Maybe I should be irritated at Ella’s character —the protagonist— but I am not. The prologue has done so much introduction, that I know that her supposed strong head is a shield to protect herself.

After seeing such wounded characters in other books like: Redeeming Love, Bridge to Haven, and Ayanfe, one can't help but pity Ella and not judge her.

Her stubbornness will want to make you hit her across the face, but we are taught self-control. 😁

Once again, a message of understanding and compassion is being taught through Ella this time. And her resistance to it, only softens my heart for her.

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BOOK REVIEW THURSDAY

Iyawo Pablo

Angel Nduka-Nwosu’s “Iyawo Pablo” is a Nigerian contemporary short story revealing societal ills, parental irresponsibility, the harsh reality of women, poverty, and normalised criminality.

At the heart of the story is Akunna, the protagonist of the story. She faces the burn of poverty, parental irresponsibility and abusive partner. At the age of six, she steps into the reality of the poor state of her family. Her struggling mother, a hardened pastor who refuses her scholarship, because her mother could not afford to pay her tithes, and an irresponsible father who squanders her mother's money on gambling.
At that tender age, she swears to be a rich woman. But the path to wealth is not an easy one, as she must first go through the hands of a ‘Yahoo Boy’ and four abortions before she can create her own path.

One of the strengths lies in the themes of the story. The corruption that goes on in the church behind the scene, through the character of Pastor Godwin who chooses money over compassion. Similarly, her father exemplifies parental irresponsibility, as he gambles and shows interest in himself and no one else.

Even tradition plays a role, as Akunna's father uses the old adage: “a man’s daughter is his source of wealth” in selling his daughter to Temilolu. Temilolu the arrogant ‘Yahoo Boy' symbolizes the normalised criminality in the Nigerian society, as everyone turns a blind eye to his source of wealth, but enjoys the money with him.

However, despite its strengths, the limitation of the story lies in the characterisation of Akunna. She leans more towards the role of a victim, without much resistance, rebellion, or fight against her parents and norms, which are some of the attributes in the current generation of the Gen Z.

The structure of the story is divided into four parts depicting the various stages of Akunna's life, from childhood till she gains independence from her partner. The language is simple with a mixture of Nigerian pidgin.

I rate the story a four star, and recommend it to lovers of African tales. The short story can be found on the Tales and Whispers website.