Whirlwind of African Insanity

About the Book

Liberia, a small West African nation imploded in a civil war that began on December 24, 1989. By the time the war ended fourteen years later, more than 250,000 lives had been taken. Many people sought refuge in camps throughout West Africa. In the war, children were trained to become killing machines, and women and young girls were held as sex slaves.

Charles Taylor, the main mastermind behind this rebellion, was elected President of Liberia in 1997. Liberians thought that his presidency would lead to the end of the civil war, but it only extended the war. Adding to the pressure, Taylor faced accusations of war crimes. He relinquished power in August 2003 and was escorted to Nigeria where he was subsequently arrested and taken to the International Criminal Court at The Hague.

Whirlwind of African Insanity is not just my story. It resonates with the countless voices of children who suffer and die in wars about which they know nothing. The book also provides some of the reasons why Africa is and may forever remain plagued. It presents two arguments about the real causes of Africa’s disasters and is written on behalf of underprivileged children whose cries for help are drowned in oceans of selfish politics and whose lives are buried in the explosions of wars. It is also a story about survival in hellish conditions and optimism when there is nothing about which to be optimistic.

About the Author

The author, Lawrence N. Zarkpah, is a Liberian native who came to the United States as a political refugee in August 2004. He holds a degree in surgical technology and works at Banner Del E. Webb Memorial Hospital in Sun City, Arizona. Lawrence is married and has two sons. This is his fi rst book.