Review of A Dream For Peace

Nwankwo GC · Post by **Nwankwo GC** » 18 Mar 2022, 04:20

[Following is a volunteer review of "A Dream For Peace" by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Dr. Ghoulem Berrah was born into a polygamous family as the only son of his mother. In his family, education was considered a top priority and a very honorable endeavour. While on a scholarship to study medicine in France, the activist in him was awakened at the sight of the gross discriminatory practices going on in France. Enraged by the victimisation and marginalisation of the Algerian people by their French colonisers, he joined many revolutionary groups and agitated for the liberation of the Algerian people. In the course of his career as an activist, he studied law to horn his advocacy skills. He became a professor at Yale University and felt he could do even more for himself and his people. He returned to Africa and became a diplomatic and an adviser to the president of Côte d'Ivoire, where he continued to advocate for the interest of the marginalised and an Africa free from all forms of colonialism.

What was most interesting about Dr. Ghoulem Berrah's A Dream for Peace was that it was entirely based on a past all Africans have a connection with. Emotions are bound to rise whenever tales of colonialism in any African country are told because it brings memories of the struggle for freedom for most Africans. The author, through the story of his life, reminded Africans of the labour of their past and present heroes, and it was really empowering to read all that. Dr. Ghoulem Berrah's bravery was another high point in the book. He put everything on the line in the fight against all forms of segregation and for the liberation of the African continent from colonialism. He was imprisoned in France without prosecution at some point, but that couldn't deter him from continuing on the course of procuring absolute liberation; that's the hallmark of a leader, and I respect the author's resoluteness. The fact that the author incorporated pictures of the people and places he made reference to in the book made my reading experience even more enjoyable.

I didn't particularly appreciate that the book was not chronologically arranged; the chapters mostly didn't lead up to each other. It seemed to comprise different independent parts that could be read separately and not necessarily as part of a whole. The book could have been better arranged to have a better connection between the chapters as that will help sustain the reader's attention span and create anticipation. However, this could be the author's preferred style of telling his own story, and I wouldn't hold that against the book.

Owing to the fact that I came across no error in the book, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I didn't deduct a star because it was an empowering and enlightening read. I learnt a whole lot about different African terrains from this book.

I recommend this book to lovers of autobiographies and stories of the African struggle for freedom from colonialism.

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A Dream For Peace
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Itz Savaga · Post by **Itz Savaga** » 29 Mar 2022, 01:24

Dr Ghoulam's missions in Africa is quite commendable. I love to read about people who used their positions of influence to help any part of the African continent in colonial days