it be summarize in chapters
February 28, 2025
good riddance!!!
300 pages never felt so long.
I'm so glad to be done with this book (context: I read it for school).
for a book so acclaimed to be added to the secondary school syllabus, I have to say the book was not very well written and had several gaps in the plot (which i will not be expanding on because I just want to write this review and get over with this book even though I might have to read it again for exams). the only part of this book that had any tension was when the siblings reunited in my opinion, and omg I just can't start getting into the ins and outs of this book because it's so frustrating!! and the author couldn't even write CORRECT pidgin English. If you're going to try to imitate the way people (Nigerians) speak, at least bother to do it correctly!!
300 pages never felt so long.
I'm so glad to be done with this book (context: I read it for school).
for a book so acclaimed to be added to the secondary school syllabus, I have to say the book was not very well written and had several gaps in the plot (which i will not be expanding on because I just want to write this review and get over with this book even though I might have to read it again for exams). the only part of this book that had any tension was when the siblings reunited in my opinion, and omg I just can't start getting into the ins and outs of this book because it's so frustrating!! and the author couldn't even write CORRECT pidgin English. If you're going to try to imitate the way people (Nigerians) speak, at least bother to do it correctly!!
Read
July 9, 2023"The pride of being comes from a solid status and a culture, a pride which belongs to a citizen or one who can point proudly to his country. It entails love of country and and an identification with fellow countrymen, an intention to participate in the sharing of the sharp and conservative resolve to belong to the state - their state. That conservative attitude is important. That idea or attitude - call it a state of mind - is an identity, a proof of citizenship."...
"A sense of love for your country is a sense of pride. Pride is an improved ego, which is not hateful. Look around, watch the people round about you. Same people same reaction to pain. Race is important but being human elevates one above all base acts of hatred. We should not all hatred to destroy this our unique humanity. Hatred is like a cannibal that feeds on himself. We stand between hatred and love. We are citizens of two worlds - of hatred and and love. Yet our world is the latter." Culled from Unexpected Joy At Dawn [Page 284]
The above quotation is my favorite excerpt from any work of fiction yet. It's a fine speech delivered by Nii Moses Tackie, the protagonist of Unexpected Joy At Dawn, in the midst of the chaos and confusion in the alien camp. These thoughtful words of Nii's, with its Pan-African and Anti-Xenophobia features not only proved the fictional character a skilled public speaker but also rekindled hope and a sense of dignity among the aliens in the departure camp and in me as well.
Below is my review of the masterpiece by Alex Agyei-Agyiri of Ghana.
Published in 2003, Unexpected Joy At Dawn is a captivating and moving fictional work of art that tells the story of two siblings separated by two deportation orders of 1969 Ghana and 1983 Nigeria (Nii Tackie based in Ghana and Mama Orojo based in Nigeria), locked in a quest for reunion and a better livelihood in their seemingly endless searches: one for his root, the other for a brother, in the face of challenges, such man-made difficulties imposed apparently by the antagonistic policies of the Kofi Abrefa Busia's government of Ghana and Shehu Shagari's government of Nigeria.
With the unfolding plot the tragedy of the post-colonial African state is revealed. We see a society scampering for balance yet torn apart by such uncanny human tendencies as:
Corruption; seen among the authorities - the police, etc,
Criminality; seen in the illegal mining of gold and some other minerals,
Military brutality; seen in the killing of a little girl, barely ten, for selling above the fixed price, Political turbulence; as a result of unprofessionalism among the ruling military government, and
A great economic upheaval; following the withdrawal from circulation of fifty cedi notes, which left even an assistant bank manager (Nii) devastated and unable to make ends meet, hence, he takes up teaching as a side hustle in order to meet up the trying time.
In the face of all these exists still, the intricate humane human features with which came the incentive for resoluteness and resilience; such reassuring features as love, trust, honestly, hard work and goodwill. With these, and with the reunification of the two siblings comes the purging of emotion in the story - catharsis, and the resolution of the conflict - denouement.
I must say, Unexpected Joy At Dawn is a must-read for anyone who seeks to understand the witticism in the Ghana-must-go saga. 🤌
"A sense of love for your country is a sense of pride. Pride is an improved ego, which is not hateful. Look around, watch the people round about you. Same people same reaction to pain. Race is important but being human elevates one above all base acts of hatred. We should not all hatred to destroy this our unique humanity. Hatred is like a cannibal that feeds on himself. We stand between hatred and love. We are citizens of two worlds - of hatred and and love. Yet our world is the latter." Culled from Unexpected Joy At Dawn [Page 284]
The above quotation is my favorite excerpt from any work of fiction yet. It's a fine speech delivered by Nii Moses Tackie, the protagonist of Unexpected Joy At Dawn, in the midst of the chaos and confusion in the alien camp. These thoughtful words of Nii's, with its Pan-African and Anti-Xenophobia features not only proved the fictional character a skilled public speaker but also rekindled hope and a sense of dignity among the aliens in the departure camp and in me as well.
Below is my review of the masterpiece by Alex Agyei-Agyiri of Ghana.
Published in 2003, Unexpected Joy At Dawn is a captivating and moving fictional work of art that tells the story of two siblings separated by two deportation orders of 1969 Ghana and 1983 Nigeria (Nii Tackie based in Ghana and Mama Orojo based in Nigeria), locked in a quest for reunion and a better livelihood in their seemingly endless searches: one for his root, the other for a brother, in the face of challenges, such man-made difficulties imposed apparently by the antagonistic policies of the Kofi Abrefa Busia's government of Ghana and Shehu Shagari's government of Nigeria.
With the unfolding plot the tragedy of the post-colonial African state is revealed. We see a society scampering for balance yet torn apart by such uncanny human tendencies as:
Corruption; seen among the authorities - the police, etc,
Criminality; seen in the illegal mining of gold and some other minerals,
Military brutality; seen in the killing of a little girl, barely ten, for selling above the fixed price, Political turbulence; as a result of unprofessionalism among the ruling military government, and
A great economic upheaval; following the withdrawal from circulation of fifty cedi notes, which left even an assistant bank manager (Nii) devastated and unable to make ends meet, hence, he takes up teaching as a side hustle in order to meet up the trying time.
In the face of all these exists still, the intricate humane human features with which came the incentive for resoluteness and resilience; such reassuring features as love, trust, honestly, hard work and goodwill. With these, and with the reunification of the two siblings comes the purging of emotion in the story - catharsis, and the resolution of the conflict - denouement.
I must say, Unexpected Joy At Dawn is a must-read for anyone who seeks to understand the witticism in the Ghana-must-go saga. 🤌
February 18, 2023
I don't know how to read the book
October 9, 2022
So interesting
August 21, 2024
Well, that was... interesting.
It's not like the book is bad, it's just that sometimes it's like you are reading an essay rather than a book, with people and emotions. Some of the characters, you just couldn't understand, and the scenes; some were just strained. Some of the scenes were confusing and it felt somewhat blank, like the main character was going around doing things and just blinking like he didn't know what he was doing. And Mama marrying Joe after only meeting him like two times. Was she that desperate for a husband.
Aside from everything stated and everything I didn't, this was a thoughtful read, but not something I'd pick up and read if it weren't for school. I like reading textbooks for fun, but this was not as fun as it should have been.
It's not like the book is bad, it's just that sometimes it's like you are reading an essay rather than a book, with people and emotions. Some of the characters, you just couldn't understand, and the scenes; some were just strained. Some of the scenes were confusing and it felt somewhat blank, like the main character was going around doing things and just blinking like he didn't know what he was doing. And Mama marrying Joe after only meeting him like two times. Was she that desperate for a husband.
Aside from everything stated and everything I didn't, this was a thoughtful read, but not something I'd pick up and read if it weren't for school. I like reading textbooks for fun, but this was not as fun as it should have been.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2025
I read The Unexpected Joy at Dawn for school and it surprised me. I thought it would just be about politics but it felt more personal. It’s really about people losing everything and trying to find where they belong.
The story was serious but real and I loved how I got to see xenophobia through the eyes of people. It made me think about how easily people can lose their home or family. I’m glad I read it even though it wasn’t what I expected.
I rate it five stars because it’s about an important time in history and how it affected both parties. As a Nigerian, it definitely means a lot to me.
The story was serious but real and I loved how I got to see xenophobia through the eyes of people. It made me think about how easily people can lose their home or family. I’m glad I read it even though it wasn’t what I expected.
I rate it five stars because it’s about an important time in history and how it affected both parties. As a Nigerian, it definitely means a lot to me.
October 17, 2023
the writing was soooo boring, and the buildup to the actual plot was sooo boring too. i was barely following the storyline sometimes. the main theme of the book is a good one but the writing itself wasn't so great in my opinion. thinking about it now, it was a good story but the writing made me sleepy and confused
December 6, 2024
3.5 more like. The book was actually not that bad. I was mislead to think otherwise by a certain person I won't name.
Although some parts of the book were drab, the storyline was actually quite good. Plus, Alex really made us think in the perspective of the aliens who were seriously mistreated during that period.
Nice-ish read.
Although some parts of the book were drab, the storyline was actually quite good. Plus, Alex really made us think in the perspective of the aliens who were seriously mistreated during that period.
Nice-ish read.
August 21, 2019
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Want to read
November 12, 2019love the novel because it touches some area of history both in Ghana and in Nigeria
Want to read
February 8, 2020I want to summarize the novel
June 29, 2020
It is a complicated book
November 8, 2020
So good
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
January 22, 2021It's good
January 30, 2021
Nice book
March 14, 2021
How do I start reading
Where should I click.... This app s very confusing
Where should I click.... This app s very confusing
Want to read
April 19, 2021Good
May 18, 2021
I love this book
Read
June 12, 2021I
June 20, 2021
Very good
December 28, 2021
I love it!
January 21, 2022
How do I read it
April 4, 2022
Good 👍
April 27, 2022
The books are cool
Want to read
May 3, 2022I am not able to read on this app can you help me
May 5, 2022
This story is amazing
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
May 6, 2022Thanks
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews