LITERATORS' CORNER

                                 — Ubaji Isiaka Abubakar Eazy It has been a while since I read a play or wrote a review on one. So, you could say that I was a bit excited to have found Umaru Ladan and Dexter Lyndersay’s Shaihu Umar on my shelf. It is a play adapted from a novel of same title by Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. Albeit the excitement of seeing the acts come alive on stage is incomparable, I derive pleasure in visualising the scenes and recreating the stage in my mind eyes. In this play set at the period of early establishment of Islam in what is today known as northern Nigeria, the eponymous character; Shaihu Umar; is a young orphan born just a day after the death of his father. Fatimah, his mother, soon remarries into the household of Makau, the Chief warrior of the Village Chief. However, Kwatau; the Chief's younger brother; is envious of Makau's closeness to the Chief, so he frames Makau ...

                                          Ubaji Isiaka Abubakar Eazy Today, we are wandering into America to find love and bring a bride to Africa! The Twain shall Meet is a story about cross cultural relationships. However, I believe the writer could have invested more into building a strong story than making cultural observations. Following a ten-year affair that led nowhere, Hester decides to dust up what is left of herself and take another chance at living life on her own terms. She decides to pursue a university degree. At university, she meets Kunle, a Nigerian student on scholarship in the United States. Both kickstart a love affair that eventually leads to marriage. The story is pretty much about Hester’s experience trying to come to terms with values and psychology of her African husband and society. The aim of the story is to address the issue of racism, especially on the ...

                                                - Umar Okewu Abdu l The novel follows the journeys of two determined young individuals, Akoji and Ojone, whose dreams propel them beyond the shores of Nigeria into the uncertain terrains of Europe. Akoji embarks on a perilous journey in search of economic prosperity, while Ojone leaves with the noble aspiration of acquiring quality education through a scholarship. Their motivations are relatable, rooted in the shared hopes of many young Africans seeking better opportunities abroad. However, Enemali wastes no time in dismantling the romanticized vision of life overseas. Akoji’s journey becomes a tale of tragedy and loss, marked most poignantly by the death of his friend, Atamah, who falls victim to the unforgiving Mediterranean Sea during their desperate crossing from Libya. This moment stands as a stark reminder of the de...

                                      - Ubaji Isiaka Abubakar Eazy The French  were forerunners in defining the concept of universal modern human liberty. With thinkers like Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu, the French stood far ahead of others in advocating human rights and freedom, but one wonders exactly what they were doing trying to make French men of Africans in their colonies. It is easier to talk about universal justice and human freedom and put them down in black and white, but the practical aspect is always a huge challenge. The American Declaration of Independence written as far back as 1776, for instance, foregrounds the equality of all men: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these rights are Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness.’ (Declaration of Inde...

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, …                             —‘The road not taken’ by Robert Frost Just about 20 years ago, I was a herder who reared camels in the country side with my family there, but my father decided to send me to the city of Hargeisa to kickstart my journey as an Islamic Scholar to study Quraan, and fundamental Sharia courses like Hadith, Fiqi, Sirah, and Aqeedah, and then I would move to higher level of Islamic Studies like taking courses abroad. At first, I was unhappy that I had to leave my home to another city entirely where I shall most likely feel forlorn. However, I also realized my father wanted what he believed was best for me. So, I embraced the challenge reluctantly. All thanks to my father, arrangements had already be...

Following profound exploration of western books and ideologies alongside several observations of our long cultural and traditional practices passed down from one generation to another, I wondered why negative competitions are prominent among Somali societies in all regions. I believe that I have found answers to this nagging question, and here is what I think. Let us Firstly compare good parenting, education, children upbringing, and personal development in general. Children in western societies are encouraged to build personal boundaries, develop individual competence, and embrace their unique and individual identities. This is in contrast to Somali society where one would easily observe that children are raised with an awful or terrible mindset rooted in negative competition and unhealthy comparison. Most times, you hear parents telling their children: 'Be like Hebel and Hebel, Hebel is better than you' , or 'Hebel is crazier than that person!' Not even adults are...

I abhor writing drama reviews. And this is not because dramas do not find much favour with me, it is just that I have been hit by the realisation that our modern world is devoid of play acting and theatres have become antiques, yet the best place to encounter a play is not on the pages of a book, but in a theatre! How does one get the electrifying and thrilling experience of seeing a play come alive on stage if it can only be seen in a book? Surely, no review of any work belonging to the drama genre can be complete without the actual performance experience. Well, given little or no option, I am compelled to meet drama pieces in black ink and white papers while using my imagination to fill out the missing gaps. Today, I bring to you Wale Ogunyemi's Kiriji . Kiriji is a historical drama bordering around the Ibadan and Ekiti Parapo decade long Kiriji war. The Ekiti country had invited the Ibadan warriors to come stop the Fulani military campaign; started in Ilorin after the death of ...

 Trevor is not the hero in his own story: Review of Trevor Noah's Born a Crime Born a Crime is the memoir of South Africa's world-renowned comedian, Trevor Noah, The book chronicles Trevor Noah's life from the moment of conception to the time he became a young adult. Ordinarily, one would expect that Trevor should take Centre stage in his own story and pull the spotlight to himself. However it is Trevor's Mother who gets the shine of it all, not him. Nelson Mandela is released and Apartheid (the official racial segregation policy of the white South African government) comes to an end six years after Trevor is born. So, except for the fact that his very existence is a contravention of an apartheid law, he doesn't get the opportunity to go against the system or become an activist as many have done before him. Rather, Noah grows up spoilt and almost entirely entitled. Even his grandmother is afraid to Spank him because he turns 'red' while black children remain...

  Of Memories, Motherhood and Love: A review of Nkosiyazi Kan Kanjiri's Looking for Mother by Ubaji Isiaka Abubakar Eazy Indeed, the bond between a mother and her offspring is as strong as the anchor of a ship. Many a poem have I read about motherhood, but only a few have nearly bled my eyes as Kanjiri's does. Kanjiri writes with such depth of emotion and effortless surface simplicity that he easily calls us into his emotions. 'Looking for Mother' is the poet's rite de passage into the authorship world. In the anthology, the poet goes back in time to trace events from his days of innocence to a present state of experience. Nkosiyazi poems may be terse and not as lengthy as the classical types we are wont to encounter in literature classes; meanwhile, they are nonetheless quite profound. Some are in fact quite memorable and I AM certain every reader would have mastered at least one poem by the time they finish perusing the collection. Here is one for exampl...

At a time when the Somali society held tenaciously to beliefs that a good woman's place was in her home and that she had no business engaging in public life or seeking education; as either path would only soil the honour of such a woman's family; 'crazy' Edna was born into the prestigious household of Doctor Adan Ismail and she was determined to change the narrative; not only for herself, but for every Somali female child. The story in her memoir, A Woman of First , is a testament to this very fact.  From a very young age, Edna was quite conscious of the fact that she was different from other girls, for example, she sought the company of boys, participated in their games, attended classes with them, and joined her father on his daily rounds as the first Somali medical doctor. Her father's love for his profession, devotion to treating the sick among his people, and the awful experience of losing two siblings at infancy would inspire Edna's life-long dreams: to pu...