By Damiete Braide
The audience were sober as the guest writer, Dr Lola Akande, who could not hide her emotion shed tears at intervals while reading excerpts from her latest work, The Truth about Sadia, on page 62, at Room 307, 3rd Floor, Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos, Akoka, recently.
But during her second reading on page 199, she overcame her emotion and read the book to the admiration of the audience. At the end of the reading, Lola responded to questions asked during her reading.
Chairman of the occasion, Prof Hope Eghagha, in his address of welcome, said: “This is the first reading in the Department of English, University of Lagos, after a hiatus of two years. It used to be a regular feature of our literary outings for writers because of the culture of reading, as the author presents the text to make it familiar. Also, book reading presents the author to the audience who reads to the audience and questions and comments are made at the end of the reading.”
Eghagha further added that book reading also promotes the work of the author, which explained that the Department of English took it seriously.
“Since we started, we have hosted notable writers like Odia Ofeimun, Femi Osofisan, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, Seffi Attah, among others, and we have hosted two American writers; and it gives the audience an opportunity to first hand interact with the writers.”
In her address, Lola Akande disclosed that the book was about people who took drugs and sometimes got into it without knowing the implications.
“By the time we get familiar with this novel,” she said, “my hope is that it will convey some important messages to the society and also, particularly, the family. What happens when a member of the family is using drugs? What happens when a member of the family suddenly becomes mentally challenged without people knowing that that person has been taking drugs before now.
“What are the consequences and implications on the children, spouse, society, and even on the country. The story is about a young man and woman who met casually at a bank at Obalende, but unknown to the lady, this guy is a drug user and we will see what happens.”
Mrs Rita Geh, Commander of Narcotics, Assistant Director Media and Advocacy, National Drugs Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), who represented the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), congratulated Dr Lola Akande for writing such an epic making book.
“This is a rare fit achieved, as the novel dwells on the major concern in our society today and the world as a whole, because the concern here is the problem of drug abuse. This is a major part of our responsibility in NDLEA, which has a human face with a drugs-to-man reduction unit and they also have the other face which takes care of those that trade in the prohibited drug.
“The Truth About Sadia talks about drug abuse, and it explains the attendant consequences it has on the family, the people and the society at large. As an agency, we commend the author for her role in this drug war. It is a big problem in the society, because many people know that no man can just pick a gun or an object to harm another human being for no just cause without being under any influence of drugs.
“I advise you (students), please, don’t experiment with drugs, because there is the likelihood like Mofe in the book, you can get hooked on it, and it will be difficult for you to get out of it. If you have a friend, relation or people with such a condition, the best place to go first is any NDLEA office close to you. Don’t be scared or discouraged, you will not be arrested but given the necessary attention.
“This book excites me a lot. When I started reading it, I found it difficult to drop it, because of the suspense of what will happen next. I read the book to the end, and I was satisfied, because this book tells the reader what will happen to anybody when he/she gets involved in drugs.
“We have seen films, heard poems about drugs but we have never seen it in such a prose form. This is a book that parents should give to their children to read, and I encourage everybody to read.
Head of English Department, Prof Edmund Bamiro, congratulated the author on the new book, saying, “You deserve our gratitude and commendation for writing a brilliant piece. You have crafted serious stuff in your book.”
Book reviewer, Dr. Kayode G. Kofoworola, from the Department of English, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, observed The Truth About Sadia is an ambitious novel, which, while largely concerned about the impact of drugs on mental health, also interrogates society’s contribution to its exacerbation, and how stigmatisation prevents society and individuals from engaging in communal action to help victims in order to prevent a relapse.
“It also interrogates domestic violence and how family and environmental factors influence and truncate people into madness of all sorts.”
Written in a lucid and unputdownable manner, The Truth About Sadia is actually the truth about us, about human choices, nature and motives.
Akande shows how drugs damages individual marriages, finances and future. Addiction she shows especially to drugs enslaves it’s victims as the habit must be fed regardless of the sorrows it causes others. No wonder not once but twice Mofe’s sells the entire furniture and household items which his wife had bought; items which he as her husband never bought because he spent his entire income on drugs and drinking.
Akande’s effort in this novel is to challenge us to action in a society that generally lives in self-denial about the need to confront the monster of mental health. While it is generally believed that men are generally more prone to breakdowns in mental health, the same is becoming increasingly the reality for women as well. This is why in the narrative a hidden core to Sadia’s decision to end her marriage to Mofe, especially the second time, was the need to save and preserve her own sanity while embarking on the expedition to encourage, enable and facilitate Mofe’s recovery of his.
During the reading, some students thrilled the audience with their poetry performances, such as “I am Nigeria”, “A New Dawn”, “Mirror on the Wall.” A poem entitled “Black Woman” was dedicated to Lola Akande and every African black woman.