EFURU... WEDLOCK OF THE GODS

EFURU. By Flora Nwapa

WEDLOCK OF THE GODS. By Zulu Sofola

Notes by Madolyn Chukwu

The first time I read a Flora Nwapa novel - this one - I was incredibly excited. I was already aware of Achebe, but my gut feeling told me that this woman was a better writer! Maybe it was a case of woman to woman...but further studies showed me that the world at large (men of course) considered Achebe to be a much better writer. For me it was like a case of "419" - West Africans would realise what I mean. Or maybe there should be a law banning men from pronouncing on, criticising works by women? Even now I do not think it is sour grapes. Nwapa did show the world in her novels of many decades ago that she is a magnificent writer. Just try to read her works and juxtapose them with how Achebe projects women in his novels...no contest at all, I think . Buchi Emecheta too and her very powerful novels...she even published more of such works than Achebe. Don't get me wrong I have the utmost respect for Achebe. But he was a literary genius, just like Nwapa and Emecheta. He might even have helped Nwapa in getting published...but my point is that Nwapa's books, characters, delineation of women should be treasured too...penned by an insider!

Our pioneering women writers like this inspire me…they are literary legends. I do not understand why Zulu Sofola and Nwapa had to die rather prematurely. Come to think of it, so did Ghana’s Efua Sutherland too. But they all made their mark as literary pioneers. Sofola’s poignant Wedlock of the gods is another excellent work of imagination here; gripping drama