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Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 13, 2019—39
OSA MBONU-AMADI
08070524223
osaamadi@yahoo.com
Omamo Akpo: : The pleasure of a life well lived
in Francis Ewherido’s Life Lessons from
Mudipapa
By Sunny Awhefeada
Sometime in the late 1980s,
Kole Omotoso, university
teacher, writer and
newspaper columnist, published
Just Before Dawn, a lengthy book
which re-frames the Nigerian
narrative by subjecting it to
imaginative distillation to the
extent that the line between
history (which thrives on fact) and
fiction (which is sustained by
imagination) became blurred. The
initial response to that book was
the question of whether it was
history or fiction. However,
literary aficionados went to work
and located Omotoso’s book in the
hybrid genre called faction which
is essentially a blend of fact and
fiction. Other writers intentionally
or unintentionally have had to
follow Omotoso’s example.
Francis Ewherido’s Life Lessons
from Mudipapa poses the same
challenge as Omotoso’s book.
Although, it is weaned off
historical details, the book is
replete with real life events,
characters, dates and places to the
extent that its appropriation of
facts is not in doubt. Yet, the book
is also sustained by imagination
and anticipatory happenings
which raise the question of
classification as to whether it is
fiction or biography or diary? This
then is the discursive puzzle that
readers and literary
commentators will have to
contend with as the book gets
circulated.
Ewherido’s Life Lessons from
Mudipapa can be read as a
biographical fiction, a marriage
cum parenting guide and above
all as an inspirational book
providing nuggets for a life well
lived which is omamo akpo in
Urhobo. Among the Urhobo, from
whom the author hails, life is akpo
and the world is also akpo.
Therefore, life and the world in
Urhobo not only intersect, but
they are inseparable. How a
person lives in the world is central
to Urhobo metaphysics and
ontology. And this is virtually the
same the world over. However, the
density and depth of value
attached to life and the world vary
from place to place.
The story’s protagonist is Chief
Julius Ferdinand Mudiaga Orien,
PhD, a retired Accounts Director
of a multinational company.
Married to EseOghene (with
whom he has five children; Tejiri,
Emesiri, Mado, Edirin and Omo),
he is also a proud grandfather and
the nickname, Mudipapa, through
which he is identified in the
narrative was coined from
Mudiaga and Papa by his
grandchild, Temi. The story
details Mudipapa’s early conflicts
regarding the choice of vocation
and life partner. After courtship
misadventures he, through his
elder brother Akpos, meets
EseOghene with whom he settles
down in matrimony. What follows
is matrimonial tension
manifested in the engagement of
a nanny or house-help, the
number of children to be born and
the attendant rigour and strain of
bringing up children by working
class parents in an urban setting
like Lagos. These put a strain on
the evolving family of Mudipapa
and EseOghene.
However, the family is able to
overcome such challenges
through
dialogue,
complementarities, collaboration,
careful planning and prudent
deployment of resources.
Mudipapa’s changing his job,
setting out on his own, and the
establishment of St. Michael’s
Crèche – which blossoms into
O’rien International Schools –
reflect deliberate planning, focus
and the agenda-setting motions
of a purpose-driven family. The
education of the children, the
problem of juvenile delinquency,
indiscretion among the children
and the choice of future life
partners are to preoccupy
Mudipapa and EseOghene and
test their parenting skills. The
reader encounters Mudipapa in
many rewarding and insightful
counseling sessions with his
children, prospective in-laws, and
even friends; on how life,
especially marriage, should be
lived. Mudipapa’s success can be
hinged on two factors, namely;
deliberate planning and his
commitment to cultivating an
intimate relationship with God.
Both factors reflect in his
character, his choices, his union
with his wife, his work ethics and
reliance on the timely
intervention of The Creator when
it is sought. Both factors also
reflect in the naming of his
children; Oghenetejiri (God is
worthy to be worshipped),
Emesiri (Good children),
Oghenemado (God is the
greatest), Edirinverere (Patience
has rewards), and Omoghene
(Child of God).
One after the other, Mudipapa
and EseOghene watch their
children grow, go to school and
marry. The first is that of Tejiri
getting married to Tosan, a
marriage which foregrounds
ethnic harmony between the
Urhobo and the Itsekiri. The
marriage ceremonies are not only
elaborate and splendorous, but
they are also meant to project the
traditional significance of
matrimony. The nuptials of
Mudipapa’s children also show
signs of conflicts, but his subtle
interventions as an experienced
husband and marriage counselor
help to stir the young families in
the right course. He teaches them
to focus on understanding marital
differences and the meaning of
marriage.
The story climaxes in a
comfortable retirement for
Mudipapa and EseOghene with
huge investments in real estate,
education and stocks in addition
to heavy retirement and
PENCOM accounts. Life has
become blissful. Their five
children are also well heeled with
stable families. He takes up a part
time teaching appointment with
a university since, like his father,
he has a flair for teaching and has
also obtained a doctorate. Even at
that age, he sets a new target of
becoming a professor. He is also
devoting part of his earnings to
the service of God and humanity.
He is a fulfilled man, but as he
looks back and takes stock of his
life’s sojourn, he spots a weakness
which springs from his inability
to ground his children in Urhobo
lore and culture. But he consoles
himself philosophically, “I guess
you can’t have it all or win on all
fronts. You simply win some and
you lose some.”
Life Lesson from Mudipapa
makes a good read as it benefits
from the author’s formal training
in Mass Communication and his
practice as a newspaper
columnist. The language is
simple, lucid and uncluttered; the
hallmark of a master storyteller.
The book’s narrative style, which
is the third person omniscient
narrative, gives the reader a broad
view of Mudipapa’s life from
childhood to the present. There is
a strong didactic, even moralistic,
bent to the book. The influence of
the Bible, the Catholic Church and
her teachings confront the reader
on every page. This conforms to
the moralistic ideal of literature
which is to refine the moral tone
of society. Periodic authorial
intrusions, which the author calls
“nuggets,” help to reinforce the
didactic import of the narrative in
a way similar to an experienced
teacher’s handling of classroom
lessons. The element of epiphany
which manifests in his choice of
EseOghene as wife is also
religious. Yet, the book also has
many humorous episodes that
make the reader laugh.
The book uses dialogue to give
life, spontaneity and sense of
immediacy to the events narrated.
To give credence to the narrative,
the author mentions real names,
places as well as incidents and
inspirational books and their
authors. This factor will endear
the book to readers as a reliable
guide in life’s journey.
The author’s life also intersects
with characters, places and
incidents in the book. The names
Ukani and Akpos, places like
Ughelli, Ewu, Ozoro, Osubi,
Effurun-Otor, Urhobo College,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka,
are part of the author’s life’s
reality which impinge on the
narrative. The many scenes on
marriage and youth counseling
reflect the author’s engagement
as a family interest newspaper
columnist and marriage counselor
in the church. Mudipapa’s niche
for planning, investment and
target setting are positive effects
of the author as an insurance
broker. The book is enriched by a
deliberate and unmistakable
Urhobo flavor evidenced in
Urhobo names, expressions and
ethno-philosophy.
In spite of its artistic and
functional merits, the book has a
weakness; which is that life is “too
sweet” for Mudipapa as he is not
depicted to have grappled with
any serious or tragic existential
crisis to enable the reader see how
he would have responded.
Francis Ewherido has come in
as “writer as counselor”. Life
Lessons from Mudipapa,
published by Laddertop
Publishers and made up of 31
chapters running into 256 pages,
will be useful in a multiplicity of
domains; sociology, psychology,
literature, marriage counseling,
church, education, parenting,
mentoring, and more. The book
will be very useful in a society
grappling with social crises
occasioned by a fast paced
modernity and socio-economic
anemia. The book will help to
consolidate the ideals of marriage
and family values. The end result
will be a stable social order for the
society is made up of families and
if every family is stable then
society will be stable. I
recommend it to everybody; the
young and the old, not just as Life
Lessons from Mudipapa, but as a
guide in the journey of life.
(Sunny Awhefeada is a Professor
of Literature and Dean, Faculty of
Arts, Delta State University,
Abraka)
*Participants at the Career Advancement & Leadership seminar
organised by the International Association of African Authors &
Scholars, IAAAS held in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
IAAAS harps on leadership development
as panacea for Africa’s growth
The Executive Director of the
United States-based
International Association of
African Authors and Scholars,
IAAAS, Mr. Chinedum Igwe, has
said the socio-economic growth
and development of the African
continent lies in the effective
training of leaders who will take
up the mantle of leadership that
will catapult the continent to the
next level of development and
nation building.
Mr. Igwe made this assertion at
the maiden edition of IAAAS
Career Advancement and
Leadership Skills Seminar held
in Port Harcourt, River state,
Nigeria. The Nigerian-born, USbased
trained author and career/
leadership expert said for Africa
to get it right, new crop of leaders
who will be selfless, committed
and dedicated to the development
of various countries in Africa need
to be trained and given the right
leadership perspective and
mentoring that will impact their
mindset positively.
He emphasized that the
training was in partnership with
two universities in the USA
(Beulah Heights University and
University of West Georgia), two
great institutions who are ready
to accept African students
By Elizabeth Uwandu
In line with President Buhari’s
cardinal agenda of ‘ease of
doing business’,The National
Library of Nigeria, NLN has
launched an app that will enable
publishers who apply for the
International Standard Book
Number and International
Standard Serial Number to get
the number within 48 hours, even
as they have commenced this
year’s national readership
promotion campaign to promote
reading culture.
The Chief Librarian/CEO of
National Library of Nigeria, Prof.
Lenrie Aina, who disclosed this
during a press conference in
Lagos, stated that the application
was developed by staff of the
National Library of Nigeria to
make it easier for book publishers,
authors and other interested
persons or organisations to apply
for, and obtain international
standard numbers(ISSN & ISBN)
for their publications within 24
hours, regardless of time and
location, without necessarily
visiting any of their offices.
According to Aina, the Act
establishing the National library
stipulates that all publications
emanating from Nigeria should
comply with international
standard through the issuance of
ISBN for books and ISSN for
journals, newspapers and
magazines. “Before, if you apply
for ISSN or ISBN, it involves a
desirous to pursue postgraduate
programmes designed to
enhance leadership training that
will impact on organizational
growth and nation-building in
Africa.
Also speaking at the seminar,
Franklin Obiagwu, a member of
IAAAS and motivational speaker
said the issue of lack of good
leadership has been the bane of
the African continent. In his
presentation, he itemized several
factors responsible for poor
leadership in the African
continent. Amongst the factors he
identified were the issues of
excessive greed and endemic
corruption which have
contributed immensely in
stunting the growth of the
continent. For the upcoming
leaders, Franklin Obiagwu said
such leaders must be ready to
shun corruption and greed,
adding that they should embrace
the virtue of selfless service and
a genuine desire to serve their
organization, community and
their countries.
Aside from organizing seminars
and training, IAAAS programmes
in Africa also include promoting
African authors, book reading and
library services.
National library develops ISBN, ISSN apps
•Commences campaign to promote reading culture
process; you come either to the
headquarters in Abuja or to any
of our branches. We have 27
branches in Nigeria and it takes
a minimum of 10 to 30 days before
you can get the number. But with
this application, all you have to do
is go to our website, stay in your
offices and you will get the ISSN/
ISBN within 48 hours.”
Aina also announced that the
National Library of Nigeria has
commenced this year’s national
readership promotion campaign
with the theme: Reviving
Moribund Culture of Reading in
Nigeria for Sustainable National
Development. The campaign
which has already commenced in
Anambra and Cross River states,
will go around all the 36 states of
the federation and Federal
Capital Territory. The campaign
will feature reading competitions
among secondary and primary
schools; book parties in motor
parks; advocacy visit to maternity
homes to encourage nursing
mothers to introduce reading to
their children at early age and
NLN/NYSC reading forums, a
collaboration that will extend the
campaign to all the local
governments through the corps
members. Aina who pointed out
the need for more people to
cultivate the act of reading said
prizes such as books, shelves,
computers and reading tablets
will be given out to studentparticipants
across locations.