Introduction

This reflective-cum-refractive chapter is geared toward an examination of A.B. Assensoh’s reflections on some major discourses in his memoir, A Matter of Sharing, in which the memoirist reflected on so many issues, as well as matters that he deemed worthy of sharing, coupled with the experiences that have shaped his life and the world around him. One of the issues he shared and reflected on is the indispensability of the mother’s influence on her child. Meanwhile, this chapter will investigate the author’s reflections on the memoir on different issues: his personal life story, experiences, political, and historical matters that have impacted his life and career. In Assensoh’s own words:

Interestingly, Assensoh’s memoir reflects his thoughts on salient issues that have impacted his life, education, and career. This chapter will further explore and investigate his reminiscences on politics and history, which sometimes intersect in the memoir. Also, this chapter will interrogate and expound on the conceptualization of reflection and its implication for the thematic exercise. The chapter is divided into four intersecting categories: the personal, the historical, the political, and the literary. In it, the personal category will capture the author’s reflections on his family, birth, parentage, and career. In this part of the chapter, the exploration of the author’s outlook on life—as a reflection of his childhood experiences, education, and career—will be discussed. The implication of examining this aspect will connect the chapter to his view of other matters or discourses in the memoir. His education and career will be viewed as the connecting map to his reflection on salient discourses with international import.

The historic part of the chapter is yoked to the author’s reflection on African politics and political growth.