A GRAIN OF WHEAT. By Ngugi wa Thiong'o

The author Ngugi is of course one of Africa's greatest ever writers. This is one of his early books, and an earlymasterpiece. But my concern here is the very tender moving love story between Gikonyo the carpenter, and Mumbi the village belle as it were. Gikonyo loves her from the beginning and his attraction for her increases as she becomes a young woman. He somewhat feels inferior to her, but works wholeheartedly on a gift he is fashioning for her. Would she like it? His joy knows no bounds when she does; and we can revel in this descriptions :

'For a moment she (Mumbi) stood there admiring the new handle ...she pranced towards the hut shouting "Mother! Come and see!" 'Sweet warmth swelled up in Gikonyo. Joy pained him. His work was done. For Mumbi's smile, for that look of appreciation, he would go on making chairs, tables, cupboards; restore leaking roofs and falling houses; repair doors and windows in all Thabai without a cent in return. He would never make money, he would remain poor, but he would have her...' How sweet - Madolyn Chukwu

30 Years Journey Towards My Ambitious Dream. By Tshepo Kukuni

BOOKS, BARDS, AND BARBS. By O. Bolaji

BOOKS BARDS AND BARBS. By O Bolaji

THE TROUBLE WITH NIGERIA. By Chinua Achebe

TWO EXCERPTS FROM THIS BOOK:

"Many Presidents, especially Third World Presidents, do not live in their country. One of the penalties of exalted power is loneliness. Harnessed to the trappings of protocol and blockaded by a buffer of grinning courtiers and sycophants, even a good and intelligent leader will gradually begin to forget what the real world looks like...."

"Nigeria is NOT a great country. It is one of the most disorderly nations in the world. It is one of the most corrupt, insensitive, inefficient places under the sun ... It is dirty, callous, noisy, ostentatious, dishonest and vulgar. In short, it is among the most unpleasant places on earth!" Achebe does not pull his punches in this work!