BOOK REVIEW: Chinua Achebe: The Trouble With Nigeria.

I bought my personal copy of this book — in 2018 — under the scorching sun of Lagos, at a place popularly called CMS.

It was one of the works of Chinua Achebe that no Africans should resist. Someone thoughtfully suggested that the title of this book should be: the problem with Africa. I couldn't agree less. Everything wrong with Nigeria and more are prevalent on the continent of Africa.

From the many years of unprogressive democratic rule to gross embezzlement of public funds by the ruling class, to the grand spread of poverty and disease; to mention a few of the damages that had befallen a blessed continent like Africa.

Chinua Achebe wrote this masterpiece in 1983 from his hotel room in one of the Northern States of Nigeria. I'm moved to tears each and every of the seventh time I've read this book because, the same thing Achebe communicated with a heavy and sorrowful heart in this 63 pages book, is still akin to the things we see in Nigeria today, but in a heightened and rudderless manner.

He dedicated the book to his children and their age mates whose future he was arguing about. And began the first chapter with the 'real' trouble with Nigeria and Africa: the failure of leadership. He went on to speak extensively of tribalism, patriotism, injustice, corruption, indiscipline and other threat to the progress of Nigeria

This is a book every Nigerian literate should read. I suggest it should be handed out as additional materials to every NASS member on their inauguration day into office.

You should read this book too. Chinua Achebe lives on.