Author: Ayo Akinfe
Publisher: Author
House, 2009
Pagenation: 380 pages
Reviewer: Uloma Aliche
Fuelling the Delta Fires is a novel detailing the socio-economic, political and
environmental crises in Nigeria. Those familiar with the country will find the
story familiar and the outside world will find it rather intriguing.
A brilliant work of fiction by Ayo Akinfe,
it is beautifully woven around true-life developments in the Niger Delta and
the deeper causes of the violent uprising by the militant groups in this
region. Supported by well-researched history and facts, Akinfe’s book connects
the dots between the history of Nigeria, its politics and its intrigues.
Fuelling the Delta Fires also offers an unbiased insight into the Niger
Delta crises.
The plot is woven around two
characters - Chief Ibimina Tom-George and Mene Bene. With regards to Chief
Tom-George, the book details his journey through the corridors of power, from minister
to the governor of Western Ijaw State and subsequently his truncated attempt to
become Nigeria’s president. Mene Bene the radical leader of the Niger Delta
Liberation Movement (NDLM) spearheads the resistance against the
marginalisation of the Niger Delta people.
In simple language, Akinfe tells the story
of hopelessness, greed, betrayal, corruption, ignorance and deceit, which has
left the Nigerian state in a quagmire. His characters and incidents are
reminiscent of factual situations that are obtained in the Nigerian state in
the last five years.
The strength of this work is not just a
thrilling storyline but the detangling of the seemingly intricate problems of
the Niger Delta via beautifully crafted speeches of his characters and shows a
deep understanding and indepth research of the region by Akinfe. It was easy to
comprehend and the suspense was enduring.
In summation, except
for some avoidable grammatical errors (which are the publisher’s
responsibility), inconsistent characters and a few unnecessary lengthy
dialogues, Fuelling the Delta Fires is brilliant. It is a must-read for
anyone who wishes to understand Nigeria and its religious, ethnic and political
complications.
Akinfe succeeds in putting a human face to
the Niger Delta uprising and exposing the ignorance of the very people
responsible to effect change. This book can be ordered in Nigeria by either
logging on to www.walahi.com.
Ayo Akinfe was born in Salford, Manchester in 1966, but he spent
his key formative years in Nigeria. He is a London-based journalist who has
worked as a magazine and newspaper editor for over 20 years.
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