A Treacherous Journey to Reality

This book is the sequel to "A Dangerous Journey to Stardom." It follows the story of Paa Nii Roland, who initially crossed the Sahara Desert with his best friend Shaka. Unfortunately, Shaka was lost in the desert, but Paa Nii Roland managed to survive the perilous journey across the ocean. He was eventually rescued after their raft capsized and ended up in a medical centre. However, his life takes a dark turn as he becomes entangled with drugs, prostitutes, and the local mafia. Paa Nii finds himself in a much more dangerous situation than he had anticipated, caught in the middle of a planned heist with no choice but to escape or die.

This fictional story, set in 1999, aims to depict the challenges faced by many young Africans attempting to illegally reach Europe by crossing the Mediterranean. Many migrants discover that the reality is not as promising as they had hoped. Some fall into the hands of human traffickers and perish while crossing the Sahara Desert, and those who manage to survive may end up in refugee ghettos in Libya or, in extreme cases, forced into slavery and disappear for years. Migrants who successfully cross the Mediterranean either end up in refugee camps or face deportation back to their home countries.

The local mafia in Sicily often takes advantage of the situation by exploiting migrants for cheap labour, drug trafficking, or prostitution. Many young African women are coerced into prostitution to repay debts they may have incurred back home. Non-compliance often results in the abduction of their close relatives in their home countries.