The Joy FM studio was bursting at its seams as at least 11 panelists moved in and out, cramming into a space meant for five. It was like an unplanned spillage of the Weija dam.

Heavyweight pastors, a celebrated lawyer, news anchors and presenters, a feminist, award-winning entertainers, actors and a representative of telecom giant, MTN, gushed over a new book written by Uncle Ebo Whyte titled ‘The Deal’.

This is Ghana. Reading is generally a prison sentence for the youth and a sleeping tablet for the old.

“I have always had a problem reading books that didn’t have pictures to compliment…I lose interest”, an entertainment enthusiat Ebenezer Kwabena Yeboah made a confession which Super Morning SHow host Kojo Yankson observed only plagued 4 to 8-year olds.

But Ebenezer was among several guests who confessed that the book dismantled an anti-reading stronghold believed to be severely pervasive in Ghana.

"I almost missed church", a senior minister of the Ghana Baptist Convention, Rev. Dr. Frederick P. Deegbe, revealed how he made a mistake picking up the book to read on Saturday night.

He had to force himself to put it down at 3 a.m. And you thought that reading is what you do when you want to sleep.  After the experience, Rev Degbe reached a watershed moment.

“The myth that Ghanaians don’t like reading, I would say they don’t like what they read” a new advocate for quality story-telling had been born, he said.

Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe

Rev. Deegbe may be used to being slain in the spirit, but here in the studio, he choked on his raw fascination about the novel, you could see he was slain by a book.

“I declare Uncle James Ebo Whyte book officially launched in the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”, he felt part of something big.

Rev. Albert Ocran, Yonny Kolendi, Gifty Anti sat on the star-studded bench waiting to have a part even if it was injury time on the live launching of the book.

L-R] Respected lawyer Yule Kulendi and host of TV program Stand Point Gifty Anti

ICGC pastor Albert Ocran

The ICGC pastor said the book had been a long time coming for the past 12 years. Elephants take an unusual two years to deliver a baby, but the elephant is no small animal. It is an earth moving beast.

This book could replace a young generation’s addiction to Facebook.

 

"Anytime I watch his play I get about 10 ideas for my show," Gifty Anti, host of women empowerment program ‘Stand Point' put in her crush for Ebo Whyte’s ideas.

"He is a source of wisdom, a man can only give what he has,” Managing Partner of Kulendi@law  Yonny Kolendi described his mentor. No lawyer can work in his chambers if he has not read the book, the highly-regarded lawyer laid down his own law.

“It is a must read for every Kulendi lawyer every Kulendi intern,” he pronounced.

Allowing the money to speak, Bola Ray of EIB Network picked up a bill for the first 100 books. MTN sent a representative to pick up another 100.

Bolay Ray

Host of Super Morning Show Kojo Yankson

Kojo Yankson said Ebo Whyte could be president, Kulendi added "we may need a philosopher king". They were taking him down the line of the women who sang Biblical David’s praise until Saul's jealousy was stirred to tragic ends.

So here is the deal, read ‘The Deal’, your GHC40 would be a bargain.