4 out of 4 stars
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In the years after her independence, Nigeria was regarded as a land flowing with milk and honey. Abundant natural resources, a talented population, and good climate are just a few of Nigeria's many blessings. However, with a high level of poverty, decaying infrastructure, poor economy, and a poor health care system, Nigeria has not lived up to its potential by any measure. What could be the reasons behind the current state of Nigeria? The general consensus is that corruption, diversity, religion, the system of government, and an ever-growing population are the root causes of the situation Nigeria finds herself in today. In Nigeria's Odyssey, Dele Owolowo exposes the falseness of these claims and shows us the cause of Nigeria's problems, while offering practical solutions to these problems.
As a concerned Nigerian who has seen things go from bad to worse in my country, making the decision to pick up this book was a no-brainer. I have read quite a few similar articles and books to Nigeria's Odyssey, and whenever I'm done reading them I feel like there is little to no hope of a better future for Nigeria. However, this book stands out in a lot of ways compared to other books. The author's humour was the first thing that I liked about this book. He expertly used relatable jokes from the onset to help ease the tension one might have while reading.
It is one thing to point out or criticize Nigeria's problems, and it is another thing to offer practical solutions to those problems. In the author's words, "Criticism is useless without better alternatives". At the beginning of the book, Dele gives us a chart on how the country can achieve end goals (Industrialization, agricultural self-sufficiency, and development of agro-allied industries for mass employment and export) that will put us in a much better position. He goes on to explain the chart in detail. He also cited examples of countries that have developed after experiencing similar or worse situations than Nigeria and showed how we can learn from them.
The author does well to mention and commend sectors in Nigeria that have thrived, like the banking and entertainment sectors. Some parts of the book are written in Nigerian pidgin. While this makes the book even more relatable to the Nigerian audience, people who do not understand Nigerian pidgin may find it hard to navigate through those parts of the book. The book is professionally edited. It contained very few errors and none of them affected my reading. There wasn't anything I disliked about Nigeria's Odyssey.
Overall, Nigeria's Odyssey was an enlightening experience. It also helped me expand my vocabulary with words and expressions like raison d'etre, blase, moribund, sine qua non, and jingoisms to name a few. In these times of little to no hope that Nigeria will reach her potential, when the belief amongst the masses is that only God can save Nigeria, Nigeria's Odyssey is the eye-opener that the country needs. The eye-opener to show us that our fate lies in our own hands. I implore all Nigerians to read this book, especially people in positions of power. People interested in learning a thing or two about Nigeria will also find this book interesting. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Dele for President!
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Nigeria's Odyssey
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