Tickling the Ghanaian: A Deliciously Insightful Dive into Contemporary Culture

There’s something profoundly spiritual about Ghanaian soup. You don’t just eat it—you consult it. It whispers, “Yes, my child… you have eaten today.” And if you haven’t had any, no matter how much rice or bread you’ve consumed, a Ghanaian will still sigh, “Chale… I haven’t eaten all day.”

This is the kind of humor, warmth, and insight you get in Kofi Akpabli’s Tickling the Ghanaian: Encounters with Contemporary Culture. Reading it feels like sitting at a bustling Ghanaian kitchen table, sharing soup, stories, and laughter while slowly understanding the nuances of everyday life in Ghana.

Akpabli’s book is not just a collection of essays—it’s a love letter to Ghanaian life. It’s wrapped in laughter, soaked in soup, stitched with kente cloth, and spiked with the potent kick of local gin—akpeteshie. It’s charming, relatable, and endlessly insightful.

👉 You can grab your copy here: Tickling the Ghanaian on Amazon

What Kind of Book Is This?

This is a cultural non-fiction book that blends humor, anthropology, and everyday philosophy.

• Tone: Humorous, reflective, intimate

• Pace: Moderate; essays let you pause and savor the stories

• Themes: Cultural identity, memory, humor, colonial residues, everyday rituals

This book is for readers who:

• Love exploring the nuances of culture

• Enjoy humor woven into serious social commentary

• Appreciate personal essays that reveal more than facts

This book is NOT for readers who:

• Prefer straight academic analysis

• Avoid humor in cultural critique

• Expect a linear narrative

Why This Story Matters

What makes Tickling the Ghanaian so compelling isn’t just the anecdotes—it’s the lens through which Akpabli views everyday life.

Soup isn’t just food; it’s identity, nostalgia, and a political lens. Cloth is more than fashion—it’s a social statement. Drinks like schnapps or akpeteshie are not just beverages—they trace colonial histories and cultural resilience. Bargaining in the market isn’t just a transaction—it’s a performance of psychological skill and ingenuity.

After finishing this book, you can’t help but look at seemingly ordinary Ghanaian rituals differently. You see the humor, the contradictions, and the pride embedded in daily life. You’re left asking: How do ordinary things tell extraordinary stories?

A Glimpse into the Essays

1. The Fabric of Identity: “How Cloth Tickles the Ghanaian”
   Akpabli reveals how Dutch wax prints and night cloths (Zavor) are more than clothing—they are intimate companions, cultural statements, and sometimes repositories of personal history.

2. Dreadlocks & Assumptions: “Ghanaman and the Rastaman”
   Wearing locs in Ghana invites assumptions about your beliefs, habits, or spirituality. Akpabli shares his personal reflections with warmth and wit.

3. Soup as Philosophy: “The Serious Business of Soup in Ghana”
   Soup is Ghanaian identity distilled. It’s therapy, political commentary, and nostalgia—all in a single bowl.

4. The Rise of Schnapps and the Fall of Akpeteshie
   A look at how imported schnapps displaced local akpeteshie at traditional ceremonies, yet the humble spirit still reigns in everyday life.

5. Game Theory and Market Psychology: “Dongomi and Albarika”
   Bargaining in Ghana becomes a fascinating psychological dance—sometimes humorous, sometimes absurd, always clever.

6. Food, Identity, and Shame: “Why Kokonte is Facing the Wall”
   Kokonte, once a staple of survival, now carries both pride and embarrassment—a culinary lesson in cultural contradictions.

7. Farewells, Fashion, and the Funeral Industry
   Funerals are cultural showcases, blending music, fashion, and elaborate coffins. Akpabli captures how even death in Ghana is performed with flair and respect.

Who This Book Is Perfect For

You’ll enjoy Tickling the Ghanaian if:

• You like books that celebrate culture with humor

• You enjoy essays with rich, sensory detail

• You read fiction or non-fiction to reflect on identity and society

You might struggle with this book if:

• You prefer linear storytelling

• You dislike humor in cultural critique

• You need clear, definitive conclusions

👉 Check availability here: Tickling the Ghanaian on Amazon

My Honest Verdict

This book is a masterclass in cultural storytelling. Akpabli takes ordinary aspects of life—soup, cloth, drinks, bargaining—and makes them sparkle with meaning and laughter.

While many writers today rely on outrage or exaggeration, Akpabli relies on warmth, truth, and charm. Reading it restores faith in journalism as an art form. No wonder he’s the first to win the CNN/Multichoice African Journalist Award for Arts and Culture twice.

Themes & Analysis

• Cultural Memory: Ghanaian culture is a living, evolving memory

• Everyday Identity: Cloth, soup, and local drinks reveal domestic and personal identity

• Humor as Social Critique: Jokes expose contradictions and absurdities gracefully

• Colonial Residues: Schnapps and fashion illustrate how colonial influences are adapted locally

About the Author

Kofi Akpabli is a Ghanaian journalist and creative writer whose work blurs reportage and art. His essays have won him the CNN/Multichoice African Journalist Award twice. He’s also the author of A Sense of Savannah, exploring northern Ghana through a travel lens. With Tickling the Ghanaian, Akpabli cements his place as a cultural documentarian, national treasure, and an irresistibly funny storyteller.

Final Thoughts

If culture is a stew, Kofi Akpabli is the spice. Tickling the Ghanaian doesn’t just tickle—it hugs, surprises, and serves a steaming bowl of insight along with your laughter.

Read it. Laugh. Learn. And maybe… go find your Zavor.

👉 Grab your copy here: Tickling the Ghanaian on Amazon