John Benibengor Blay (born 1915, date of death unknown) was a Ghanaian journalist, writer, publisher and politician, who has been called "the father of popular writing in Ghana".Albert S. Gérard, European-language Writing in Sub-Saharan Africa, Volume 2, 1986, p. 833. His work encompasses fiction, poetry and drama published in chapbooks that have been compared with Onitsha Market Literature.Abotsi, Maureen, "J. Benibengor Blay" , Ghana Nation, 13 September 2013. From Douglas Killam and Ruth Rowe (eds), The Companion to African Literature (James Currey 2000).
Life and career Blay was born in Half Assini, Western Ghana, and educated at the Regent Street Polytechnic in London.G. D. Killam, Alicia L. Kerfoot, Student Encyclopedia of African Literature, Greenwood press, 2008, p. 68.
He began writing poetry in 1937, publishing stories from the early 1940s onwards. Some of his work was published by his own publishing company, the Benibengor Book Agency, Aboso.
He later became a politician,The Sacramento Bee, 24 September 1959, pg. 42 and in 1958 Blay was elected to the Ghanaian National Assembly. He later served as Minister for Art and Culture (1965–66)Africa Who's Who, London: Africa Journal for Africa Books Ltd, 1981, p. 230. under Kwame Nkrumah, 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,The Story of Tata, "a very comprehensive account of the life of Mr. Joshua Kwabena Siaw ... one of Ghana's most prominent business men". c. 1976
References
External links Brief biography of J. Benibengor Blay