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Tag: In the name of our father

  • Conflict of interests in Our Father

    Title: In The Name of Our Father
    Author: Olukorode Yisau
    Reviewer: Oluwaseyi Oso

    What humanity has arrived at a point where its existential experiences are no longer cocooned in the labyrinth of ignorance is a fact with an outright conviction. This is premised on the fact that literature has served as an indefatigable tool in chronicling the events; happenings that buffet human societies, one way or the other. Every society has its own especially unique literature; in fact, every family (unit of society) has its own literature. This is why familial experiences always affect a writer when he or she writes. Why? A writer does not write from nothingness. The world impregnates the writer and he conceives it in words.

    This is the case with the novel, In the Name of Our Father, an example of “Nigerian literature,” as it is a birthing; a dazzlingly continual birthing of the impregnable pregnancies of Nigeria’s realities. These realities are what writers now shape into written words, as it were, causing readers to perceive; emote and respond when need be. The writer (like Yishau Olukorede) becomes a “truth disperser” in that he heals his society of blindness through the words he is able to present as a letter written to hearts, in need of a reply. It is for this especially pertinent reason that Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (1958) becomes the ground on which most of the neo-Nigerian-literatures are fertilised. The novel’s prowess in projecting the mind of Africa, Nigeria’s pre-colonial era, makes it an archetype of a true Nigerian literature such that foreign readers are able to see; feel; and hear the African (Nigerian) mind. The novel is constructed in such a way that the psychological construction of characters is shaped by the society they find themselves. Okonkwo, the novel’s failed-hero, is shaped by the society he finds himself. This is why he takes masculinity as a prime factor because he has been cultured by his patriarchal society. Achebe takes his reader into the realm of orature making the Africanness in African prime. He projects the African themes; and it is for this reason that the novel, Things Fall Apart, has become asexual, in that it has been capable of generating many-sided critical views. Many thematic concerns have been expunged from the text.

    Accordingly, these living realities are what we seem to refer to as thematic concerns in the sense that they are the ink that allows the pen of a Nigerian writer to put words on paper. Many critics have attested to the fact that it is quite impossible for the African creative writer to write without the influx of African social and political realities. It is the contemporary issues in Nigerian that generate different themes such as “gender”, “politics”, “corruption”, “anti-colonialism”, “quest for identity”, “religion”, “marriage”, “ethnicity”, “racism”, “war and post-war”; and many more. These themes become a ground on which a writer’s ideology is infinitely fertilised; and as long as these Nigerian realities persist, Nigerian literature continues to exist.

    The foregoing is what informs the novel, In the Name of Our Father, as it chronicles the socio-political happenings that buffet the Nigerian society. The characterisation of Justus Omoeko is at par with individuals who stood as forces of truth in the Nigerian past to fight the deadly acts of the military government. It shows the shackles, in which change-makers are thrown, in the Nigerian cosmogony. This is why we also have the character of Alani, who changes his name to Prophet T.C. Jeremiah, abandoning his impoverished life for a business of hypocrisy and false Christianity. He oppresses his congregation with deception and diabolical power which he reinforces with 8-day old baby. His thirst for power also allures him to the incorrigible head of state who desists from handing over his government to another as he promised. The novel explicates the horrendous situation that religion and politics—two profound institutions in humanity—have caused the Nigerian society. Religion affects politics, and politics affects religion. They both work in tandem to ensuring a well-defined society. But, here, what we see is a wrongly-defined society where politics and religion foster corruption and pursuit of power; poverty and ambition; religious gullibility and hypocrisy; sexual immorality, marriage and female oppression. These aforementioned themes, therefore, will be the preoccupation of this essay.

    The novel, through the characterisation of Pastor David and Prophet T.C. Jeremiah, crystallises the multifarious ways in which people are being deceived through religion; and a belief in a man of God who is aimed at amassing wealth and fame, in the name of the father (God). Alani, a latterly poor man, abandons his family “…while he would try to start a new life afresh in a new land” (25). He seeks tutelage in the deceptive profession his friend, Pastor David, introduces to him; and as a result of his hunger for an especially different life, he indissolubly joins “The Brotherhood” to instill a magical power in him for his fake ministry. It is for this reason that he changes his name to Prophet T.C. Jeremiah. He uses religion as a mask to deceive the masses as well as men of power. It is this mask that Yishau unfurls in his novel. The prophet allures ministers to himself through a false prophecy that they were bound to die. He continues his devious act because they were not convincingly aware that “the few occurrences that looked like miracles were really not miracles. They were mere co-incidences. But since they were gullible, they could not distinguish between miracles and mere-co-incidences” (151-152). The writer evidences the social exploitation attached to a religious mask. Tosin tells Alani that “the man of God wanted a thousand naira. She pleaded with the miracle worker to accept half of the fee” (22). What this examples is the act of untruth being perpetuated by a religious institution that should stand as a pillar of truth and opposition to immoral demeanours in the society. Instead, the so-called men of God sleep with women, deceitfully; they amass wealth through people, in the name of the father. The theme expounded here is largely among the harsh realities present in the Nigerian society.

    One cannot gainsay the assumption that it is the pursuit of power in Nigerian politicians that spawns corruption. This is true in the sense that power is powerful and sweet, and no one wants to remain outside power; rather the insatiable human being wants to control power. This is the case with the Commander-in-Chief, General Idoti, in the novel, who confides in atrocious acts to remain in power. He reprimands Justus for writing a newspaper article which he thinks could usurp him. This is why he takes refuge in Prophet T.C. Jeremiah who “was more than prepared to enslave General Idoti under the guise of providing spiritual counseling. He was going to make a super-slave out of him. And in turn he would make billions of Naira” (113).  General Idoti and Prophet T.C. Jeremiah (religion and politics) are fleshed with corruption and thirst for power. The prophet’s plight is to control the decisions of the General as long as he remains gullible. He goes as far as ensuring the imprisonment of Justus who bears the archetypal image of “a hero as a saviour,” ready to bear the burden of truth. Justus becomes a scapegoat trying to salvage his nation from corruption by exposing the inane performances of the two major institutions in his society—religion and politics. Justus is sentenced into life imprisonment, at first, by fighting with his pen. This is an allusion to the person of Ken Saro-Wiwa, who fought with his pen before he became a scapegoat. General Iya who admittedly plans a coup to overthrow the power-drunk General Idoti becomes a scapegoat, too. He tells Justus about “how the Head of State had stashed money in coded accounts abroad” (216). This exposes the corrupt psychological construction that many Nigerian leaders have. This is why they desire to spend more time in office like General Idoti.

    • Oso is a 400-level English language student at the University of Lagos. He is the winner of the In The Name of Our Father Essay competition for Department of English, University of Lagos.

  • Deliver Us from Evil

    The book In The Name of Our Father is one that has embedded in it, themes peculiar to the Nigerian society. In fact, it is the story of a country lost in the dehumanising regime of a military junta and its struggle to relieve itself from the shackles of dictatorship. Also, it is a tale of pronounced religious hypocrisy, massive corruption and seamless impunity on the part of the ruling class. These gross societal irregularities remain commonplace for a seemingly long period of time, dashing all hopes of redemption until a miracle eventually occurs.

    Set in 1990 Nigeria, it is a period when military autocracy was at its peak, devoid of any atom of human rights’ recognition, talk more of protection. In effect, the majority of the masses were helplessly docile, leaving only a few people – mostly journalists – to challenge the vicious dictators. Allusions are made to the election annulment of 1993 and the resultant violence in major cities across the nation, nonsensical judicial pronouncements made by kangaroo courts and the general violation of human rights.

    Narrated in the first and third person concurrently, the author dexterously blends these two points of views to produce a coherent whole. There are two stories; the one we’re introduced to in the first parts of the book which is concluded in the latter parts and the other which is written by a character in the first. The former is narrated in the first-person narrative while the latter is told in the third person. The dexterity the author applies in narrating these two distinct stories is somewhat outstanding. The main character Justus Omoeko, a radical journalist who is at the vanguard of the movement to oust the “men in khaki” writes a book titled Angels Live in Heavenwhose provocative contents land him in jail. Just as the protagonist in his fictional piece struggles to remain prominent in his dubiously acquired religious position, he literally strives to stay alive.

    In the novella written by Justus, we meet Alani whose story is quite an interesting one. Alani, a pauper who after a double tragedy befall him, concludes that his life has been worthless all along. He goes to meet Pastor David, a dubious pastor, for assistance. In no time, Alani’s fortunes are turned around and soon, he starts to associate with the big wigs in the society. He becomes known as Prophet T. C. Jeremiah and is initiated into The Brotherhood, a cult that has as its members, movers and shakers in different areas of the society. The church rat-turned-prophet holds sway in the religious scene for so long that he even gets the head of state psychologically caged for some time. His monumental progress in such a short period of time is chiefly due to the extreme gullibility of his church members. However, his eventual downfall is as drastic as his initial upsurge.

    Written in a precarious era in the political history of his country, the fearless journalist braves all odds and goes ahead to publish the book, not caring whose ox is gored. In it, a lot of shady practices perpetrated by people from all walks of life, ranging from clergymen, bank executives, to prostitutes are brought to light. We discover that the majority of the people who involve themselves in these dishonourable occupations actually do so as a result of the harsh economic climate, among other reasons. This is found in the character Rebecca who runs away from her abusive father and squats with her friend Georgina, who introduces her to the ignoble profession of prostitution. Rebecca was obviously uninterested, but she has little or no choice, considering the unfriendly economic situation. Unlike Georgina, Rebecca takes utmost precaution in all her dealings and is even saving a huge chunk of the money she gets in order to leave the profession for good and start up a reasonable business someday. Another typical example is Alani, who discards his conscience and integrity and opts to become a fraudulent “man of God” due to his excruciating poverty and forlornness.

    READ ALSO: https://www.thecable.ng/of-power-faith-and-humanity-a-review-of-in-the-name-of-our-father

    At the same time, the author clearly captures one reason for the bastardisation of the political, judicial and religious systems in the country. It is this same reason that is behind the mistrust the public has for elements in these institutions. For instance, after Prophet T.C. Jeremiah brutally kills Hezekiah, a pastor in his church who threatens to jeopardise the former’s image by leaving the church abruptly over suspicions of clerical corruption, the pastor’s wife seeks justice to no avail. This is ensured by The Brotherhood, to whom the desperate “prophet” reports the matter. The statement made by the Cappo of the cult group, “You will only suffer harm if the brotherhood does not exist. Now we shall put heads together and come up with a blueprint of how to put this issue where it truly belongs: the trash can of history”  and the ensuing press conference aimed at correcting the media’s impression on the matter speak volume of how the elites in the society work unanimously for the selfish interests of one another, leaving the common man to rot in penury.

    Returning to the original book, we are exposed to another reality, albeit a not-so-different one. It is one filled with everything associated with the military dictatorship. Arrests are made at will which are swiftly followed by hasty and uncritical trials that result in either illegal incarceration or execution. Freedom of expression becomes a luxury as anything spoken or written against the incumbent government warrants due to punishment. It is in this dilemmatic situation that Justus finds himself. He has to choose between keeping quiet which will aid his safety and performing his duty as a journalist to the detriment of his life.

    As would happen to anyone who the ruling dictatorial government considered a threat, Justus is arrested on a false basis and locked away in a cell. Asides the hasty and inhuman trial conducted by the special military tribunal, proper judicial procedure is not followed before verdicts are given. Thorough investigations into any of the cases are not made as the entire trial lasts for just half an hour. In effect, tendentious judgements are made.

    Interestingly, it is worthy to note that many of the soldiers under the present regime are not happy about the goings-on in the country and the unscrupulous acts they’re made to carry out “in the name of their fathers”, that is superiors. They remain obedient so as not to lose their jobs. This is evident in the placating statements made by the likes of Dr Shagaya, the military doctor who catered for Justus, the military guard at the hospital, Lukman Sadiq’s kind gesture and the friendly soldier in the helicopter.

    In conclusion, the book is a remarkable one as it presents to its readers the many ugly faces of one country and the noble struggles by well-meaning citizens to make it beautiful again. Although the country cannot attain a state of utopia, the struggle to make her better continues and as shown in the book, no matter how long evil thrives, good always prevails.

     

     

  • Messing up in the Name of Our Father

    Messing up in the Name of Our Father

    While reading Olukorede S. Yishau’s debut novel, it dawned on me that despite the ups and downs tormenting this country of ours, there are still certain people who still crave for hope daily with their pens.

    In In the name of our Father, the narrator carefully satirises the various challenges threatening the peace and the morality of the country (Nigeria) by portraying different malignity in the text. Although, In the name of our Father could be seen as mere fiction, yet, it is the reality that produces the wide contradictions in a nation’s ideas of national integration, uprightness, and morality.

    The prose narrative shows the level at which impunities keep blindfolding the truth and making innocent people face unfair treatments from implacable minds. The characterisation of Justus Omoeko reminds us of heroes like Ken Saro Wiwa, Dele Giwa and host of others.

    The piece arrests minds to the reality that in a country like Nigeria, people’s right (freedom of expression) is unsecured as they are liable to implication, arrest, and unjust trials by the cruel-hearted individuals who crave for fame, power, and positions at the expense of the corporate joy, peace and happiness of the masses. “…I was chained down like a beast…my life was in their hands and they were swinging it the way they wanted. He sentenced me to life imprisonment. Tears did not just come out of my eyes. It was one sad moment that Was beyond tears” (Justus Omoeko p.183-190).

    The plot structure points attention to the complexity of the social challenges all and around the society of the text (Nigeria). The inhuman enragement and death of Pastor Hezekiah plotted by the “supposed” man of God (Prophet T.C. Jeremiah) and the unfair treatment of Justus Omoeko question the place of truth, morality and sanity in our contemporary society.  

    The thematic preoccupations such as corruption, simony (commercialisation of religious beliefs), sexual immorality, incest, mistrust and marital odds in the prose fiction depict clearly a country in the throes of degradation and catastrophe.

    In fact, for a male warden to forcefully lure an unnamed female in-mate into sexual intercourse in the prison (p. 196) question the place of sanity in our dear country. It calls attention to similar social issues in earlier literature such as The Trial of Brother Jero by Wole Soyinka, Nineteen Eighty-four by George Orwell, My Father lied by Onyekachi Peter Onuoha, Violence by Festus Iyayi, A man of the People by Chinua Achebe, etc. The prose text reiterates how selfishness can be laced on baseless facts and figures.

    Instances are in the propensity attributed to the ‘Brotherhood group’ and the leadership of the ‘C-in-C’. However, their activities remind us of the ‘Big Brothers’ and ‘Room 101’ in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four respectively. And by extension, it brings anew the one-time unpalatable the military regime in Nigeria and the incurable scares the military experience left on million minds till today.

    Moreover, the ritual rites among the ‘Brotherhood’ ridicule the religious and political activities in Nigeria. It portrays the country as a place where evildoers commune with the devil in the secret and hypocritically present a different picture to the outside world. The text makes it possible to adjudge rightly the mystery under every rooftop called “worship centres” (House of God).

    It exposes the extent to which the deceived followers take the leaders’ coloured truth ‘hook, line and sinker’ and the extent to which people are desperate about getting rich with church founding today, “For starters, we are going to prepare the water with seven leaves for you to take the spiritual cleansing bath. You will use the palm front as the sponge” (p.32).

    READ ALSO: In the Name of Our Father: A clever rendition of politics, religion and journalism

     No doubt, people rely on external inspiration instead of God’s. “…I will give you something that will make it easy for you to cram the Bible’ says Prophet T.C Jeremiah. (p.36) Pastor David and Prophet T.C Jeremiah are true metaphors of ‘Jero’s Metamorphosis’. While Alani’s sudden transformation to a ‘miracle-working prophet’, and his change of names instead of a change of attitude all fictionalise the ‘faking realities’ in some Christendom. No wonder, despite all these miracles in churches today, one keeps wondering why evils choose not to cease from the land (Nigeria).  Indeed, their roles make moral minds to keep doubting the reality of saints in Christendom.

    The narratology also thematises the joblessness constituting the high rate of abject poverty in the country. Alani’s advice to Tosin in (P. 14-15) points attention to why budgit’s (2019:1) states in their data analysis according to the “World Poverty Clock” that in Nigeria, “…over 87 million people are living in poverty which makes it the nation with the highest number of extremely poor people”. At times, one keeps wondering why evildoers, corrupt leaders and offenders keep escaping the wrath of the law no matter the level and gravity of the atrocities committed. Thus, the representation of the ‘Brotherhood’ in (p. 93) tells why poverty is on the increase and why atrocities are no longer considered with their grieving consequences today.

    Rebecca’s rape plight with her father on page 49 of the prose narrative brings to minds, the daily headlines in the Nigerian newspapers as regards the rampant social menace called “incest”. It refreshes in minds the carnalities that are adjusting daily in Nigeria. A brief glimpse of Georgina’s life’s ordeals in the story is equally significant to the Nigerian marriage discourse. The Nigerian marriage culture is that which encourages a daughter to always make her marriage work no matter the ordeal. Georgina opens up her marital challenges to her parents whom she believes got her back, but only for them to push her back to the lion’s den.

    However, despite the careful narrative techniques satirising the narratology, the narrator failed to remember the principle of checks and balances. He does not pay close attention to the possibly multiple religious practices in Nigeria. He focuses and represents heavily in the text various instances of religious immoralities found only in Christianity, leaving other religions such as Islam and Traditional religion untouched. Does that mean religious immorality can only be found in Christianity? Absolutely No!    Anyways, this is not to undermine the thinking process here, rather, it is to point out the universal truth which states that in the world of literature ‘there is no perfect work anywhere!’.

    In conclusion, the eventual collapse of Prophet T.C. Jeremiah’s magical powers and miracles depict the fact that “faking the reality” to make magical reality a realism could be deadly because “what goes round comes round”. And the eventual freedom of Justus Omoeko from the devouring jaws of death proves that despite the country’s ‘bruised heartedness, fractured psyche and demented consciences’, Nigeria can still be free someday, if you and I keep hoping for nothing but the very best in our dealings.                                    

     

  • Angels only live in heaven

    If you have never read an account of the disdainful and appalling events that pervaded the nation during the tyrannical military regime of one the Army Generals in the last decade of the 20th century, In the Name of our Father, Yishau’s debut novel, would be a good start for you. And if you happen to be an ardent lover of good literature coupled with a penchant for history, then you should have a taste of the delicious meal already prepared for your savour by Olukorede Yishau in his ingenious novel.

    In the Name of our Father, is a compelling, appealing, and arresting work of fiction that explores impunity, deceit, deep-seated corruption, in-humanness, endemic and malignant spiritual fraud. Set in the last decade of 20th century Nigeria, It is a work that skillfully amalgamates tainted religious practices, distasteful politics, and the quest for justice through uncompromising journalism. The novel uncovers a number of malevolent societal ills that characterized our nation in recent, lingering past. It also addresses some of the problems plaguing the nation at present.

    Olukorede S. Yishau’s brilliant novel – one which ushered the seasoned journalist into the midst of authors – is written with succinct sentences, compelling dialogues, easily comprehensible words, and fascinating short sentences. His appealing writing style was complemented by his expert use of suspense, and an endearing plot, that keeps readers glued to the book till words on the last page are exhausted.

    I am literally skeptical about summarising the book in this review as I do not wish it to lessen the suspense of all who lay their hands upon this review before getting their hands on the book itself, but I am compelled against my wish to write an overview of the book’s content, as it is a major component of book reviews. I am, however, solaced by the fact that regardless of the summary, the book will remain appealing to any category of readers. After reading a few pages of the book, I became literally enraptured and I stayed glued to the end – it was simply not droppable.

    In the Name of our Father tells tales of a country’s despicable state of moral, and ethical rottenness. It is, first, a story of Prophet T. C. Jeremiah, initially known as Alani, whose life almost fell apart when the young girl he impregnated died while trying to abort the pregnancy, and he had to escape to his village where he abandoned his family only to discover that another tragedy had struck, his son had died. Deep thoughts about his hitherto miserable life led him to desert his wife and seek help from his friend, Pastor David, who orchestrated his admission into an occult fraternity. He was diabolically empowered by other members of the brotherhood and supported with funds sufficient for him to start up a church of his own. He soon became renown; bedazzling, and bewildering, and bewitching people through working of ostensible miracles. He got the money he sought with desperation, and swiftly developed a pendant for evil just to retain his powers; but his personal life was a mess, aggravated by his wife inability to conceive. His dubious means were soon exposed; though, it only served as a little detour to him, nevertheless, he deservedly met his waterloo.

    The re-introduction of Omoeko following the madness of Prophet Jeremiah  emphasized the importance of the prologue because it became clear that the prophet’s tale was a witty arrangement by the author to bring us into Justus Omoeko’s novella titled, “Angels Live In Heaven.” Thereafter, the novel became a story of Justus Omoeko, a gallant journalist and aspiring novelist who, just like Olukorede S. Yishau, decided, against all unfavourable odds, that he would get his novella published even if it would mean upsetting and enraging unscrupulous, towering personalities – to him and many other aboveboard persons like him, that might be the price for a change for the better. He experienced gruesome treatments in the hands of the tyrannical government in charge at the time.

    The book is also a skillful fictional delineation of some characters that had existed in real life in time past. Gen Sani Idoti is an example of such characters. This made the author’s narrative of certain events in the book seems to me – perhaps because I have had the opportunity to read other works about some of these events – as one who is writing out of the experiences rather than mere conjectures.

    Olukorede S. Yishau’s occupation as an associate editor for one of the nation’s top dailies, coupled with being a top columnist and a devout Christian, essentially passes him fit as one of the right men to touch provocative issues like the ones he addressed in his debut novel. His towering intelligence uncovers itself in the lovely and unique way in which the story in Omoeko’s novella, which he was threatened against publishing in the novel’s special prologue (prologue to storm), was amalgamated with the narration of Omoeko’s unsavory predicament – a tale in another tale. This display of ingenuity made the literature even more interesting.

    Olukorede’s debut novel is unlike others books – whose names I will deliberately avoid mentioning in a bid to avoid defamation of any sort – on similar subject matters whose authors advertently or inadvertently chokes the truth they intend to present unclad to their readers with an overdoes of fiction. He, Yishau, depicted historical events and conventional happenings in this nation deftly using fictional characters without losing touch with reality, that is, making it as realistic as possible – and that deserves an ovation.

    In the Name of our Father is no doubt a beautiful read for all; though, it is similarly without doubt that it will not go down well with the perpetrators of the sleazy acts he exposed in his book. His literature, written without mincing words, could be describe as a silhouette of the disdainful, distasteful, repugnant, and contemptuous acts that characterizes almost, if not all, Nigerian society.

    A careful reader, after a profound and captivating perusal of In the Name of our Father, will discover that the author profoundly sutured a tale of unrestrained love for the things of the world (as the Christians would say), and inordinate affection for power. It is must read for all who wishes – despite the significant number of treatise on similar subject matters – to see the ugliness of our nation in a new light, a peculiar light. Olukorede S. Yishau’s auspicious voyage into the literary world as a novelist and author is destined for a breakthrough, I strongly believe.

    Only a few things delights more than seeing an author achieve most, if not all, of his aims of writing a book. Literary greats like the late Prof. Chinua Achebe have done this on several occasions. He, Yishau, also did it with his book because he proved that indeed angels, truly, only live in heaven.

  • The Nation’s Associate Editor donates books to MAPOLY

    A prolific writer, journalist and Associate Editor with The Nation, Mr Olukorede Yishau, has donated 40 copies of his novel titled: In the Name of Our Father, to the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    The books were presented to the Rector, Dr Samson Odedina, at the Ogere Campus, Abeokuta, by the author’s representative, Ernest Nwokolo who. The Nation’s Correspondent in sthetate.

    Odedina hailed the courage, diligence, skill and commitment of Yishau that crystalised into the writing of the novel, saying it was worthy of emulation by aspiring and budding writers.

    The Rector, who was represented by the institution’s Registrar, Mr. Emmanuel Adeleye, also expressed the polytechnic’s gratitude to the author for the donation, praying that God would grant him more wisdom and strength to keep writing for the intellectual nourishment of the present and future generations of Nigerians.

    He assured that the institution, staff and students would make judicious use of the book.

  • In the Name of Our Father: A clever rendition of politics, religion and journalism

    In the Name of Our Father: A clever rendition of politics, religion and journalism

    Ever since the commencement of the transitional government, following the sudden demise of General Sani Abacha, a surge of a new form of liberation has made its way into the art and literature of the country, Nigeria as authors put into words, the horrific incidences that pervaded the nation during the dictator’s military rule.

    These recounts have been done in factual, fictional and even factional fashions; and in response, critics and scholars have in turn risen to the challenge of critiquing and analysing these works to reveal the beauty of writing and the artistic idiosyncrasies of the writers, but most importantly, the experiences during this dark time in the history of the country.

    Olukorede Yishau’s In the Name of our Father, is not just another addition to this collection, especially after about a decade of this occurrence when one could easily conclude that all there is has been written about this epoch. Rather, his is a clever rendition of a combination of politics, religion and journalism and his characterization is a central tool in the projection of this connection.

    To achieve his combination of these three areas, the debutant author tells the tale through Justus Omoeko, Prophet T.C. Jeremiah and General Sani Idoti – the journalist, prophet and head of state respectively.

    The prophet, having been pauperized for a major part of his early adult life, rises to wealth and stays there through unholy activities in his practice of “the work of God” (p.30). His members are held under the intensity of the move of the spirit and the diverse workings of miracles. Soon, his façade is threatened to be blown off by a couple of upright people who get wind of his dubiousness; however, these threats do not deter him as he gets an opportunity to liaise with the Father above for the country’s number one citizen – the head of state, General Sani Idoti whose political and dictatorial hold over the country is also being threatened by those around him.

    Justus, another major character, is a journalist in the middle of publishing a novella which is attracting more negative vibes than he would appreciate, however, he is determined to stay firm in the face of these negativities. When it seems things could get no more worst, his love-life comes crashing at his feet and he loses things that he never knew meant so much to him. Through these three major characters, Yishau engenders a tripod connection among politics, religion and journalism, although, Justus’ connection with the other two characters is withheld in suspense till much later in the novel.

    The characters are not merely so, they are historical figures through whom the political history of the country is recounted in a fictional manner, although, important events are retained such as the Ife-Modakeke and the Warri crises. These events are not just mentioned, but are employed as a window into the past occurrences of the nation – Nigeria. Also, the characters are used to project some of the vices that pervade the society and they are made to face the punishment for their activities while virtuous people as well as their virtues are extolled and upheld.

    For instance, Georgina and Rebecca prostitute themselves to make a living; however, Rebecca opts for a better life as soon as the opportunity comes along but Georgina refuses and her next attempt at an abortion deals her a fatal blow. Other of such vices in the novel include blackmail, deception, lust, infidelity, fetishness and so on. Such virtues projected in the novel include determination, sacrificial assistance, love and so on.

    The author’s partial narration of the work in first person point of view gives a notion of real-life events and characters. One is tempted to conclude that the narration is partly the author’s experience because of the core similarities between him and one of the major characters, as well as the occurrence of one of the characters’ name on the dedication page of the book. Also, there is a subtle revelation of who some of the characters represent in the real world through a stylistic and creative distortion of the names, so that a careful observation of these names reveals who they really are. A good example is General Sani Abacha who is represented by General Sani Idoti; a reader familiar with the Yoruba language will easily connect the dots between the two names; however, non-Yoruba-comprehending readers may be at a loss. This corroborates the fact that the novel is set in General Sani Abacha’s regime in Nigeria.

    The chronological plot is structured into sections whose titles give a hint of what to expect; these section titles include – Gathering Storm, Harbinger of Storm and the Storm. Inside these sections are also titled chapters that foreshadow the content of each; in all, they culminate into a complete and enriching whole. Also, using situational irony, the author utilises the law of karma to punish a character, Alani, for subtly convincing his girlfriend to committing an abortion which resonates into other calamities for the young girl’s family. Perhaps, his refusal to own up to the incident sealed his fate.

    To achieve the punishment of Alani’s crime, Yishau involves such other characters as Lekan, Rebecca and Nkechi. Hence, majority of the characters are instrumental to the punishment of one or another’s vice, while those who portray virtues are also compensated.

    The language of the novel is simple and straightforward; it is spotted with allusions to the Bible especially at the beginning, and one of the very first instances of this is found in the prologue when Justus describes his profession as “beautiful and marvelous in [his] sight, but without form and void”.

    These allusions do not come as a surprise or a shock to the reader because the title of the book itself is a peek of the religiosity of the text as it is a prelude to a prayer said by a Christian. The picture of a rosary that captures the cover page corroborates this assertion. Holistically, the author has provided a recount of corruption, not only in government but also in religion, particularly Christianity, and within organisations and among individuals who in fact, are the ones who come together to form these organisations.

    As much as the author attempts a front of punishing offenders, many of the vices, especially by some minor characters do not attract any rebuke while some virtuous ones seem overly so, almost to the point of sainthood. Hence, this creates a sharp binary characterization which is not very representative of the real world. Also, as encapsulating as the title is, it has an intense link with only a two-third of the content of book while the last portion is not directly linked with it.

    Considering the foregoing therefore, In the Name of our Father is highly recommended to students of Nigerian literature, history and religion and every person in the school of life.
    … Okhuosi is a lecturer at the Department of English, University of Ibadan, Ibadan

  • Spotting risks on line of duty

    This is not a regular review. Rather it is reminiscence…a reflection that not only warmed my pen but forces me to rethink the price of one’s calling. The musing is inspired by In The Name of Our Father, a captivating novel with unexpected twists and turns that capture the vicissitudes of life and futility of the quest for/defense of truth and justice.

    There was a time when political and economic scholars/critics blamed the military era for every wrong thing with our great country. They speculated that democracy Would usher in a huge relief. And the people hoped. “But now that democracy has been given a chance, what has become of our ‘nascent democracy”, many have been forced to ask.

    Taking his reader into a journey of political and journalism history, Olukorede S.Yishau in In The Name of Our Father, revisits the question of how leadership by both military juntas and the political class, and religion under-developed Nigeria.

    Although the novel opens with the life of a journalist, reading beyond its opening, one may be quick to tag it a book exposing the corruption that goes on in religious circle, particularly among Christian leaders. Like one on the mission to decode a puzzle, the reader is forced to read on with curiosity on what becomes of the “journalist”. From the plot to characters and their names, Yishau’s novel, in short, is a book of codes. And on what chapter the author hides the answer to “what becomes of the journalist and who is the protagonist”, you would have to read the book to find out.

    “This is not a review. No, it is not”, I told myself as I penned down thoughts on the 228-page book. After reading the book cover to cover, now that I’ve sat behind my desk to scribble my thoughts, listening to Tracy Chapman songs is not helping matters. The words: “…Please give Mr President my honest regards for disregarding me…” from Chapman’s song “Subcity” jolted me to reality, forcing my eyes back to the computer away from the book which I had begun to read for the umpteenth time in search of the specific page where “Justus Omoeko”, the journalist who is my favorite character in the book (not because he is a journalist), was lamenting over how death was now knocking on his door as a result of his pursuit of truth, and for penning down his thoughts.

    Yishau’s book brought back memories of life on the line in pursuit of truth. It resuscitated concerns I have long pushed behind my thought surfaced; and forced my attention to fears often expressed by student journalists aspiring to be penpushers – “How free is the freedom of expression”, “is the pursuit of truth worth dying for, especially ” and “to what end is the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty”, among other concerns.

    As I penned down my thoughts, In The Name of Our Father also brought to mind many who have paid with their blood for their pen. Indeed history will never forget Dele Giwa of Newswatch , Ken Saro Wiwa, The Guardian’s Bayo Ohu and The Nation’s Edo Sule Ugbagwu, Godwin Agboroko of Thisday and Enenche Akogwu of Channels Television, to mention a few.

    As if to spotlight the report by Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released last year where Nigeria was listed among 12 countries in the world where journalists are slain and the killers evade justice, Yishau’s novel not only revisits the issue, but forces the “living” and practicing journalists to watch their steps by borrowing a leaf from history.

    For its thematic preoccupation, the novel is a good material for schools and students of journalism, and can be used by media groups and non-profits to commemorate the United Nations World Press Freedom Day on May 3.

    Indeed In The Name of Our Father, written by my colleague, friend and one of my greatest cheerleaders, Yishau, “Korede” as we fondly call him, is a noteworthy feat given the busy schedule of the newsroom.

    The same eagle-eyed Korede, whose is always spotting award-winning stories/reports/columns – not those crafted by his own hands but by the hands of his colleagues, seniors and juniors alike. The “troublesome” Korede who inspires one to greatness and will trouble you to the point of submission, once he sees or hears that you have an idea or talent you are not paying attention to. The troublesome Korede is at it again.

    Without intending to, this time, beyond the confines of the newsroom, through the lives of two men –Omoeko and Alani, christened Pastor Titus Cornelius Jeremiah – the author exposes the travail of journalists in the face of “politheatrics” and ‘thievpreaching” best described as corruption in politics and religious circle in a country where the lives of its citizenry are largely undermined. But, I must state here that reading Korede’s book rekindled the feeling of pride of being a journalist and a writer within me.

    Even after telling myself while reading his novel that I will not over write by putting in the review, the countless times I and my colleagues have not only exchanged notes on risks taken for the sake of “justice”, but have also come under great risk on the line of duty, Korede’s novel threw me back just it did each time I read the book. For example, like “Omoeko”, I too have found myself in a scary situation. I remembered that taking snapshots of the injustice being meted out to a lawyer by a policeman whom he caught drinking on duty during the last election, also landed in police net but the rest is history. And I have decided not to recount but chose to end with this lines from my poem, entitled “Borrow Me your Smile”. It reads thus: “That smile of yours I must borrow/To wipe away my sorrow/The day before tomorrow/When they plan to take my biro…Borrow me your smile”.

  • I remember Frank Kokori

    Tuesday marked the 25th anniversary of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. I was fifteen at the time and old enough to remember how it all went down: the protests, the killings, the harassments and many others that I fictionally captured in my debut novel In the Name of Our Father.

    My elder brother, Olumuyiwa, and some of our fellow students at the Ansar Ud Deen Grammar School, Isaga-Orile had to walk from Arigbajo in Ogun State to Agege in Lagos in the heat of the madness the military foisted on us. But that is not the concern for today.

    Not a few figures from the Niger Delta, such as Pa Anthony Enahoro, Pa Alfred Rewane and others, played critical roles in the quest to get the despotic regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha to right Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida’s wrong. Rewane even paid with his life. He was taken out by agents of the government of the time who went to his home in a vehicle painted as though it belonged to one of his companies. Enahoro, who went on exile, returned home after democracy was restored and died. He died not long after I visited his apartment in GRA, Ikeja for an interview. He was in Benin at the time and the interview could not hold.

    But today, it is Frank Kokori, who is still alive and kicking, that I remember. The Kokori I remember today parades sterling credentials from institutions, such as the University of Ibadan and the Institute of Social Studies, The Haque Netherland (ISS) where he bagged a master’s degree (M.A) in Labour and Development Studies in 1984. Kokori was conferred with the fellowship of the Petroleum Training Institute (FPTI). For 22 years, he  was the Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer of NUPENG,  which, for me, was Nigeria’s most visible trade union.

    He is a recipient of several national and international awards, such as the revered George Meany Labour/Human Right award by the American Federation of labour/Congress of Industrial Organisation (AFL/CIO) for the most outstanding Labour Leader in the world for 1996 and the Febe Elizabeth Valasquez Trade Union/Human Right Award of the Dutch Labour Federation (FNV) for the most outstanding Labour Activist and Human Right Crusader in the world for 1998. He was declared Prisoner of Conscience by the late Nelson Mandela and Pope Saint John Paul II in 1997.

    I remember Kokori today because of his role in the struggle for democracy, which made the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Amnesty International (AI) and labour federations across the globe declare him prisoner of conscience between August 1994 and June 1998. Kokori was in solitary confinement for four consecutive years in the infamous Bama Prison. He was just dumped there with no charges preferred against him by the evil regime of Gen. Sani Abacha.

    As the secretary-general of the NUPENG, an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kokori shone. The NLC was divided and could not provide direction. There was no unity of purpose on the need to challenge the poison Babangida forced down our throats. Kokori provided leadership by rallying oil workers to challenge the annulment.

    His action provided tonic for the activities of other pro-democracy forces and it was not surprising that the Abacha junta saw him as an enemy that must be cut to size. That we still have him alive now can only be a result of God’s abiding grace.

    It was thus understandable that Kokori was ecstatic about the declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day and the honour done Chief M.K.O. Abiola who won the June 12, 1993 election, which Babangida shamelessly annulled and still tries to justify till this day.

    Kokori, in a statement thanking President Muhamamdu Buhari for the justice done on June 12, said: “First of all I thank God for everything, I thank God that today the country has finally come to end that big controversy about June 12 and May 29. I thank the president for doing that, at least, at this time. He was the least person I actually expected to do this because we had expected that during the 8 years of President Obasanjo, with the pressure at that time, with Gani Faweyinmi still alive, with people like us still active, we thought he would declare that day the national democracy day and make it a public holiday.

    “I am the happiest man in this country today because I now realise that the struggle we made, especially my union; NUPENG and PENGASSAN, was not in vain and most of us who suffered terrible deprivation at that time. I am happy to be alive this day. They even said it is above October 1 because that was the day that we really fought for freedom and I have always said it everywhere. I am one of the happiest people on earth today and I appreciate this government because it is this government to come to realize the importance of that day.

    “Before it used to be only Lagos and some Yoruba state that were recognising it, but now it is a national holiday. What a good news for me and those of us who are still alive, who fought in that struggle in the civil society and labour. I give a special tribute to my union; NUPENG and PENGASSAN. We suffered deprivation, just as people must suffer deprivation in struggle and some will pay the supreme sacrifice.

    “This is to say that no matter how long injustice lasts, at the end of the day goodness and truth will triumph. That is what has happened to us today. The significance for Nigerians is that it tells us that when you struggle for your country, such struggles are never in vain. Many have mocked us that we have been forgotten, they say those who never struggled for democracy are the ones enjoying our democracy today.

    “Today we have been recognised and though I’m no more in the union, I will want NUPENG to get involved in this from now on; all June 12, NUPENG can come out and flaunt their muscles that they were the heroes and the arrowhead of that struggle.”

    As I celebrate this great man today, I am sad that some eight months after Buhari appointed him chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), the board remains not inaugurated. I join the Urhobo Patriotic and Transparent Movement to urge Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Chris Ngige to inaugurate the board so that Nigeria can benefit from his wealth of experience.

    The group said: “Chief Frank Kokori was incarcerated for several years by late Gen. Sani Abacha while he was the Secretary General of NUPENG for refusing to call off a nationwide strike that crippled the Nigerian economy over Abiola’s June 12 struggle, it is the same person that is being denied what is due for him.

    “President Buhari appointing Chief Frank Ovie Kokori as Chairman of NSITF was as a result of the confidence and trust he repose on him as a credible statesman whose credibility is guaranteed owing to the fact that his unique leadership qualities and roles and positions he has held while in active service.”

    My final take: Kokori has a lot to offer Nigeria and he should be given all the support to serve us. Anyone standing against us benefitting from this outstanding Nigerian should have a change of mind and let us have the benefit of the Kokori touch at NSITF.

  • In the Name of our Father: Tragedy of a Soulless Society

    In the Name of our Father: Tragedy of a Soulless Society

    Reading through the pages of the novel was like responding to a summon by a kindred spirit. A true pleasure. The alluring beacons of a dreamland, urged me on, as I effortlessly journeyed along with the author.

    Through the scotching hardship of the slum dwellers; to the city, taking in, with pleasure, the seductive rhythmic wiggles of the Allen night nurses; to horrendous death beds; dreadful shrines and evil alters; ostentation. Treachery. Deceit. Tears. Laughter. Dingy cells. Suspense!

    The inscription : “To Eddy, the first copy taster. Thanks for the suggestions. ‘Korede”, written on the opening pages of my autographed copy of the recently released debut novel of my good friend, and colleague, Olukorede Yishau, entitled, “In the Name of our Father”, exploded bubbles of pleasant memories of the past, as I recollected that I had read the first draft of this book, 16 years ago. Our past in The Source. Brilliant. Productive. Unforgettable. Challenging. Nostagic.

    A past where restlessness of youth, as well as uncertainty and harshness of a wobbly economy, foisted on the nation by successive failures of leadership, were not enough to smother the blistering passion for writing, undying love for journalism, and the quest for excellence.

    The humility to learn and the uncompromising temerity to interrogate authorities and people in leadership positions, in a bid not only to hold them accountable, but also seek justice and equity in the society.

    A factor that has kept Yishau in the front role journalism till date. And shaped the writer that He has become. This glowing portrait of a committed writer, activist and social crusader, interestingly find subtle but potent expressions in this his debut novel.
    If literature is the mirror of the society, In the Name of our Father, showcases Nigeria in its ugly nakedness.

    The novel tells the tragic story of a critically sick nation. A soulless society, drowning in a sea of moral, ethical and cultural decay. A nation of banal, disappointing, disdainful, ruthlessly insensitive, abysmally irresponsible, and self-serving leaders, at different levels and diverse spheres of authorities.

    The book also lays bare the heartbroken tales of human cruelty, injustice, corruption amorality, deceit and spiritual fraud in the society in general, with biting references to some sections of the Christendom. It as well X-rays the brutality of military tyranny of the nation’s recent past. And a debased society and people in dire need of redemption.

    Written in captivating, easy flowing, short sentences, spiced with enchanting phrases, that make a pleasant reading, and easy to understand, the issues addressed in this book by the author, are nonetheless, audacious and vital in contemporary Nigerian society. While the book, catalogues various societal ills in the land, Yishau’s obvious controversial choice of the military and Christian faith ( he is a Christian) as vehicles to expose and query the myriad of social malaise bedeviling the society, is a bold statement that underscores his fearlessness as a social critic that has essentially resolved to stand with the people, in pursuit of truth, fairness and justice.

    For instance, the novel in part, zeroed in on the controversial topic of fake prophets and questionable miracles, which many might consider very touchy, obviously because of the suffocating power and influence of religion in the Nigeria society, as well as how religion has become an escape vehicle to many, who appear to seek sucour in religious folds as a result of personal, societal or economic woes.

    The major character in the book is one of such fake prophets! He is Prophet T. C Jeremiah, who was formally known as Alani, a mere abjectly poor cleaner, who was unable to feed himself or take care of his wife and only son. But his libido only matched his crass irresponsibility.

    He impregnated a young girl, the girl died during abortion. He escaped to his village where his son and wife had been abandoned. Tragically, he lost his son the same day he got to the village. Sadistically he Left a note to inform his wife that he was no longer interested in the marriage, barely few hours after their son was buried, and ran away to lagos to join a fake pastor friend.

    He was taken to a deadly cult where he was initiated and given diabolical powers to excel as a pastor, renewable every year with human sacrifice.Soon he became a mega popular and successful prophet, patronised by the high and mighty in the society, including the head of state. His transformation was swift as his propensity for evil was shocking.

    Apart from financial fraud and other forms of deceit that became the pastime of the fake man of God, the novel graphically chronicled other sordid tales of the self-professed Prophet as he got involved in murder, infidelity, blackmail and sorcery, in his desperation to retain his ill-gotten spiritual power, patronage by the rich and powerful, and relevance.

    The author of the book, a multi-award winning journalist, had said in a recent interview in Thisday, that his intention was to use the novel to “shake tables” and probable add to the discourse about the deceitful application of the word of God by some con artists masquerading as men of God, whose true and only intents is to fraudulently use the name of God to enrich themselves in the expense of gullible and desperate miracle seekers.

    Yishau stated: “I agree absolutely with Chinua Achebe that stories are not innocent. My debut In The Name of our Father is certainly not innocent. It is meant to shake tables. I am a Christian, not by birth but by conviction. I wrote the book to examine the relationship between the pulpit and power. It was also written as a way of preserving our recent past with the military. So many people are messing up Christianity and mixing it with fetish tendencies and our people are still falling for it. Even people in power fall for this. They are blinded by ambition and they seek solutions anywhere, including in the hands of fake pastors like Pastor T.C. Jeremiah. They don’t bother checking the background of the people they are seeking miracles from.”

    The novel went further to cast light on one of these fake prophets’ probable fraudulent enterprise in the form of annual new year predictions, which it suggested are only programmed to ensnare their victims, especially, big players in the political circle, thus: “At that instant, his published ‘Book of Prophesy’ came to his mind.

    In there, he too had made some claims like five serving ministers would die, petroleum scarcity would prevail; the government would insist on deregulating the downstream sector of the petroleum industry; and so on and so. And he had made quite a fortune from virtually all the serving ministers. Since he did not mention any particular name, almost all of the ministers, either directly or through proxies, visited him seeking means averting death. He had prayed for them and assured them that the host of heaven had reconsidered their plight. And to show their happiness, fortunes in the form of cash, gilts and so on, had rained down on his domain”

    In another part of the novel, questions were raised over the issues of whether churches should be made to pay tax and the money used to provide public amenities, given that some of them are run like big business enterprises, especially as some of the owners live ostentatious lifestyles.

    I consider In the Name of our Father, an interesting and relevant work. Having been privileged to have read the first draft of the book, 16 years ago, I can attest that the final work has greatly benefited from Yishau’s continuous quest for perfection and excellence and wealth of experience over the years. While many would agree that the book could produce two separate interesting novels, the creative way he fused the two plots into one enthralling narrative is ingenious.

  • In the name of our father: A bird eye view

    In the name of our father: A bird eye view

    For those who are not writers, lovers of literature or those who are not inclined to read novels beyond the surface, the debutant work of excellent journalist and Associate Editor with The Nation newspaper, Olukorede Yishau, titled in the Name of Our Father may be mistaken in its entity for the story of a fake prophet, a diabolical man and murderer who sees the calling into the vineyard of God as meal ticket and a means to end his poverty problem once and for all.

    But Yishau is a clever man. He has managed to sell the story as a call out to the shenanigans parading our religious circles. At the same time, closely woven at the beginning and ending of the story beside the story of the Prophet T.C Jeremiah, is the tragedy of Justus Omoeko, an idealist, moralist and uncompromising journalist, who realised much too late that his society is not ripe for the kind of ideals he propagates.

    Prologues are written for a purpose. They serve as kickers to the main story, but if you are like me, always in a haste to delve into the chapters, you might have missed out on Yishau’s kicker “Prologue to disaster.” It was on these pages three to seven that laid the foundation for the story, here it was that we get to know that Omoeko was the one writing about Prophet Jeremiah and that what we see as In the Name of Our Father, was a clever arrangement by the author to bring us into the just concluded novel of Omoeko titled “ Angels Live In Heaven.”

    Two worlds seen through the eyes of one man but carefully brought together, tying all the loose ends in a paragraph, in a sentence and all making sense. Genius.

    The sudden re-introduction of Omoeko following the madness of the prophet at the end might come as a huge jolt and a disconnect if you did not read the prologue, but actually that is where for me, the story began. A clever but vainly disguised reference to our recent military history, it is a story of the journalist who in my opinion represents a vast number of uncompromising Nigerians who stood against a deadly dictator and who did not soil their conscience at a time peoples’ soul was going to hell.

    The story also brings to our memory -for those old enough to remember those years and a history for those who are not- the terrible past and legacy of one of Nigeria’s most autocratic and sadistic ruler. We were treated to a first-class account of what prison life would have been under the despotic ruler.

    It is however sad to see that much of the conditions described in the prison are unfortunately still with us or they have become worse. Also, the optimism, the hope enthused by Omoeko about the future is now a mirage.

    Reading the enthusiasm of the soldiers, that a better tomorrow beckons once the maximum ruler is out of the picture makes me feel I wasn’t reading about Nigeria, but some far-away country where hope can become a reality. If this book claims anything of a prophecy about the future of Nigeria, in that it failed and we will expect another, a sequel perhaps that will not be so sanguine about the prospects of a failed giant of Africa.

    The author has done us a great favour by writing In the Name of Our Father, in simple, easy to read language. He also related it so well by using contemporary everyday imagery and storyline to convey a very important message that we all feel we are actors in the book and one can pick his or her own roles.

    Take this, for instance: “They bundled me to the car, a 504 salon car. We passed Obalende; we joined the Third Mainland Bridge; and I kept wondering where these people were taking me to. I did not know. But I was sure danger was very close. Not with the kind of thrash Biliaminu had earlier discussed with me.

    “Soon we were on the way to the airport. Could they be taking me to the airport? I asked myself. The only way to be sure was to ask them. But I was not ready to risk another slap again.

    “Time soon clarified the misty circumstance, as the car glided to a halt at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. Some soldiers were there waiting. The SSS boys handed me over to them and vamoosed.

    “Thirty minutes later I was on board a presidential jet, it was a very small jet. And I guessed it must be the smallest of all the jets in the presidential fleet. But I did not know where they were taking me to. After about ten minutes of being in the air, the soldier who was sitting close to me started chatting me up.”

    Also, it is easy to assume that the end of Prophet TC Jeremiah was madness and a one-way ticket to the Aro Psychiatric Hospital in Abeokuta. Far from it, the eventual end of the prophet was concealed from us till the very last paragraph of the book. “I also forgave his now pauperised ex-boss, who committed all sorts of atrocities and performed fake miracles in the name of our father-our father in heaven,” Yishau wrote.

    Overall, I think it is two books in one, through the name of our father, we see indeed that angels live in heaven and earth is no abode for the celestial.