Author: Adjekpagbon Blessed Mudiaga
Title of book:
Domestic Daddy
Publisher: Bulkybon Publications Company, Lagos
Pages: 230
Reviewer: Gift Amukoyo
Domestic Daddy
is a novel set in post-colonial Nigeria; written by a presidential award
winning author, Adjekpagbon Blessed Mudiaga, with streams of flashback
recounting tidbits of the wars that ravaged Nigeria, Africa, and the world in
the past, which reminds one of Chinua Achebe’s book, ‘There was a Country,’
perhaps Biafra that barely glowed in the rising sun, as there is no present
existence without a past, though a destiny may be delayed but it would never
alter.
Bringing into
limelight three representatives of the major ethnic groups in the country in
the characters of Mr Adolphus Ugochukwu, Alhaji Dauda and Ilesanmi Adegoke, the
trio who symbolises love, support, peace, and emotional comprehension that
co-exist amidst unfiltered bitterness as fact to the mayhem which spiraled
among brothers from different mothers’ hut, the novel is very engaging from the
beginning to end.
However, there is
no way a red-coal is set to dry vegetation and it will not blaze to a frenzy
fire. The author with his wealth of wits and bank of mirth, plunges one into
fits of laughter that could cause the reader to topple from a chair with tears
in eyes as if onion juice popped into it. The contents have a way of relieving
its readers with comics by many hilarious incidents and characters such as Mrs.
Ogheneochuko, Ekaete alias ‘I-Know-Everybody’s history-In-Nigeria,’ Mrs.
Rabbit-Must-Not-Escape, Okonoko Darlington, the ‘gagaperen rider’, owner of an
‘ancient bicycle’ and his exclusive escapades as a student of Otovwodo Grammar
School. Another noteworthy character in the plot is Udu-boy, a sarcastic
comedian, whose slaying tongue can mostly induce laughter. For instance, he
tells Ororbor, a student in the novel that, “Because your father is a serving
commissioner...where bribery and corruption are kings among people…you can
afford to eat ten bags of rice, three cows...you happily gulp the nearby lagoon
water that is well fertilised by human faeces...no wonder your tummy is as big
as that of three pregnant women joined together.”
The theme of
interlocking destinies through the union between children of bosom friends who
reunite and create greater bond also runs through the story line. As fate
prevails, the daughter of Ugochukwu and Nwayiocha gets married to Adegoke’s
son, Dauda and Titi’s daughter ties the knot with Udu’s son. In a cracking
shell, the never blossomed love Titi had for Udu back in his school days, is
reincarnated in their children’s love for each other. The novel delves into
events of Joy, Halimat, Julius, and Uzo’s amorous relationships with one
another, depicting the trivial of everyday teenage and youth’s exuberant
lifestyle. It also portrays an exemplary courtship of the highly cultured
Nigerian tradition by Uzo as he says “Halimat, I want to pay your bride price
to start my own family. I love you.” Whereas, Halimat untwines an epitome of
love and curiosity among teenage girls with a lush of daring modernity, which
mesmerises him to blow off her chastity, she tells him: “Are you afraid to
touch me? I want you to kiss me.”
Also, fate itself
is oblivious to the uncontrollable situations that Joy encounters, despite
being chaste, she experiences the worst of matrimonial relationships, but
Halimat who was defiled before her wedlock lives a happy and successful marital
life.
The novel is
highly informative and educative for any reader. It unfolds themes of love,
unity, friendship, betrayal, deceit, war, loss, anguish, value, criticism and
destiny. By and large, kudos to the author for emphasising the feminist in Joy
as opposed to conventional single mothers who make despair a headrest and
depression a foot stool, when let off the hook by the spouse. This work is
recommended to the public to find out who among the prominent men earlier
mentioned turned out to be the ‘Domestic Daddy.’ I believe everyman is muggy in
nature, outward and inwardly. But, the moment a man sows his seedlings in his
wife’s warm soil; he has become domestic and therefore an awaiting daddy.
END
SOURCE: https://ng.newshub.org/endless-search-peace-and-love-4661517.html#
(October
8, 2014)
