This week’s guest: Khalid Imam, bilingual writer, editor, teacher, blogger, award winning playwright
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING? Dr. Muhammadu Uba Adamu’s Kano Daga Dutsen Dala. It chronicles Kano’s pre-eminence in Bilad al-Sudan and its thrilling history. It exposes the cruelty of colonial Britain after its successful conquest of Kano. Secondly, Dr. Yousuf Al-qaradaawee’s Time in the Life of a Muslim, whose topicality is beyond doubt. This profound […]
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?
Dr. Muhammadu Uba Adamu’s Kano Daga Dutsen Dala. It chronicles Kano’s pre-eminence in Bilad al-Sudan and its thrilling history. It exposes the cruelty of colonial Britain after its successful conquest of Kano. Secondly, Dr. Yousuf Al-qaradaawee’s Time in the Life of a Muslim, whose topicality is beyond doubt. This profound book teaches any perceptible reader that time, in spite of its transient nature, has never been “an oppressive opponent” to anyone who wisely puts it to proper use.
WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU BOUGHT?
Seeds of Greatness by Denis Waitley. A well crafted motivational text, which encourages the reader to stop groping in the dark and gives “the ten best secrets of total success.”
WHAT MAKES YOU BUY A BOOK?
I would only pay for a cover if I know the worth of its author. Also through friends’ recommendation. I hardly dash home with a book until its blurb has fully satisfied my appetite. Captivating titles to me, are like ugly lasses who put their trust on their make-up to win suitors. Such unappealing girls, in most cases, only succeed in charming those who are inexperienced, uncritical or both. To me, the real worth of any book is within its textual content.
WHAT BOOK DID YOU NEVER FINISH AND WHY?
Rob Parsons’ The Heart of Success. Although I was thrilled by the author’s unique style and witty ideas, I was robbed of the book by a bookworm friend.
WHAT BOOK DO YOU WISH YOU HAD WRITTEN AND WHY?
Late Dim Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s Because I am Involved is not only a delight to read for its lucid prose and beautiful language, but the author’s frankness and radical ideas. Ojuwu’s oratorical prowess, which runs through the entire book, never ceases to fascinate me. Just read this: “Economic justice must be measured not by what it does for the rich or the middle class but what it does for the poor in our society.”
FIVE FAVOURITE BOOKS
1) Muhammad As If You Can See Him written in classical Arabic by the famous writer of Don’t Be Sad, ‘A’id ibn ‘Abdullah al-Qarni which Faisal ibn Muhammad Shafeeq deftly translated into English. The book is a classical biographical masterpiece not to be ignored. The author graphically discusses the incomparable and excellent characteristics of the Seal of Prophets with exceptional precision and aptness. Indeed it’s as if the reader can see the Prophet, live.
2) The redoubtable Professor Chinua Achebe, the pre-eminent man of letters, has been my favourite African writer, for his stunning simplicity, unmatched lucidity, exceptional wit and unsurpassed craft. His seminal essay, The Trouble with Nigeria, not Things Fall Apart is the Achebe offering I cannot exchange for gold. I have lost count of the number of times I have read it for its prophetic message, topicality and freshness. Many decades after its publication, the issues Achebe raises are as relevant as if the book was written today.
3) Mary Benson’s Nelson Mandela, an authoritative biography of Africa’s most respected leader is a huge success. It tells the story of the brave Mandela from childhood through his years of struggles and imprisonment with mesmerising dexterity. Benson’s captivating narratives couched in simple language, but moving prose, lets you peep through the mind of one of the world’s greatest leaders and freedom fighters. One comes face to face with Madiba’s true vision, mission, ideas and ideals.
4) Mallam Aminu Kano’s Hikayoyin Kaifafa Zukata 1 & 2 allows one to drink from the writer’s pot of wisdom. This great liberator of the Talakawas, proved to be a man with enormous talent and erudition. By deploying a great sense of humour to fight injustice, cruelty, ignorance and all other societal- ills, the author has paid his debt to humanity. I strongly recommend the immediate translation of these two great books to English without further delay.
5) As a great fan of oral poetry or traditional African songs, the Ugandan Okot p’ Bitek’s Song of Lawino Song of Ocol has always made my day. The collection has been my most patronized poetry work for its metaphorical density, simple language and originality.
TWO BONUS BOOKS
Democracy and Political Opportunism in Nigeria: A Documentary Source Book, a well written book by an ace broadcaster and publisher of the defunct Today newspaper, the late Abidina Coomassie, is a unique book, which in many ways brings to the fore, the immeasurable gains of investigative journalism. Armed to the teeth, Coomassie painstakingly paints the picture of some bogus nationalists, false democrats and high profile Nigerian politicians as mere opportunists.
Dausayin Soyayya by Bello Sa’id, Professor of Hausa studies from Bayero University, Kano, presents a compendium of some carefully selected Hausa love poems written by the best Hausa poets.
WHAT TIME OF DAY DO YOU READ?
I find comfort in reading whenever I am free or alone. But usually, I find myself reading after saying my Subhi prayer (early Morning) or before retiring to bed. I am excited any day I read something new, whether it’s a paragraph or sentence or even a word. “Reading,” they say “makes a man”. As a teacher, I often urge my students to cultivate the habit of reading because readers are leaders.