Chapters (109)
- Part One
- ONE
- One day earlier
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- PART TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- SEVENTY-FIVE
- SEVENTY-SIX
- SEVENTY-SEVEN
- SEVENTY-EIGHT
- SEVENTY-NINE
- EIGHTY
- EIGHTY-ONE
- EIGHTY-TWO
- EIGHTY-THREE
- EIGHTY-FOUR
- EIGHTY-FIVE
- EIGHTY-SIX
- EIGHTY-SEVEN
- EIGHTY-EIGHT
- EIGHTY-NINE
- NINETY
- NINETY-ONE
- NINETY-TWO
- NINETY-THREE
- NINETY-FOUR
- NINETY-FIVE
- NINETY-SIX
- NINETY-SEVEN
- NINETY-EIGHT
- NINETY-NINE
- GLOSSARY
- Acknowledgments
- Continue reading
- Part One
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
I met the famous/infamous Sana today at a secluded, wooded area outside of town. He had his signature “cap and beads,” and at first it was a weird experience talking to him, but after a little while I got accustomed to it and it even felt kind of normal. He took down all the details of my story and asked me to forward my WhatsApp conversations with “Helena.” He seemed a little surprised by my interest in the wider scope of my being conned, i.e. how far up this thing all goes. He said most white people just want to catch the con artists, get their money back, and get the hell out. I suppose it has to do with my connection with Ghana. I spent a great two years of my life here as a Peace Corps guy, I met my wife here, I came back to Ghana with her multiple times to visit, and on top of all that, when you think of it, Derek is half Ghanaian. So, when I see all this crap ruining this country, I guess I basically care more than the average “oburoni.”
Sana told me some chilling stories of how groups of “sakawa boys” now organize into factions based on their location where they can then exercise control over the local police or even chiefs in that specific area. Someone high up in the government or police force can then oversee a cluster of these factions and make money off them in return for protection. Reputedly, at the top of the whole pile is one guy whose name is, appropriately, “Godfather,” but I’m not sure if that’s just urban legend.
~
Casper Guttenberg
March 7 at 7:11 p.m.
Re: Ghana
To: GTilson
This is some amazing work you’re doing, Gordon. I think we have enough for me to begin drafting the first write-up. Great job, my friend.
~
Gordon Tilson
March 22 at 11:36 a.m.
Re: Ghana
To: CGuttenberg
Started with diarrhea last night, something I ate, I guess. Feeling pretty lousy, I’ll go get something from the pharmacy down the street. The pharmacies are very well stocked here. Beginning to feel I should call it quits in Ghana and come home. I don’t know how much more I can get out of this quest I’m on, and it’s not as important as it felt back in February.
~
Casper Guttenberg
March 22 at 12:45 p.m.
Re: Ghana
To: GTilson