Table of Contents
Summary
The novel is that portrays the corruption and crime in our country violence goes on in the name of justice. The embezzlement of funds collaboration with the crime perpetrators and the smoothening of these crimes with more bribe and the degrading of the innocent lives to be punished for the crimes of others. The life exposed how life still goes on eve, as the violence and corruption and all other social evil go on around us in the society.
Plot
The novel is an episodic novel and it begins with Doye Koko Alias pough boy, kidnapped Brian many who was the manager of the imperial oil company in Asiama.
The kidnapping of many by the Asiama imperial oil company was demanded for fifteen million Naria as a ransom to release brian manning and this brought about the involvement of Amaibi, who was asked by Dough boy to bring the ransom but he refused but later conceded to the request when asked by Peter Tubo Joseph.
Amabi, Doye, Peter and Kaniye were all childhood friends but with time, they all drifted apart, when Amaibi came with the ransom he was given the corpse of manning to go with manning had died of heart attack while in custody.
As soon as he died, imperial oil company now needed a culprit to blame Doye as a token gave Amaibi the sum of one million Naira but Amaibi rejected it, he had one of his boys. Summing Whyte known as snow white was asked to pay it into Amaibi’s bank account and this led to Amaibi’s arrest. Amaibi was accused of being Doye’s accomplice in the kidnapping and the money paid into his account was evidence Knaye was incrusted to be Amaibi lawyer albeit their problems and difference while Tubo was indecisive, Kanye was recruiteds by Deola Oluwagba mile, a lady who always visited the prison to help solve the problems of the prisoner.
Kaniye requested for help from his father, sir Chief James Fimiye Kenebi Rufus and was given some assistance despite the rite between father and son.
Tubo remembered the past, he narrated the history of the town Asiama island and also how it led to his birth. He was given brith to by a prostitution whilke Kanye was the son of the mistress of Sir James. Imperial oil company. How the Amayanabo sold the Ofisisma Island where the fishermen, fished and kept their tools. He also tells of his father’s lackadaisical attitude to his upbringing but interest and lust after his mum, Ero.
Doye also tells us the story of Soboye, his brother, who decided to bunker oil but died in the process. The oil spill in the River which polluted the river and killed the fishes. He also lost the chance of getting a common wealth scholarship but not a chance at higher education following Soboyes’s death.
They all finally went to school Amaibi to London to study geology; Doye to study petroleum Engineering at University of science and Technology Portharcourt, Tubo to study History at University of Portharcourt, while Kaniye studied law going with his father’s wishers.
Back to the present, Amaibi’s case proceeds without bail. Tubo decides to testify against Amaibi due to the fact that he also was part of the racket, who collected some money from the ransom paid to released the kidnapped. Tubo was threatened by Wali, a Government secret service officer. His indiscretions were to be revealed if he didn’t testify against Amaibi.
The first witness, a policeman, Earnest idahosa gave a false testimony against Amaibi and this was revealed by Kaniye. Wali and Tubo’s testimonies were also disregarded as false after both tripped up while giving false testimonies. Amaibi was urged by Kaniye to lie and as so get his freedom but Amaibi refused for while in prison he got back his faith in God and decided to be honest no matter what it might cost.
Kaniye goes on to woo Deola while Dise, Amaibi’s estranged wife, comes back to support her husband.
Taken back to the past once more, it is the year 1997 when Amaibi and Dise got married. There is another oil spill in Asiama River and Amaibi, Kaniye and Dise gets involved. They protest and file a lawsuit for compensation from imperial Oil. Dise was pregnant at the time. Chief Ikaki who was a representatives of the state and imperial oil and also one of the Amayanabo’s Chief was always on the loop when anything happen in Asiama. He used his position to stuff and embezzle money. due to Amaibi and kaniye’s interference, the fishermen slighted were paid the compensation directly and this slighted and offended Chief Ikaki.
Chief Ikaki asked his boys to stop and block the following oil in the imperial oil company. When asked to help, he asked for soliders who came down to Asiama Island and oppressed the people. they killed, beat up and maimed many. Dise was raped and she had a miscarriage. This led to her estrangement with her husband. Amaibi’s dad was blinded and Doye’s dad shot dead on that day to.
Bringing us back to the present, Dise was granted an interview which she had and after wards, when she had left, Doye was murdered by a tractor in his organization, his second-in-command, Kabaonge.
Kaniye was alerted by Wah on the death of Doye. After Kaniye identified Doye’s body, Wali out of his conceived success bragged about how he set up Amaibi and Doye without the knowledge that his conversation was recorded. Wali also took Doye’s body to an unknown place and it was never found again.
Armed with Wali’s confession, Kaniye met up with Ikuru, the prosecution attorney and asked him to withdraw his case on Amaibi. Ikuru conceded to his request after listening to the recorded tape and being threatened by Kaniye. The charges on Amaibi were dropped and Wali was prosecuted for perjury.
Amibi underwent an operation to amputate his decaying leg, Kaniye finally wins over Deola’s hear but lost his dad. Sir James kicked the bucket when he had a heart attack. All who had their lives in jeopardy due to the crisis befallen Amaibi had their lives coming into focus once more.
Characters
Amaibi Akassa: he is the protagonist. He is the son of Catechist Akassa. He is an environmental consultant and activist. He was al;so a lecturer. He was the estranger husband of Dide, a childhood friend to Tubo, Doye and Kaniye. He was chosen by Doye Alisa Doughboy to be the middle man, the person to bring the ransom in Doy’s kidnapping. Due to his involvement through Tubo Doye’s persistence, he hot farmed by Wali for a crime he didn’t commit.
In agony, he turned to God and surrendered his father fate to him . he retracted and retraced his views on life and violence while in prison. He got back with wife after justice prevailed. He lost a leg but was a survivor after all he went through.
Doye: Doye Koko Alisa Doughboy was a man who once had dreams as a child but was shattered when he witnesses some criminal and violent acts by the government and the raping of his fatherland by the same government. The suffering of his people and him gave rise to the ideology of gets his own share of the national cake through violence. He is the leader of the AFA, Asrama freedom Army. He was an oil bunker expatiate and also a kidnapper. He was a childhood friend of Amaibi. His offer of one million naira paid into Amaibi’s bank was the noose tied around Amaibi’s neck. With his death came his recognition as a hero and a martyr which was ironical despite the fact that his violent character never portrayed him as such in life. he was the realist while Amaibi was the idealist.
Deola Oluwagbamila: She is presented as an intern, a medical student doing her service. A God-fearing, caring, kind and beautiful lady. She captures the heart of kaniye and also falls in love with. She is the support of Kaniye and Amaibi in their fight for justice.
Kanyi Rufus: Kaniye is the bastard son of Sir james and Ero. He is one who is always cheerful with life when in joy or sorrow. He loved his mother but kept his father at a distance due to his dad’s indifference to him and his mum’s living conditions,. He is also presented as one who does all to protect his loved ones such as his mother, his sister, Dise, and Deola e.t.c. he becomes a lawyer due to his father’s wish but does not practice. He takes up Amaibi case despite their dispute. He is portrayed as one who stands for justice.
Wali: he is portrayed as the antagonist, he and the government he represented. He is a corrupt official and tends to embezzlement money through the ransom deals. He is the one that framed Amaibi and order for death. He is also the one who threatened Tubo and made him to lie against Amibi in court, he represents the corrupt government system in our society today.
Themes
Theme of Violence: This can be seen in the raid in 1997 when the innocent were killed or maimed or beaten to stupor. Some women were also raped someone like Dise was raped. It is also depicted in Amaibi’s arrest, how he was beaten up and short on the leg with claims that he was resisting arrest. Such were the acts and many more of violence shown in the novel.
Theme of Bribery and Corruption: This theme was portrayed clearly in Wali, Chief Ikaki, Prosecutor Ikuru and more character in the novel. Kaniye bribes the wardersa so as to get Aminbi a special care. Warders are also to be bribed so as to bring suspect to court. Chief Ikaki who embezzles money without any charge brought against him has to be bribed so that he can allow the oil production continued. Prosecutor ikuru despite knowing the truth on Amaibi’s case builds a case based on his and attempt to convict n innocent on crimes not committed just to get promotion of being the Attorney General. It was great way of clarifying the ills on the society.
Themes of Hypocrisy: This theme is portrayed in Deola’s relationship with a married pastor, a man of god, who feels no guilt in committing adultery but keeps on preaching to other not to commit adultery it is also seen in the action and decision of the Anglican church which king Sir James for his philanthropist attitude to the church despite knowing that he had two mistresses. It is also prese4nted in the place of the Amayanado and t6he actions of the Chiefs.
Theme of Oppression: The people of Asiama Island were Cleary oppresses, the oil was been drilled from their Island but they were the poor ones. They had no light, no water roads or medical centers. The schools they had were they built by the Catholic and Anglican churches. They were neglected by the Government and their leaders were focused on carting away the money for themselves. They suffered from oil spoil, lost their means of live hood, were victimized but never raised their voice to cry out and refuse this act. The author vividly gave a good picture of oppression, the gap between the bourgeoisies and the prolecterates
There are also various themes such as:
- Theme of Greed
- Theme of Misconception