to do the same. Fortunately he meets a white man, Mr. Daniels, whose
company is building a new road, and Mr. Daniels pays for him to attend
primary school. His father dies when he is writing his final exams. After
obtaining his Primary School Certificate, Foli goes to Accra in search of work,
and gets a job as a porter at the airport. This arouses in him the desire to go
abroad. He meets another white man, Mr. Fields, who also seems to want to
be Foli’s benefactor. He promises to obtain a passport and visa for Foli so that
Foli can go to the USA, and to take care of him there. He goes with Foli on a
trip to the village and meets Foli’s mother, who – with foresight – distrusts
him.
Foli is just about to board the plane for the USA when he learns that Mr. Fields
has been arrested as a gold and diamonds smuggler.
Thanks
to his
connection with certain politicians, Mr. Fields is later released, but he is
deported from Ghana. Foli realizes that Mr. Fields wanted to use him in his
smuggling operations.
Meanwhile, Foli arrives in New York. Owing to what happened to Mr. Fields,
he is completely stranded on his arrival. A fellow Ghanaian shelters him for a
while, and he gets a series of low paid jobs. Life is not easy, partly because he
does not have valid immigration papers, or a Green Card that would enable
him to work legally. He is nevertheless able to save some money; and after
some time buys a second-hand car, which he uses as a taxi. There are dangers
in this job, especially from passengers who turn out to be criminals.
He also meets and falls in love with one Delali, a Ghanaian and a trainee
nurse, who is being sponsored by a Ghanaian politician at home. She decides
that she does not care for the politician any more, and she and Foli get
married in church. The marriage is under some strain at first because Delali
does not become pregnant; but at last she gives birth to a son, Kwabla.
6