‘To me, success is measured by how much of an influence, a service and benefit you are to your society. A successful person is not just one who can take care of himself, but one who can also take care of others,’ says Nana Awere Damoah, a Chevening Scholarship alumnus and author of a new book, Excursions in my Mind.

The book will be launched at the British Council’s offices in Ghana on 18 December this year.

Damoah, a chemical engineer by profession, started writing when he was about 17. He started with poems, acting in plays and reciting his poetry to his friends, and then moved into more serious writing during his university years.

He was awarded the British Council’s Chevening Scholarship in 2005 and studied for his Master’s in Chemical Engineering at Nottingham University in the UK.

The Chevening Scholarship is an annual British Council bursary scheme that assists outstanding students to further their studies in the UK. This scheme has been in existence for 25 years; it is funded by the British Foreign Office and administered by the British Council.

Damoah’s new book is a collection of reflective essays and poems supported by quotations from literary sources such as the Bible.

He says these essays cover issues that affect society on a daily basis.

‘The book touches on self-help, leadership, love for one’s parents, the nature of friendship and the daily walk in faith.’

Damoah describes the Chevening Scholarship brand as strong and well known. It’s a programme with a lot of benefits, he says, and he is grateful to have been part of it.

‘The scholarship opportunity also affords the platform to calibrate intellect, abilities and behaviour against the best in the world, and greatly enhances the self-confidence and attitudes of scholars.

‘Chevening is about developing future leaders and scholars. With this kaleidoscope of exposure, they will certainly have an advantage in global leadership,’ he says.

Damoah says life inspires him to write. He describes life as a business to be worked at and lived, not just dreamed about, so he advises people to never stop learning.

‘Anyone who keeps on learning not only remains young but becomes constantly valuable regardless of physical capacity. With these scripts, I attempt to instigate thought, provoke reflections and educe action.’

Damoah seeks to be an example to the youth so that they can experiment and explore, and not let their scope and influence on their generation be restricted by their formal training.

‘They must stop restricting themselves to the box or pigeon-hole when they can go beyond the perimeter and reach the pinnacle of their potential, to grasp the verity that talents cannot be tamed and should be employed for the universal good of mankind.’

In the next five years this author plans to empower those around him as well as himself.

‘I want to establish myself as a writer and mentor of young people and get a degree in Business Administration to enhance my breadth in management. I plan to expand my voluntary service of mentoring young people so they can be empowered as the next leadership of our continent.’

Damoah is currently working on a novel about the legendary spider of Ghanaian folklore, Ananse.

Damoah’s book can be purchased through Amazon, Amazon UK and Athena. It will also be available in selected bookshops in Ghana.