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“We are a people with
no sense of history. Either that we choose to forget or that we have selective
amnesia” - What Happened to Abacha’s Vision 2010?
(pg. 81)
Dyed Thoughts is a collection of essays collected into a single book. Nwachukwu delivers memories of our consequent forgone pasts. Forgetfulness is a Nigerian antidote to piled-up decades of sufferings. How piteous! This book attempts so many things in one. Moreover, it endeavours a merger between the real world and the cyberspace. There is always a clear struggle between the upwardly mobile adopter and laggard receiver of the internet. With Dyed Thoughts, these two worlds are married, bringing into a paperback numerous essays of past print and online publications. Again, the internet has another shared victory. Indeed, this book is partly a testament to the internet inspired way of writing: the internet is breeding an army of daring writers.
“It really started as a joke: Patrick Enahalo proposed the idea that I start a blog. I really did and not take it initially, thinking that it will only serve as an avenue to massage my ego. However….he made me see it as a good opportunity of expressing my thoughts…and since then it has been writing nonstop.” - E Se Baba! (pg. 55)
In an effortful medley of several articles (past
blogposts, print essays, previously unpublished write-ups), history is shoved to your face. And you suddenly wonder if what you have been tagging change has not
been the effect of your traumatized delusional memories. Frankly, nothing is
changing much, if not at all. All we have are hypocritical vagary of shoddy
actions mocking us. Nigeria is a typical instance at that, Dyed
Thoughts’ abundant pieces aptly informs us so.
“In Nigeria each household is its own municipal council. The success of this council depends on its ability to provide and maintain basic utilities. My municipality has been very efficient; we supply power (with a generator), water (through a borehole), security (with vigilante groups), and refuse disposal (with a waste contractor)” - Power Play (pg. 43)
For anyone who yearns for closure on our
current sordid state, Dyed Thoughts is a comprehensive
archive. Schools should have this book added to their libraries, it is a
grounded material for further research. Dyed Thoughts prepares itself as
much with well cited sources and a rich index. In reading this collection of
essays, memories will come rushing over and the furies will be much. You will anew
lament over long-decayed destines and your emotional strength will be quickly
spent. Nwachukwu's nonfiction cleverly arranges our past woes to portray where we
presently stand.
History is copiously packed in this book. There
are loads of issues in it. You simply get the feel of the confusions this
writer suffers as a Nigerian. He does not spare out an issue. In just a book of
over three-hundred leaves, it would seem you have walked through this nebulous
jumbled up country bound by seeming unity. But this is Nigeria, it easily can
overwhelm even the best storyteller; the creative archaeologist; the astute
historian. Nigeria is a massive rottenness, in telling her stories, brevity is
game.
In this book, however, brevity fails Nwachukwu
and the book is gravely affected. See why Nigeria may be overwhelming? Even in the
words to describe her, you are manacled to your own retelling, convulsing from
numerous reliving. Nwachukwu should have primed this book up some bits and
spare us the boredom of going through the usual in a tediously stacked way.
Everybody knows the usual: Nigeria is a failed state; there is no constant
power; maladministration is rife; resources are being purloined. So what? We
need a breather. The usual can only be appreciated when it is told in new
wittier ways. These, just a few from a host of them, are not enough, they are rather clichéd and trite:
“The
N628 million scam cries for justice.
It is also a matter of public opinion because the people involved are public
officials who
had sworn to uphold the collective trust and not bring their office to disrepute.”
- Justice
First and Later Mercy! (pg. 9)
“Nothing seems to work here.
The government whose primary responsibility should have been to provide the
enabling environment for the blossoming of talents is unfortunately engulfed in corruption”
- Hope for a Troubled Land (pg. 16)
“Anambra elections
have generated
so much tension and trepidation… Elections in Nigeria have never been easy. Things have so degenerated that with each passing
poll, the violence and godfatherism had risen to an idolatry pitch.” -
And the Winner is: Peter Obi
(pg. 85)
Considering that some of the articles compiled
in this book were written formerly for blogs and the print media, it would
suffice if more creative editing had been done to fine tune the writings for current
reading. Without that, what one has are only stacks of monotonous articles for
the flexible media and the rigid writings associated with the print journalism.
In that regard, the book bores. Dyed Thoughts regrettably lacks the
literary strength for interesting reading. This book should never have been published
this way; this is the opinion I hold after numerous readings of Nwachukwu’s
book. Or maybe, what that opinion alternatively means is that the book was
rushed over, with so many undesirable issues throttling it. Issues like lumpy
mix of pieces, clichéd essays and dull language use. Many pieces in this book
should be taken back to the press, stripped off its jagged wordiness and
polished for more literary grace. The rich materials in this book are worth the
rework. Nwachukwu’s book critically shows, in the space of some far and near
recent years, the country’s ills, her nemesis and struggles. It shouldn’t be
killed by textual ineptness.
Believe this: this book is hotly brimming with
matters. With nine sections and over one hundred pieces, conversations are
never lacking on any issue that may have spurred news within the period the
pieces were written. From mundane chitchats, political discourses, intelligible
rants, to foreign concerns subtly affecting the country; words are not miserly.
Dyed
Thoughts is a priced researcher’s tool. This book is deep and its
thoughts many too. Nothing is spared.
Wow! Excellent review Joseph. I like the way you fleshed out the bad and the good..and from the sidelines, I can relate with your words based on my observations of op-eds in newspapers, and the usual banter on facebook.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Samuel. Thank you for reading and commenting.
DeleteI understand the monotony that comes with works such as this but you have really written a good review Joe. The creative touch you add to your reviews make them sound critically mild. Welldone man.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ayo. I so much appreciate the comment. Please always come around to read more on this blog. Thank you once again.
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