A Review Of "Children Of A Retired God"

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A Review Of "Children Of A Retired God"

By Chiazoka Agudosi
July 24, 2006

First he stalked MEE. Now he stalks Maureen Dowd, figuratively. In the Children of A Retired God, Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo finally confesses.

Like MEE and Maureen, Okonkwo does not just write, he entertains. Splashed on several pages were his attempts at being cute with words, just like Maureen Dowd does on her column in the New York Times. Sometimes he succeeds and sometimes he fails. When he succeeds, he will make you scream, whoa! When he fails, he makes you curse the dictionary.

But the good thing is that he succeeds most of the time.

Those who will read Children of A Retired God in search of the children or their retired God will not see them. But those who will read it in search of their essence will see them.

Children of a Retired God is divided into six parts. The first part, Floating Memories, mostly autobiographical, gives a glimpse of who Okonkwo is. It is a delightful meal for anyone who wishes to understand the transfiguration of an African exile. From the personal, Okonkwo presents a global picture of the humanity of us all. The divided soul of an exile, his pain and nostalgic yearnings, all drip to the edges of each page.

The second part, The President Lied, gives readers the best of Okonkwo. Here, he is creative, funny and provocative. Pieces like Idi Amin Storms Hell, Julius Nyerere Chats with Angel Gabriel, An interview with Lord Lugard are materials that separate him from many other columnists. He delivers the same commentary everyone aspires to in a refreshing manner. His is a type of writing that leaves a sweet taste in the mouth of the reader, days and days after.

Again, in what seems like an attempt to bring the African experience closer to the African American experience, Okonkwo in Temporary Interruptions wakes up the likes of Marcus Garvey, Sojourner Truth, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King jr. to highlight the lessons in their experiences and the parallels in their struggles with the struggles of Black people across the world. In an unconscious way, Okonkwo pays tribute to prominent African Americans whose contributions made it possible for Africans in exile to enjoy a reasonable life in America.

In Melancholy Mood, Okonkwo examines life in exile which those of us in exile know is not always pretty. He brings up social issues that confront those who choose exile over home. Some of the issues are so new to the exiles that nothing in their lives had prepared them for it. Some good examples of these issues that confront an African exile who came from a conservative society are things like gay rights, women’s rights, religious freedom and children’s right. They have practical implications to an African trying to raise a child abroad. Here, Okonkwo gives Africans hoping to emigrate a glimpse of some untold challenges of the immigrant’s life.

In section five, On the Contrary, Okonkwo focuses on his home country, Nigeria. He displays his unique familiarity of the Nigerian environment by the ease with which he twists tales and illustrates conflicts. Whether you are reading The Blonde Called Nigeria or the Gospel According to St. Aremu, Okonkwo brings his mastery of the competing elements of the

Nigeria

’s socio-political scene in the fore. His style will please even those who are not Nigerians and do not know the intricate stories of the country. For instance, Sitting On Santa’s Lap imagines

Nigeria

sitting on Santa’s lap and making request for Christmas gift. Flourishing through is Okonkwo’s genius in bringing his readers into his stories even when they otherwise will not be inclined to listen.

Wasteland, the sixth section, did not work for me, maybe because it is a gallery of poetry from the most roadside of all poets. I did however find Au Revior, Monsieur Senghor and An Elegy for Ola Rotimi, two befitting tributes to two distinguished giants in African literature. Even here, as is seen throughout the book, Okonkwo attempts to find the very best way to handle each of his topics. His distinct treatment of every issue, in both style and perspective, is what makes this book compelling.

Okonkwo rounded the book up with an epilogue, Africa Needs You. If after you read that and you do not feel like running back to Africa to help, then, you must be a child of a retired God.

To a large extent, writing a column is like going for a slam dunk. Some people just jump up and slam the basketball into the net. Others fly-high and then do a reverse dunk. Some perform an acrobatic triple jump, moving the ball between their legs, slamming the ball through the hoop, grabbing the rim for full effects. For Okonkwo, it is all of the above. When he hovers over seated MEE or jumps over standing Maureen, he slickly maneuvers the ball on both hands as he makes his way through the air, unto the basket.

Just like dunking, there are inexhaustible ways of writing a column. Okonkwo provides the proof in the Children of A Retired God. More than modifying existing styles, he succeeds in giving readers many styles they have never seen before.

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Email Chiazoka Agudosi: chichiagudosi@yahoo.com

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