Five favourite books- Five new books on the block

1)      Elnathan John’s freshly minted novel Born on a Tuesday. With a brilliant cover showing one of those arty drawings of a stick man who is in a running pose and a catchy title like “Born on a Tuesday” Elnathan’s offering is good to go. The storyline itself is familiar from a shortlisted short story, […]

1)      Elnathan John’s freshly minted novel Born on a Tuesday. With a brilliant cover showing one of those arty drawings of a stick man who is in a running pose and a catchy title like “Born on a Tuesday” Elnathan’s offering is good to go. The storyline itself is familiar from a shortlisted short story, this novel takes a searing look at a cultural phenomenon, the nuance of which has been linked to the political unrest in the northern part of Nigeria-the Almajiri, sent out to go and get religious education. This is a book that asks to be read, that needs to be read, that might even throw up some controversial dust. But as Elnathan is wont to do, he does justice to the craft and confidently strides into a territory often under-represented, the increasing radicalization of young persons in some parts of Nigeria. The storytelling is as intriguing as it is hilarious but leaves no stone unturned in dealing with the issues at hand. It’s a brand new book that will be talked about for a long time to come.
2)      Master of ceremony, broadcaster, journalist, Benjamin Ubiri has written a beautifully beguiling book of poems hauntingly titled “The Book of Chibok”. Artistically illustrated with a face of a Nigerian girl that could easily be any of the Chibok girls, Benjamin takes us on an incredible journey of masterfully worded poetry that leaves us enchanted with the tragedy of our times, the insurgency, the missing Chibok girls, the villages affected by the insurgency among other related themes. We are engaged from beginning to end and as poet, medical doctor and former chairman of Association of Nigeria Authors, Abuja chapter, Dr. Seyi Adigun elucidates, “In this collection, angst and hope are woven to form a basket. With this basket the present generation must harvest the nauseous guilt of its contorted vision which has helped in creating the tragedy of the Chibok girls. This guilt shall never fade and Ubiri’s beautiful and poignant artistry will remain ironically, a sorrowful memorial of this fracture of human dignity”.
Not only do I write poetry, I love poetry and Ubiri has gone ahead to do my dream book, a book with pictures so poignant they give the poems gravitas. He has also celebrated heroes of different feminist causes from Mrs. Maryam Babangida to Lara Oshiomole, from Saudatu Mahdi to Gambo Sawaba, from Abike Dabiri to Flora Nwapa and he reserves a page each for Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, Dr. Adadevoh, Malala, and Michelle Obama as well as one for President Buhari. Here is a take home from this powerful poetry collection.
“If I was your daughter will you wait for the moon to commence a fast? If my head was the sun and my meal ignored will you wait for lab scripts to tell you I was sick? If there was a funeral will you wait for my casket to tell you I was dead? if I was your daughter will you wait five hundred days to believe I was lost?”
Give this to a friend at Christmas, buy a copy for yourself, put it on your mantle piece. Remember the Chibok girls. Never to be forgotten. A really good read. The Book of Chibok.

2)      Ogbonnaya Onu, Nigeria’s minister of Science and Technology, one of the founding leaders of the ruling party and a well-known politician writes a book about the APC merger titled “From Opposition to Governing Party: Nigeria’s APC Merger Story”. In the 470-paged book, Dr. Onu tells the story of why and how  Africa’s first successful merger of major opposition political parties, which made history by winning the 2015 general election in Nigeria, was formed. He also gives an insight into the journey, stories of stakeholders and the plans of APC for effective political competition in the future for Nigeria’s multi-party democracy. This is a book that is as interesting as it is intriguing. The insider details of politics and the dramatis personae. A useful book for all politicians, students of politics and history and mass media/journalism as well as the general public. The forward is written by President Muhammadu Buhari and there is also a comment by former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Grab a copy of this as we await other Nigerian politicians and leaders to write books in order for us all to learn and gain insights on how to be better.
 

4)      What Can Words Do? by Kukogho Iruesiri Samson is another collection of poems. Winner of the Orange Crush Prize for poetry 2012, Kukogho writes compelling poetry, as beautiful as they are passionate. Poet and author of “The Revolution Has no Tribe”, Dike Chukwumerije says “Kukogho weaves his own brand of poetry, keeping faith with the old traditions, yet inventing new ones…”
Arresting poetry where words can do anything and can do everything. Enjoy.

5)      Any American presidential candidate’s set of books. There are a number. This is the season and it will help you understand the issues, their manifesto, their persons, the plans and the campaigns. In fact they will give an insight into America like you never knew before. Two new ones to check out and any other ones that catch your fancy are “American Dreams” by Marco Rubio, Republican presidential candidate and “Hard Choices” by democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton.