Every reviewer has a unique perspective of my book. Here are other perspectives as illuminated by some professionals:
Dr. Acho Orabuchi’s “Views from America: A Sojourner’s Memoirs- A Repertoire of Action for Nigeria’s Development” is a unique book in the sense that it reflects mostly on the salient environmental factors influencing the growth and development of Nigeria from various aspects. This book is poignant compilation of observations and views of Nigerians living in the Diaspora and at home pertaining to Nigeria’s endemic problems. Very few books, if any have been written in this fashion in the 21st century Nigeria. The powerful book enlightens its readers to know and understand, what could be lacking and responsible for constraining performance in key areas of the society, and therefore recommends appropriate approaches and methods for improvement. Information from the book would be invaluable resource to policymakers in terms of considerations for policy formulation and implementation. Scholars would find this book helpful for further studies and research. Foreign and domestic entrepreneurs, as well as investors would find the book a very useful tool for profitable decision-making. Also, politicians would also find the book very helpful in knowing how create manifestos that would appeal to voters on areas of need for maximum electoral benefit. Finally, the common citizen would be informed and gain more knowledge about the current status of affairs of the local, state, and federal governments. In addition, this riveting book provides the masses a rare insight on the future outlook and direction of Nigeria’s development in relation to other countries of the world. Charles J. Mambula 1, Ph.D., Associate Professor & Chair, Department of Management, School of Business, Langston University, Oklahoma (A Second Century Humanitarian Honoree by the State of Oklahoma)
“Views from America, A Sojourner’s Memoirs – A Repertoire of Action for Nigeria’s Development” exposes the innate Nigerian nationalism in author Acho Orabuchi which has grown to its peak while sojourning in U.S.A. from where he views Nigeria’s political and economic metamorphosis, mostly through short visits and the prisms of the media. Every section of this book focused on Nigeria with a salient cry for national political and economic restructuring. Acho Orabuchi played at no pathos which stimulates the reader to agree, disagree or agree-to-disagree with the author from one paragraph to the other. The best part of this Book for me is the discussion on the indigene-settler dichotomy: a situation that has reduced every citizen to a settler at some point for a Nigerian could only enjoy full citizenship in his local government of indigeneship. So, we have a situation where the indigene dissipates useful energy in trying to unsettle the settler, the settler on the other hand, fights back to resettle the unsettled. And as a result, one can hear the voices of the separatist, the hegemonic, the marginalized, and the propounder of national restructuring which unkindly re-echoes in ethnically hateful international media. But there is no mutual hate in Nigeria – only mutual mistrust which is borne out of the indigene versus non-indigene situation. Indulging in the ideas from Bernard Shaw’s Androcles and the Lion, the Nigerian man must be free as far as his lion is uncaged. The author challenges Nigeria to “emulate America”. Then Nigeria should extend the rights of indigeneship to the so-called settlers and you can observe Nigeria grow towards its maximum potentials. This is a Book whose time has arrived and it is highly recommended to nationalists and community leaders alike. Good job. –PROF. DENNIS ODIONYENFE BALOGU, Ph.D., M.P.A., is the Dean, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, and Professor of Agriculture, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State, NIGERIA
“In his memoirs, Dr. Orabuchi shines a bright light on the confluence of forces that have led Nigeria to a steady and perceptible decline from potential greatness to the precipice of a failed state. In these pages, you read the anguish of a heart-broken patriot decrying the endemic culture of pervasive corruption, protracted incompetence in the management of national affairs and a deep-seated tribal allegiance that have eroded and subverted national loyalty, diverting Nigeria away from the pathway of true nationhood.
The memoirs deal with a catalogue of home-grown ill winds with particular attention to a degraded entrepreneurial base that has reduced Nigeria from a diversified to a one-product economy resulting in high unemployment even among university graduates and spawning a criminal underclass of hungry and angry educated youth that are now terrorizing parts of the country with kidnapping, armed robbery and general disregard for human life. Consequently, highly educated and successful Nigerians abroad find it difficult to return home to join in nation-building. At the same time, many of their compatriots at home scramble for an escape hatch to exit the country.
In one sense, Dr. Orabuchi’s memoirs reads like a long-delayed sequel to Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”, except that in this case, things continue to fall apart not because of any corrupting influence of colonial presence on Nigeria’s culture, but rather from decades of monumental mismanagement and ineptitude in self-governance since political independence.
Dr. Orabuchi also sounds a note of warning to Nigerians abroad to desist from some nefarious practices evident in the rising rate of divorces, fraudulent fund-raising schemes that tend to fleece the many for the self-enrichment of unscrupulous few, and the general antagonism and hostility that are beginning to sprout among Nigerians in the diaspora.
Dr. Orabuchi offers a few suggestions for the way forward for Nigeria and summons all Nigerians to commit to a moral and patriotic rearmament to save our beloved country.
A must read for Nigerians at home and abroad and for Africans and third-world nationals who want to side-step the snake pit from which Nigeria is struggling to free herself.” –Prof Donatus I. Amaram, Ph.D., Professor of Management, Virginia State University, U.S.A.
“While there are so many interesting topics covered in your book, I am particularly interested in what you succinctly pointed out about leadership. In his new book titled: Views from America: A sojourner’s Memoir, Dr. Orabuchi clearly echoes the feelings of every Nigerian in the Diaspora concerned with the consistent growing pains associated with poor leadership in our beloved country. While the author touched on many contemporary issues affecting the nation, of significant importance in the book, is the issue of leadership which the author adequately addressed and correctly postulated that “we have been tamed to timidity”. Otherwise how can one explain the mediocre leadership Nigerians have been consistently offered from one election cycle to the other; only to find ourselves in far worst-off situation with each new sets of leaders! The author’s advice that “there should be real change in the culture of Nigeria leadership” is not only timely, but overdue. This book is more than just “A Sojourner’s Memoir”.
The book is a reflection of how every Nigerian in the Diaspora feels about our beloved country. I strongly recommend it as a must read to all those representing us at the various political levels.”—Dr. John Emale, Organizational Scientist (President of Afenmai World Congress) Dallas, Texas USA