Sonaiya: When Amazon stepped out with three books

She is not known to play to the gallery. If anything, Prof. Remi Sonaiya is well recognized for her socio-political activism. To demonstrate that a step further, Sonaiya launched three books in a day. All of which capturedlucidly, her unwavering passion on issues affecting developments, politics and governance.Though the launch of the three books came […]

She is not known to play to the gallery. If anything, Prof. Remi Sonaiya is well recognized for her socio-political activism. To demonstrate that a step further, Sonaiya launched three books in a day. All of which capturedlucidly, her unwavering passion on issues affecting developments, politics and governance.
Though the launch of the three books came with little funfair that usually accompany books of such statuses, yet participants testified that the messages being dished out were not in anywhere lost on them.
Sonaiya’s three books include: A Thrust to Earn: Reflections on life and Leadership, Igniting consciousness: Nigeria and other Riddles and Daybreak Nigeria: This Nation must Rise!
In her remarks, Sonaiya, a Professor of French and Linguistics, said the three books had something in common, which has to do with stirring up the flame of “can do spirits” within the ruling elite and their followers. She noted: “A particular issue which should engage us is that of determining what options are often open to us as citizens. Among many of us, our well-founded cynicism is fast giving way to hopelessness. Is this the best we can do as citizens? Should we resign ourselves and accept that we have no option?”
Perhaps nobody could have aptly gauged the feelings of Prof. Sonaiya better than another intellectual colossus, Prof. Itse Sagay, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who reviewed the “Daybreak Nigeria: This nation must rise!” From his microscopic lens, Sagay was able to read the author’s mind, saying from the very first word, in the introduction, the book bluntly expressed “the pain and turmoil ravaging the heart of every rational and right thinking black man.”
“What do so many countries, mostly in the West do right- or, at least what were they able to do so well in the past to significantly improve the living standards of their populations? How come several Asian countries are also succeeding in turning around their lot and bringing their populations into an era of prosperity? And why have we, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, been unable to do the same?
What do we do wrong or what critical notions have we failed to comprehend, imbibe and successfully apply, thereby ensuring that we remain the poorest, most underdeveloped and arguably, the most deplorable-standards of living on the globe?” Sagay asked rhetorically, as he quoted copiously from the book.
The senior lawyer noted in his review that the book contains five chapters with each of the chapters coming with a revealing title. He said after the introductory chapter, which is an expose of the problems, she delves into the possible causes and suggests solutions in the remaining chapters. The chapters include: what did the slave trade do to Africa and what can Africa do with it? How on earth did others do it? What must we do with ethnicity, religion and culture? How will we redeem our political culture? And, where do we go from here?
The reviewer also noted what he said was another idea by the author: the geographical and climate factor. The idea being that a hash temperate climate compels innovation, convention and adventure, whilst a friendly tropical climate creates a disinclination to engage in any activity that promotes the ascent of man.
Sagay was, however, quick to note that all that the author did was not to lament but to also find answers to the myriad of problems and proffer solutions as well. “The author has made a valiant effort to explain why some parts of the world are developed and running smoothly and efficiently, whilst ours is stuck in rot and chaos,” Sagay said.
“She quotes Francis Fukuyama’s three components of a modern political order, namely: a strong and capable state, the sub-ordination of the state itself to the rule of law and the accountability of government to all citizens. These concepts and values are missing in African countries and societies.”
That of course was not to say that the book was without its fault, he observed.
According to Prof. Sagay, the vigorous efforts of early generation of Nigerian politicians and statesmen  and women appeared to be undermined by the book. This, he attributed to the likelihood of the author being overwhelmed with the many sins of the later day politicians.
“Probably carried away by the grievous sins of the later day generations of politicians and the grave wounds the latter have inflicted on all of us, the author overlooked the fact that Nigeria started its march into independence with worthy leaders. The type of invidious and toxic characters who have invaded the political landscape since January 1966, have infact resulted in an ever ascending profile of our original leaders: Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr Nnamdi Azikwe, Sir Ahmadu Bello and Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and their colleagues of the first republic,” Saga said.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, however went a step further as he suggested that “if it were possible to make the book a compulsory text in civics in all secondary schools in Nigeria, there would be hope for the future of this country.” He gave his reasons to include the fact that the book is a complete guide on how to be a patriotic and committed Nigerian as well as how to save Nigeria.
While sharing Sagay’s enthusiasm, the National Chairman of KOWA’s party, Alh. Umar Mustapha Kunshe, said the ideas expressed in Sonaiya’s three books will be a template of action for anyone willing to govern Nigeria successfully, especially as the 2015 election approaches.
“The ideas expressed in the three books launched today, will no doubt form the basis for anyone who is desirous of meaningful change in Nigeria come 2015. The author is simply saying, we can only have a Nigeria which we work for.  If you want something, you work for it. You also have to take responsibility. We all want government that is up and doing; that is, a responsible leader . A leader who can identify with our needs,” Kunshe said.