“While our own ‘dear native land’ must claim credit from inspiring the sub-series The Republic of Liars within the general series of interventions… There are challengers and even-champions – elsewhere, seeking to wrest the laurel of lies from our own inspirational nation.
Within these pages, I present my chastening paracletes and their industry – from the world of sophisticates of modern intellection.”
The tussle between Power and office is historically notorious, even banal, and the comeuppance for the later, Office, is well deserved if it becomes negligent and irresponsible, thus opening itself to legitimate challenge from any source, even seemly powerless
“Basic education, sometimes known as Home Upbringing matters, and nurturing remains a dedicated undertaking. Internet accessibility is no substitute. Like the lyrics of that ancient Lagosian song ‘Eko gb’ole o gb’ole’, the Internet accommodates robbers and indolent in equal, non-discriminating measures. The fact however remains that facts do remain facts, and one incontestable fact is that at no time did WS make any pronouncement, public or private, that invited any of these posturing mutants to come and “play with him”, least of all on a bicycle that even he has never considered his, only borrowed for a term, liable to be reclaimed or relinquished by either contracting party.” Taken somewhat aback by the unexpectedly viral response which accompanied his decision to keep his promise to destroy his American Green Card, if Donald Trump was elected president, Soyinka – with the help of a few other contributors to this volume – takes on his trolls – online as well as off.
A follow-up to the earlier volume, Soyinka is just as cutting and acerbic, as he takes on his bêtes noire in ‘The Republic of Liars’; and as usual, he pulls no punches.
The Nigerian state is bedevilled by various scourges: the constant thirst for – and abuse of – power by governments and individuals alike, is posing a great threat to freedom more than ever before in the country; Religion is in a perpetual supremacy contest with Nationhood; and ‘Rituals’ – the latest being the Nigerian Centenary Celebration – have come to be very effective in concealing the reality of decay going on around. And where is the average Nigerian in all these? Obscured and the so-called heroes among them? They have been dismissed and shouted into anonymity by the very ones who are supposed to lend them their voices.
This compilation contains three lectures delivered by Professor Wole Soyinka on recent developments in the Nigerian polity which call for well-informed critical analysis. And, true to the very nature of the great writer, these essays are nothing short of intelligence, eloquence and profundity.
This special, large-format, lavishly-illustrated edition of Things Fall Apart, ‘Africa’s best loved novel’, is a timely tribute to ‘the father of modern African Literature’. It is published to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of a book now considered a classic of African and World Literature. This edition uniquely blends the enduring simplicity of Achebe’s tale with the creative visual talents of some of Nigeria’s best and bright contemporary artists. The result is a book that will appeal to lovers of African Literature and Art the world over. A treasured testament to the art of story-telling, Things Fall Apart Illustrated is bound to become a collector’s item.
Zino and Mado are long-time friends embarking on the most daring and unforgettable journey of their lives – to seek out greener pastures across the Sahara and the Mediterranean. Right from the start, it is a journey rife with the most insurmountable of challenges, which often end in the demise or destruction of one of their many fellow travellers – yet, they keep going.
Tent 59 captures and beautifully articulates the desperation, that is the migrant journey through the eyes of one man, from Port Harcourt to Lampedusa, and beyond.
Since the very beginning, God’s design for marriage is for husbands and wives to be ambassadors of holy love to a hurting world. Still, so many couples stop short at happy and wonder why they feel unsatisfied. Rather than “you and me against the world,” God calls each couple to the rich and meaningful mission of “you and me for the world.”
Aaron and Jennifer Smith, popular marriage bloggers at HusbandRevolution.com and UnveiledWife.com, transparently share their journey from a marriage in crisis to a marriage built on Christ’s redemptive love. Through fresh biblical insight and intimate stories of their own struggles and victories, this book will guide you toward a God-centered, ministry-minded, and thriving marriage. In these pages you will . . .
– Discover the signature marks of a marriage after God
– Find principles for building an unshakable marriage foundation
– Learn how to let God’s story take the lead in your love story
– Recognize the tools God has already equipped you with for a missional life together
– Filled with helpful illustrations, this thorough and practical book will empower you and your spouse to dream, decide, and do as you step hand in hand into God’s ultimate purpose for your marriage.
Your oneness is also meant for witness. God has purposed your remarkable, romantic, and redemptive relationship to be a powerful light to a dark and hurting world. This is your invitation to marriage as God intended–a life-saving, hope-inspiring, and transforming force of God’s love.
When Alaafin Abiodun Adegolu died, the Oyo Empire was in a slow decline. The provincial chiefs who helped him defeat the tyrannical Bashorun Gaa had grown in power and the Oyo chiefs were more politicians than warriors. So, when the Oyo Mesi selected a provincial prince, Aole Arogangan to ascend the throne of his fathers, they believed they had an Alaafin they could control.
But Aole had different ideas and he sought to restore the glory of the empire and the supremacy of the Alaafin as its emperor. In this, however, his ambitions clashed with those of Afonja, the powerful provincial chief of war camp, Ilorin. Afonja had been promised the office of Aare Ona Kakanfo of all the Oyo forces by the Oyo chiefs in order to secure his support for Aole’s ascension. He would stop at nothing to take what he believed was his by right.
Afonja – The Rise is the story of how the clashes of these two men and the intrigue of the others around them transformed what was a slow decline into a race of the empire towards its collapse. In Afonja – The Rise, we tell their stories first as what they were – men and women living their lives, warring, scheming and loving in ways that will be familiar to the reader – beyond their roles as actors in the epic history of the great Oyo Empire.
Beyond Aesthetics is a passionate discussion of the role of identity, tradition, and originality in making , collecting, and exhibiting African art today. Soyinka considers objects that have stirred controversy, and he decries dogmatic efforts – whether colonial or religious – to suppress Africa’s artistic traditions. By turns poetic, provocative and humorous, Soyinka affirms the power of collecting to reclaim tradition. He urges African artists, filmmakers, collectors, and curators to engage with their aesthetic mand cultural histories.
True leadership is about character – this is the key to winning ‘the right way’.
In a world where we’re bombarded by messages of ‘winning at any cost’, dishonest politicians, CEOs committing fraud, disgraced military commanders and cheating athletes, integrity matters more than ever. The Character Edge explains the powerful role character plays in trust, culture and leadership, and offers readers tools to exercise and strengthen their own.
Reaching from the battlefield to the classroom and beyond, former superintendent of West Point Robert Caslen and professor of psychology Dr Michael Matthews explore the vital link between strong character and strong leadership, and explain why the latter cannot exist without the former.
Hortensia and Marion are next door neighbours in a charming, bougainvillea-laden Cape Town suburb. One is black, one white. Both are successful women with impressive careers behind them. Both have recently been widowed. Both are in their eighties. And both are sworn enemies, sharing hedge and hostility prined with zeal.
But one day an unforeseen event forces the women together. Could long-held mutual loathing transform into friendship?
Love thy neighbour? Easier said than done.
Simi is sent to stay with her grandmother in a remote village deep in the forests of Nigeria. Witch-like and tight-lipped about the past, her grandmother hints at a tragic family secret – but won’t tell Simi the truth. Simi is desperate to discover it for herself, but it’s only when she’s caught in the red quicksand of a forbidden lake that her adventure truly begins. Along with new friends, Jay and Bubu, Simi must bring her family back together and restore peace to the village.
