Are you on the lookout for an exciting story to read? Are you interested in a story that provides an escape while still maintaining the tenets of a grounded and contextual society you can relate to? Then I recommend that you read Michael’s Adesanya thrilling new memoir, Adewale: My Mother’s Son.
The book is an against-all-odds telling of his life story; it details the individual yet connected stories of a mother and her two children as they hurtle through life’s problems, holding on to their quest for success in spite of several challenges. Sounds cliche right? Well, I can tell you that the book is so much more than the quick synopsis I just gave. There are a plethora of reasons I would recommend this fantastic telling of an awesome life story.
- It’s not just your cliche against-all-odds story
Michael Adesanya takes the cliche grace-to-grass memoir but actually tells a very realistic and compelling story. The book is not just a story of a boy who had to face trials and tribulations on his way to success. Sure, those elements are in the story as well, but the story is presented and explained in a manner that does it justice. Divided into 3 main parts, the entire first part is dedicated to the individual lives of his parents, Oriyomi and Omotayo. It chronicles their journey from the earliest moments of their lives, how they met and the shenanigans of their relationship, way before he was even born. It evolves into the tale of his birth, which is very rich in detail and depth. Thus, the book is not just really his memoir but a sort of biography of his own family and their individual yet connected lives. This takes us to our next point.
- The story is both intellectually and emotionally engaging
To help start this, The first part as earlier mentioned is likely one of the best introductions/openings to a story I have seen. Chapter 1 opens in a situation where the persona (the writer) is a young boy who has to witness his father physically abusing his mother while he as a child is searching for his father to protect his mother from her abuser. It doesn’t readily register to him that his father is the one who is physically abusing his mother. In order not to give too much away, this is just a tip of the emotional rollercoaster you’re going to encounter in this book. Also, his mother, there are not many things I can say about the life of Omotayo that would justify what she had to go through to raise her children. From the traumatic experience of growing up in rural Nigeria without her mother, at the mercy of a step-mother that hated her guts, to a husband that was not emotionally and physically supportive most of the time. Sometimes, I feel this book is more her story, told from the perspective of the author.
- The story is written and presented in a very consistent manner
Many books begin with a great idea that holds a lot of promise, only for the book to become disjuncted midway, leaving the reader wondering what the main focus of the book is. Not with this one. The book is very consistent with its ideas and narration. Each part and chapter is presented as it should be and the themes of love, sacrifice, hope and perseverance are consistent elements that continue to play a significant role in the story. The language and tone as well are consistently woven together..
- It tells the Nigerian story better than you can imagine
The book is a detailed account of what it means to be a Nigerian. From the rural and traditional upbringing of his parents – Omotayo and Oriyomi – to his several and distinct accounts of what it is to grow up in Emuren, Sagamu, Ilorin and a few other places, there is a very clear and relatable experience Nigerians can easily connect with, without problems. Experiencing the different struggles of secondary school life; growing up in a Christian but traditional home in a military centred area; living as a tenant in a big man’s house; moving to your father’s hometown among others, give the book an authentic Nigerian experience you may only see in the best Nollywood movies. The language and tone employed in the story are also rich in tradition. There is the use of Yoruba by certain characters in several situations that are not forced or overused to sell the “Nigerianness” to you. Nevertheless, you don’t have to be a Nigerian nor do you have to have had similar experiences to enjoy the story. This is something you would see in a Chinua Achebe story or one of the plays of Wole Soyinka. The richness of culture and language delivered in English is clear, clever and wonderful to read.
To conclude, this does not mean that the book is a perfect masterpiece that has no faults. Some aspects of the story are unnecessarily dragged and the ending – while still a good ending – leaves much to be desired. Nevertheless, this is still a masterpiece that I would recommend without any second thoughts. The book also scores well with length. It is just about 275 pages which you may choose for a quick read or savour over time. In essence, grab a copy of Michael Adesanya’s Adewale: My Mother’s Son for both your intensive and casual reading. You will definitely come back to this post to thank me.