"I won't think like it that..." If I were the author. Akudaaya is a work of brilliant composition! I sometimes wonder whether there are writers that will take the place of men such as Chinua Achebe in our generation, I no longer have the right to worry about that. Muyiwa Joseph has reignited the passion of old, the desire to unlock the mysteries of this world in contemporary situations! Even at the end, John, the realist is confused about all that has happened. I feel very much like him. Who will ever explain this world fully without confusing the listener and leaving some aspects blank?
Yemi was supposed to be successful after graduating from University; Folake and Omolola were supposed to be dead; Agemo was supposed to be revered; Kayode was supposed to be in the shrine of Agemo; and James Arowolo was supposed to be an averagely successful man but all of this didn't happen this way in Muyiwa's world. Muyiwa made all the "if's" come alive! In fact, he went too far, very far that he made the ending so unpredictable!
This isnt Yemi's story, or Omolola's story, or King Enitan, neither is it Folake's story, this is story of a story, a story many of us do not want to happen to us in our story!
The message that "Family is first", " Real friends are scarce", "Vanity does not pay" amongst others are reechoed in this book.
Whether or not Akudaaya exist, Muyiwa makes a very strong case that we are not alone in this world! Travelling the world of Akudaaya, a world made up of men, women, gods and a living-dead that can love and be afraid, you cannot fail to notice that this story is closely related to one you've seen or heard before! Is it not common that many people blame their woes on the witches of their village? Or is it new that there is that one person that wants to see your downfall? (In this case, Yemi's mother)
Akudaaya will affect the lenses with which you use to see the world, especially as a Nigerian!
While it may be difficult to abandon the works of Achebe and Co in African literature, writers like Muyiwa Joseph are on the path of becoming a voice for African Culture through literature!
A staggering question for me is "Where are the gods?" Did civilization overpower them or did another God overpower them? While we search for the answer, we must never forget the hideous lessons in the gods of old, the lesson that Someone else is interested in our world.
In this present world, reality presents us with just two options, whether to be like The Chief Priest who rejects truth and defends the gods even when they are silent, or to be like the Elders who understood the times and did what ought to be done! If evil exist, as it does, then there is Light and that Light chases the darkness.
The only regret after reading Akudaaya is that I wish it was me who wrote this book! Do not let your only regret be that you didn't read it!
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