A GIRL WHO WOULD NOT SQUASH HER QUESTIONS OF THE WORLD WITH AMENs…
The birth of a child is a momentous occasion, one that brings joy and hope not just to the parents, but to society at large. On June 30th, 2023, my beautiful daughter Nana Ama Atta-Aidoo was born—and my life changed irreversibly. Her arrival filled me with a joy so vast, so overwhelming, it was almost too much to contain.
On the afternoon of June 29th, I drove her mother to the district hospital in Ajumako. What followed were twelve of the most agonizing hours of my life. I couldn’t bear to watch her suffer, nor could I sleep that night. I was helpless.
But at 16:30 GMT, our perfect little angel was born.
As I held her in my arms for the first time, a wave of responsibility and love swept over me. I was relieved. Humbled. Transformed. My mind raced with questions—how would I raise this child? How could I protect her, teach her, equip her with what I had lacked?
One question, though, came easily: her name. For nearly a decade, I had known that if I were ever blessed with a daughter, I would name her after the venerable Ghanaian writer, Ama Ata Aidoo.
When Auntie Ama passed on May 31st, 2023, the news hit me like a blow. My daughter would be born just weeks later. I had hoped she might one day meet the great woman—but fate had other plans.
Why her name? Why that woman?
I often say it wasn’t out of any lofty symbolism, but because of her sheer humanity. In her books, I saw the lives of women in my own community reflected with clarity, dignity, and complexity. From her novel Changes to the short stories in No Sweetness Here, she wrote of women truthfully—forthright, unafraid, and clear in her ideology. Through her words, she challenged society’s settled wisdom and gave voice to the voiceless. To me, she was godlike in her fierce, unapologetic defense of feminism.
Naming my daughter after her is the least honour I can give to such a towering figure.
Ama Ata Aidoo was brilliant and knew precisely what she wanted her writing to achieve. But she was also kind. Funny. Warm. She made room for contradiction. She was visionary.
I wanted my daughter to carry a name that would remind her of her place in the world—her culture, her challenge, and her potential. A name to make her proud of who she is and where she comes from. A name that would urge her to be herself, not what society expects. There was no one more fitting than Auntie Ama.
My daughter is my gift, my joy, my hope. She is the light of my life and the reason I breathe. And yet, I am not blind to the struggles she will face as a girl in this world. Auntie Ama once said: “No matter what anybody says, we can’t have it all. Not if you are a woman. Not yet.” That bitter truth still holds. I must prepare my daughter to face it with strength.
Her birth transformed me. It taught me how boundless love can be, and how strong the human spirit is. In her tiny presence, I found a purpose deeper than anything I’ve ever known. The journey of fatherhood is a lifelong privilege—and I am grateful every single day for this beautiful child.