0704 Summer 2003.pdf - Friends of Nigeria

Book ReviewMesa Verde Press, Indianapolis IN. ISBN 0-9607220-2-5, tradepaper, 144pp., $14.95, 2002. Illus: Photos shot by author during war;maps of Africa, Nigeria, and Biafra; chronology of events; glossary.How difficult it is to be objective about a book that bringstears to the eyes! As our 2002America talks of war, I read,almost in relief, the “war stories”of John Sherman, a Peace Corpsvolunteer in Nigeria/Biafra in themid-1960s. At least those sick,frightened and dying children mayhave survived the immediate painof war by now or more likely, theyhave died and their suffering isover. Nevertheless, as I stand inJohn when workingin Malawi in 1968.line at a local grocery for myannual flu shot dispensed by acareless man who keeps droppingparts of the syringes on the floor, I think of Biafra.After graduating from college, John Sherman joined thePeace Corps and was sent to Nigeria to teach English at asecondary school in that country’s Eastern Region in 1966. Lessthan a year later, that area seceded from Nigeria and declareditself to be the Republic of Biafra. As relations between the twogovernments worsened into a civil war, the Peace Corpsevacuated its volunteers and sent Sherman to Malawi. Hereturned to Nigeria in August of 1968 with unofficialdocuments, hoping in some way to alleviate the suffering of theBiafran refugees and make contact with his former students.Feeling he was a loose ball bouncing around Africa, he was ableto work with the International Committee of the Red Cross(ICRC) near where he had been teaching in Biafra before it wasreclaimed by the Nigerian military.Using a journal from that time, Sherman has composed abittersweet memoir of events and feelings he experienced in thatthree-year period. With the aid of aliterary device he moves back and forthbetween his return as an ICRC workerand the Peace Corps period which, inthe book, is indicated by italics. Heremembers fondly many funny, happytimes with his students, their families andthe general state of being white in ablack society. These italicized paragraphsreveal a joy of living, dancing the HighLife (a popular, energetic dance), sharinggroundnuts (peanuts), learning to snapLt. Col. ChukuemekaOdumegwu Ojukwuin 1967.10 12 FON NEWSLETTERReviewed by Betty ParkerWar Stories:A Memoir of Nigeria and Biafraby John Sherman (23) 66–67fingers in a handshake (I still can’t do it)and a feeling he was making acontribution.The book begins as Sherman is attempting to get back toBiafra. These paragraphs, which describe the Red Cross portionof his African journey, though factual, are also vehicles of a sadwisdom, revealing a young man determined to make a differencein a situation in which he has little control and great personalrisk. Once, when he witnesses almost more suffering than he cantake, he wishes that just for a few hours, he could be somewherewhere his values are not tested. When soldiers who terrorize hisfriends need food or medicine, he questions whether or not ahuman is still human in a uniform. Because he is in an areawhere he is dispensing food and medicine to both Nigerian andBiafran refugees, he muses about being forced to be neutral.He speaks of war as the “last great horror we inflict uponourselves,” and because he is touched more by the children whocan no longer smile, he reminds us that books can be reprintedbut children cannot be replaced. As an antiquarian bookseller Ihave to agree grudgingly that he is right, at least in spirit.Sherman left Africa in 1969, but returned in 1971 to work inGhana in both the Peace Corps office and as national directorof the American Field Service. He took courses in AfricanStudies at the University of Ghana, and he also taught in Zairebefore returning to the United States in 1975.He and his family lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico from 1977-85. While there he edited El Palacio magazine, worked at St.Catherine Indian School and wrote a “Generally Sherman”humor column for the Santa Fe Reporter. He also did a series offeatures for the Albuquerque Journal North on historic Santa Fe.“Santa Fe, A Pictorial History” was first published for the FirstNational Bank there in 1983 and is now a scarce piece of SantaFe literature in the original limited edition. It was reprinted in1996, and “Taos, A Pictorial History” was published in 1990.•Reviewed for and originally published in SouthwestBookViews, Winter 03, Vol. 2, Issue 1. Reprinted withpermission. A generalist in her love of books, Betty Parkerreviews a wide range of material for Southwest BookViews.John Sherman has lived and worked in Nigeria (twice), Biafra,Malawi, Ghana and Zaire. He is currently a resident ofIndianapolis. He and his wife Lois, who was also in Nigeria(23) anda teacher at Sir Francis Ibiam Secondary School in Afikpo, and wasevacucated to Togo, have two children,Chizoma and David. John has had acareer which included being a classroomteacher of English and Journalism tana marketing and PR executive in thenonprofit and corporate world. Hecurrently owns a PR firm inIndianapolis and pursues an activefreelance writing career. He is theauthor of three books of poetry andtwo pictorial history books.John in 2002.