Geraldine Sinyuy Turns Her Compass on Ghana and Interviews Joseph Justice Joseph Prah, a Devoted Educator and Writer.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  Hello Justice Joseph Prah, what inspired you to become a writer?
Justice Joseph Prah: My inspiration to become a writer grew out of a deep desire to let the world hear the memories, stories, and lived experiences that shaped my upbringing as a boy growing up in the 80s through 90s. As I grew older, I realised that many powerful narratives, especially those rooted in personal and communal history, often go unheard. You see, I grew up in pre-social media village in the Volta Region of Ghana. As children, our only means of entertainment was to invent Ananse tales and tell by the fireside, especially during the rainy season or the time of the month when the full moon came out. This childhood story-culture, today, has become a catalyst which fuels my undying desire to write and preserve these moments as I give voice to experiences that deserve to be remembered and shared.

Geraldine Sinyuy:   At what age did you start writing and what was the easiest genre for you at that time?
Justice Joseph Prah: I began writing seriously at the age of 22, after immersing myself in the works of world-acclaimed writers from Africa and beyond. For instance, I was fascinated by Ola Rotimi's plays " The Gods Are Not to Blame" and " Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again". Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" fell me right into the arms of Western literature but Wole Soyinka's " Death of the King's Horseman" brought me back home to holistically experience what I call "African dramatic enculturation". So, you see, my extensive reading opened my creative senses and encouraged me to experiment with different forms of poetry and drama. At the time, poetry and drama came most naturally to me. I explored both genres simultaneously and even had opportunities to stage some of my plays, often fusing poetry into dramatic performance, which helped me discover my unique voice. Many of my plays are satire as well as my poems from the beginning.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  At what time of the day do you find more inspiration and energy to write?
Justice Joseph Prah: Nighttime is when my inspiration peaks. It is during the quiet hours that my thoughts flow most freely and my creative urge feels strongest. I particularly enjoy writing at night when it is raining, the pitter-patter sound and atmosphere create a calming rhythm that pulls my mind away from worries and allows creative idea to surface effortlessly. That moment feels like the perfect union of silence, mood and imagination. Just like what William Wordsworth called " The spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings...recollected in tranquility"

Geraldine Sinyuy:  How do you manage social media distractions and the writing career?
Justice Joseph Prah: I am not particularly active on social media, so distractions are minimal for me. However, on the rare occasions when I find myself drawn into social media platforms, I intentionally redirect that energy toward something productive. I search for writing contests, calls for submissions, or literary opportunities where I can channel my creativity and put my work to meaningful use rather than lose time scrolling aimlessly.

Geraldine Sinyuy:   Can you describe what your writing workspace looks like?
Justice Joseph Prah: My writing workspace is unconventional and constantly changing. I write anywhere inspiration finds me, perhaps, on a commercial bus, at my workplace or in any moment when a thought suddenly drops into my mind with a splash of ideas. Rather than relying on a fixed desk, I make great use of my phone’s diary, WhatsApp space (By self texting myself) capturing ideas as they come. This flexibility allows me to stay connected to my creativity wherever I am. But on rare occasions, I type my stories away on my laptop keyboard, load them on several pen drives and move ahead to print them out in case I lose the e-version. I schedule another time, perhaps a holiday, to develop any scrap of stories I may have recorded down into full-fledged creative piece.

Geraldine Sinyuy: That sounds great. As a writer you need to be disciplined because only in discipline will you have results.  Before the age of handphones, I too used to move with a pen and a paper in case I got inspiration when I was not in a where I could lay hands on a book and paper. That said, I understand that apart from being a writer, you still have other responsibilities. Can you share how you successfully manage these roles and still find time for writing?
Justice Joseph Prah: Indeed, balancing writing with other professional responsibilities is one of my greatest challenges. I am a high school teacher and also serve as an Assistant Head in charge of Academics. These roles often place me in what I describe as role conflict, where administrative and academic duties demand constant attention. To manage this, I have imposed strict personal discipline to ensure that my writing career does not interfere with my academic responsibilities. As a result, my writing progresses in incremental stages. Genres like drama, for instance, may take a longer time to complete but my prose poems could take one full night to get completed. Whenever an idea strikes during the course of my academic duties, I quickly record it in my phone’s diary. This habit allows me to preserve creative thoughts without disrupting my primary professional obligations.

Geraldine Sinyuy:   It looks like this idea of recording is applied by every writer. I also record ideas when I am inspired and I am not near my laptop. According to your context, what do you see as the most pressing or trending human rights issue in present-day literature?
Justice Joseph Prah: From my perspective, the most compelling human rights issues in contemporary literature are those rooted in immediate local realities before extending to global concerns. In Ghana, particularly in the Volta Region, the continued practice of trokosy, where young girls are enslaved to shrines—remains a serious threat to girl-child education and human dignity. Child labour, especially in riverine communities, deeply concerns me, as does the kayayei phenomenon, where young girls, especially from the Northern region of Ghana, carry heavy loads in markets under harsh conditions. Beyond Ghana, issues such as kidnapping in Nigeria and widespread global corruption trouble me greatly. Corruption, in particular, poses an existential threat to the future of children and the poor across nations, making it a vital theme for present-day literature.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  Goose pimples are all over my body as I listen to these horrifying stories about human rights violations in your country. The most frightening is that of the enslavement of young girls in shrines. Can you tell us which of your works brought you into the limelight within literary circles, and where readers can find your books?
Justice Joseph Prah: My recognition within literary circles has largely come from my poetry publications, especially in haiku and afriku; an African adaptation of haiku that reflects indigenous themes, rhythms, and philosophies. While I have not yet published a full book, I have written and published several articles and critical reviews on haiku and afriku. These contributions have helped establish my presence and voice within contemporary African poetry spaces and beyond.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  Congratulations. What is the most important lesson you have learned in your career as a writer?
Justice Joseph Prah: One of the most profound lessons I have learned is to be cautious with my intellectual work. Trusting friends with manuscripts can sometimes lead to disappointment, as creative works may be condemned, misused or even plagiarised. I have had one of my play manuscripts stolen and secretly adaptated into a movie without any prior permission. Another close friend; Oswald Okatei, from Ghana, got hold of my comedy play manuscript and staged it without my notification! I have also learned that rejection is not a final verdict in a writer’s journey. A piece rejected by one contest judge may be celebrated by another. This understanding has taught me resilience, patience and faith in my craft, reminding me that literary success is often subjective and incremental.

Geraldine Sinyuy: Betrayal of trust amongst writers is a common phenomenon, but I pray that writers would develop the fear of God and act faithfully in all their commitments.  It is said that a writer is the voice of the voiceless. Have you written any work that calls for justice in this sense? If yes, what was it?
Justice Joseph Prah: Yes, I strongly believe that writing must speak where silence has been imposed. One notable example is my poem “You Told Me,”Which won first place in a poetry contest organised by the Wax Poetry and Art Contest (African Division). The poem confronts the historical and ongoing injustices suffered by Africans during the colonial and post-colonial periods. It explores themes such as betrayal by colonial promises, historical exploitation, broken independence dreams, neocolonial control, and the lingering psychological wounds inflicted on the African identity. Through this poem, I sought to question power, memory, and accountability, while giving voice to generations whose pain has often been ignored or normalised.

Geraldine Sinyuy: Waoo, congratulations on winning the afore mentioned contest. I see that betrayal is a king pin as far as human rights are concerned. What advice would you give to a young aspiring writer?
Justice Joseph Prah: My advice to young writers is to look beyond the hunger for fame and instant recognition. Instead, they should strive to carve their names on the vast canvas of Africa as storytellers whose works transcend time and space. Writing should first be an act of pleasure, purpose, and responsibility before it becomes a pursuit of applause. When writers remain true to their stories, cultures, and convictions, recognition will eventually find them. I write largely for fulfillment and expression, not merely for visibility. Fact is, so long as the Internet thrives, your name also thrives on.

Geraldine Sinyuy: You hit the nail in the head. Pleasure, purpose and responsibility before applause. This is an advice I would love every writer to read. Thank you so much for the wisdom in this advice.  How does your community receive human-rights-related literary and artistic works?
Justice Joseph Prah: My community is largely elite and intellectually aware, and many members openly express resentment toward human-rights abuses such as female genital mutilation, scarification, gender-based violence, and child molestation. However, I have observed a troubling contradiction: while people strongly condemn these injustices when they occur physically, there is comparatively low enthusiasm for engaging with them through published literary works. Although human-rights themes are present in school curricula from high school to university, many readers fail to treat them as lived realities requiring action. Awareness exists, but commitment beyond academic engagement remains limited.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  Have you ever felt threatened because of the kind of writing you produce?
Justice Joseph Prah: No, I have not personally felt threatened because of my writing. This may partly be because some of my more critical dramatic works, especially those that challenge high-level corruption, have not yet reached the stage or theatre space where they could provoke wider public reaction. Nonetheless, I remain conscious of the power of literature and the risks that can accompany truth-telling, particularly in societies where accountability is fragile.

Geraldine Sinyuy:   What else would you like to share with us?
Justice Joseph Prah: I would like to encourage African poets to consciously embrace and practice more African-defined poetic forms, such as folkloric poetry and afriku. These forms allow poets to root their creativity in indigenous philosophy, oral tradition, and African aesthetics. By doing so, African writers can cut a unique niche for themselves within the larger global poetry universe rather than constantly borrowing external frameworks that dilute cultural identity. I end this interview with one my afriku poems that won a prestigious position in a haiku contest organised in Japan:
thunderous night rain...
watching the skies
for snapshots

Geraldine Sinyuy: Your responses are so enthralling that I feel like not ending the conversation with you Joseph. Thank you so much for your time and stories. We hope to have you onboard again in the near future. I wish you the best in your writing career.
Justice Joseph Prah: Thank you.

Justice Joseph Prah is an accomplished educator, poet, literary critic, and arts enthusiast based in Accra, Ghana. He has taught African and Western literature at the high school level since 2005, contributing significantly to literary education and creative writing in Ghana and beyond.
A member and an editor of the African Haiku Network biannual Magazine since 2015, Prah writes essays, literary criticism, and haiku poetry. His work has earned him recognition as an African ambassador with the United Haiku & Tanka Society. His accolades include an Award for Excellence in the Setouchi–Matsuyama Photo Haiku Contest, a runner-up position in the IAFOR Vladimir Devidé Haiku Award, and two runner-up placements in the Babishai Niwe Haiku Poetry Contest in Uganda.
Prah’s poetry has received international recognition. Notable works include “You Told Me,” “Africant, We Are,” which won an Honorable Mention in the 2025 African Poetry Contest (Narratives Against Poverty), “Beyond the Pond,” a third-place-winning poem in the United Kingdom published in honor of Maya Angelou, and “Children of the Mother Moon,” published by the Poetry Foundation.
Deeply passionate about theatre and cinematography, Prah continues to explore the intersection of literature, performance, and visual storytelling. He resides in Accra, Greater Accra Region, Ghana.