By Henry Akubuiro
From Trials to Triumph, Ojie Kelvin Chukwuka, Lagos, 2023, pp.
In recent times, there has been a growing interest in science fiction by African writers, especially its subgenre of Africanfuturism —a cultural aesthetic and philosophy of science that centres on the fusion of African culture, history, mythology, point of view, with technology based in Africa and not limiting to the diaspora.
From Trials to Triumph, written by Ojie Chukwuka, is one of such offerings. It’s a sci-fi that takes the reader on a journey to a distant planet where an African civilisation faces trials sent by the gods. Confronting these problems demands, therefore, that they look within; and they are able to overcome these trials, nay, build a peaceful, prosperous and powerful civilisation.
Chukwuka’s fiction points towards the importance of working in tandem to achieve a ginormous result, using ignored ancestral wisdom as a launchpad. It calls on Africans to look into their past for answers to nagging socio-political issues.
A tale of resilience and hope, the book contains five chapters. It tells us of a “distant galaxy of highly advanced African people known as the Oya.”, a proud and powerful civilisation, coexisting with other intelligent species in their galaxy, known for their wisdom and kindness.
The conflict in From Trials to Triumph arises with the emergence of a ruthless alien race called the Ashanti, led by Queen Adanna, who are determined to conquer and enslave other civilisations.
The Oya unite with other groups in the galaxy to defend its territory from the invaders. Kofi, a young scientist, comes to the rescue of the Oya by creating a strong ship that tilts the course of the war to the favour of the Oya. In appreciation of his contributions to the struggle, Kofi, unsurprisingly, is named the leader of the Oya. The might of the Ashanti has led to a sense of arrogance. Though they lost the first war, they are determined to fight back. But before that happens, the Oya have infiltrated their camp and dealt them a fatal blow.
With this victory, the Oya continue to thrive and prosper, building a powerful and technologically advanced civilisation. They also build more allies. Now, the future looks brighter. Despite his death, Kofi’s descendants continue to flourish.
Unfortunately, this is a book written in a hurry with disregard for intricate plotting and character development. The narrative is also jumbled up with personal opinions. In fiction, the author allows the reader to infer from the narrative. But, here, the author is the one intruding in the tale, running commentaries one often finds at the end of tales by moonlight.
Certainly, he has the ideas for the story, but doesn’t know how to weld the ideas into an interesting whole. The work represents a miscarried artistic vision. It reads more like a short story, evidenced in the lack of energy to propel the work to a considerable length. The author is, therefore, advised to consult a seasoned literary editor to salvage his good intention and polish his talent.