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| Ogaba and the enchanted cave |
Ogaba
and the Enchanted Cave is a quite easy-to-read yet elegant prose targeted for
pre-teens and early teenagers. The vocabulary is concise, adequate and fitting
for that demographic. Perhaps what is more endearing about the text is its
capacity to weave timeless human values into the narrative while placing
premium on them. Values such as hardwork, cleanliness, politeness,
cheerfulness, wisdom, and the like are rewarded when being practiced especially
by children. For example, Ogaba’s cleanliness and wisdom fetches him liberty
from the Ojujus.
Worthy
of note is the environmental consciousness of the writer who brings to the fore
the geography, flora, and fauna typically obtainable in the middle belt of
Nigeria such as the great Benue River, the Cattle and nomads, as well as the
vegetation of the place. His love for plants, especially flowers comes out more
vividly.
The
writer himself is not new to the craft of children’s literature. In fact, he
could be said to be dexterous in the craft. His first book, Agbenu and the Forest Spirits (initially
published in 2005), is currently a recommended text by Universal Basic
Education (UBEC) for use in Nigerian secondary schools. His other book, A Miracle for Daddy (2015), was
shortlisted for the highly coveted Nigerian NLNG Prize for Children’s
Literature. It is then easy to foresee Obande’s Ogaba and Enchanted Cave take up a space among Nigerian children’s
literature classics as well as its celebration in the near future. Posterity
will surely include Sunny Jack Obande’s name in the Children’s Literature
authors’ hall of fame.
Censorship
of children’s literature, especially Nigerian children’s literature, is quite
imperative in the face encroaching global cultures that could affect moral
values upheld nationally. Obande’s Ogaba
and the Enchanted Cave doesn’t contain any controversy that could lead to
any censorship. This means that the book is safe for both children and adults
to read. Researchers in the field of Children’s literature will also find the
text as an invaluable material for research. On the whole, it is an
unforgettable read.
Sunny Jack Obande
Obande Sunny Jack
is the author of Agbenu and the Forest
Spirits (Apex, Lagos 2005, new edition by Human Change Communication,
2018. Third edition printed by Advance Publishers, Kaduna 2018, in
collaboration with Universal Basic Education (UBEC) for use in secondary
schools in Nigeria.
Obande
is also the author of A Miracle for Daddy
(Accomplish Press, UK, 2015). A Miracle
for Daddy was shortlisted for the prestigious Nigerian NLNG Prize for
Children’s Literature. He is an alumnus of the NLNG Masterclass in Children’s
Literature.
--Reviewer, Bizuum Yadok is the
Chairman, Plateau Writers Society (PLAWS) and author of King of the Jungle,
and, Echoes of the Plateau.
Sunny Jack Obande
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