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blessing_aj's review
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Defining what Nigeria means to a Nigerian is such a complicated task, but these contributors did absolute justice to it. The essays in here are so good, both in terms of form and content, I had to read some twice before moving on and I’m pretty sure it’s a book I’ll keep returning to.
sir_presh's review
5.0
What an absolute delight to read!
I don't think of myself as a Nigerian; my identity is not tied to any nationality or ethnic group. I don't know why that is, but it is what it is. However, I read most of the essays in this book with a smile here and a chuckle there. Like Caleb Femi says in his essay, "who of us can say they truly know this country? No one does...The only Nigeria a Nigerian knows is the one they knew in their own homes." But despite this, I found a shared denominator, especially with the writers who wrote about Southern Nigerian (West, East, and South). I'd nod in agreement when they talked about something I recognized, something so Nigerian even I could not have extricated myself from it. Mentions of the poor facilities at NYSC orientation camps, the countless (and pointless) checkpoints on the road leaving Lagos to the south, and Lagos itself, amongst other things, was like the unmistakable aroma of Nigerian party Jollof.
I haven’t and still do not read a lot of Nigerian authors. Still, this anthropology of essays has impressed me that Nigerian authors are brilliant with words. Naija no dey carry last! I will be looking to check out some of these authors soon.
I don't think of myself as a Nigerian; my identity is not tied to any nationality or ethnic group. I don't know why that is, but it is what it is. However, I read most of the essays in this book with a smile here and a chuckle there. Like Caleb Femi says in his essay, "who of us can say they truly know this country? No one does...The only Nigeria a Nigerian knows is the one they knew in their own homes." But despite this, I found a shared denominator, especially with the writers who wrote about Southern Nigerian (West, East, and South). I'd nod in agreement when they talked about something I recognized, something so Nigerian even I could not have extricated myself from it. Mentions of the poor facilities at NYSC orientation camps, the countless (and pointless) checkpoints on the road leaving Lagos to the south, and Lagos itself, amongst other things, was like the unmistakable aroma of Nigerian party Jollof.
I haven’t and still do not read a lot of Nigerian authors. Still, this anthropology of essays has impressed me that Nigerian authors are brilliant with words. Naija no dey carry last! I will be looking to check out some of these authors soon.
frombethanysbookshelf's review
4.0
How do you fully capture the essence of a country? Of a culture? Of home?
Well, Of This Our Country is here and has done a beautiful job of just that - bringing 24 acclaimed Nigerian writers together to share their collective memories, thoughts and observations about Nigeria and bringing light to a country not many of us know alot about.
Through honest, personal accounts, these writers bring us their unique experiences of growing up in or away from Nigeria, and their reflections of the country from the beautiful to the problematic. From learning about childbirth and childhood, to the culture surrounding food, to superstition, to politics - this honest memoir encapsulates the many aspects of a culture and shows us a multi-faceted account of what it is to be Nigerian.
"It's one thing to know the history of your home country. It's another thing to know your homes history of your home country." - Home History.
From the poetic and emotional, to the factual and informative - each essay stands out on it's own merit and style. Now of course, with twenty-four writers, you may not enjoy every essay and I definitely favoured certain ones but you will definitely be able to find one that will resonate with you.
To an extent it's always difficult to review someones own truth, especially one you've not lived yourself, but whether you're a reader who doesn't know much about Nigera or someone who already has love for the country and is looking for something familiar, this is definitely a must-read.
I have no relationship with Nigera, nor have I ever visited ... but reading this left me homesick for a country I've never seen.
Well, Of This Our Country is here and has done a beautiful job of just that - bringing 24 acclaimed Nigerian writers together to share their collective memories, thoughts and observations about Nigeria and bringing light to a country not many of us know alot about.
Through honest, personal accounts, these writers bring us their unique experiences of growing up in or away from Nigeria, and their reflections of the country from the beautiful to the problematic. From learning about childbirth and childhood, to the culture surrounding food, to superstition, to politics - this honest memoir encapsulates the many aspects of a culture and shows us a multi-faceted account of what it is to be Nigerian.
"It's one thing to know the history of your home country. It's another thing to know your homes history of your home country." - Home History.
From the poetic and emotional, to the factual and informative - each essay stands out on it's own merit and style. Now of course, with twenty-four writers, you may not enjoy every essay and I definitely favoured certain ones but you will definitely be able to find one that will resonate with you.
To an extent it's always difficult to review someones own truth, especially one you've not lived yourself, but whether you're a reader who doesn't know much about Nigera or someone who already has love for the country and is looking for something familiar, this is definitely a must-read.
I have no relationship with Nigera, nor have I ever visited ... but reading this left me homesick for a country I've never seen.
afilmfatale's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
A complex collection of essays showcasing political, social and nuanced realities of being Nigerian