The Exile

The Exile begins in Yendi, once the seat of the Kingdom of Dagbon in the Northern Region of Ghana. Tani, the daughter of a royal Abudu chieftain and beautiful Andani mother, is caught in the crossfire between the two feuding Gates. Raised in a village steeped in superstition, Tani is branded as evil after her beloved mother is accused of disloyalty. Nine-year-old Tani is exiled from her family and home, and struggles to survive as a street child in the slums of Accra. Her battle to overcome her demons and believe in herself is set against a backdrop of political unrest and modern-day tribal conflict. The Exile includes a historical and personal perspective of events leading to the 2002 massacre at the palace of the Andani king. Marsha Temlock has done her research and has also created a character whose strength and determination are tested throughout her journey.


“The Exile is more than a compelling story. It is the heart-wrenching journey of a young African girl set in a village in Yendi, the seat of Dagomba royalty. Tani's story reveals how the culture, history and tribal conflicts of Northern Ghana shape the lives of its present-day youth struggling to survive. Tani might be fictional but the setting is a carefully vetted, realistic view of what disenfranchised children suffer in this world filled with war, poverty, and life-threatening situations.The Exile should be required reading in all history classes and should be in all school libraries.”

Whitney Malone 

Editor in Chief of a Macmillan Publishers children's division.


“I finished reading the whole manuscript just before I left for the Christmas holidays; have to admit I could not let it go in the latter part as I truly wanted to know what would become of Tani. It is a story that captures the reader ...  a page turner as I got into it; I love the story.”  

Prof. Akwasi Osei

Chair, Department of History, Political Science and Philosophy

Delaware State University