Book: Satans and Shaitans
Author: Obinna Udenwe
Publisher: Jacaranda Books
Price: £8.99
Review by Ola Awonubi
As a child growing up in Nigeria we would stand to attention at assembly under the eagle-eyed glare of our teachers and recite the National Pledge.
I pledge to Nigeria my country
To be faithful loyal and honest
To serve Nigeria with all my strength and defend her unity.
So help me God.
I don’t know whether we believed what we were saying, or whether we were just scared of what the teachers would do to us if we didn’t obey. One thing we never envisaged, though, was a Nigeria pulled apart by religious strife, or a government unable to defend its unity, or a nonchalant ruling class far removed from the everyday “suffering and smiling” masses in the south. Or even Boko Haram pummelling the north east, and other key towns, into submission with bombings and kidnappings.
Throw unemployment, poverty and a society that worships achievement, money and status into the mix and you are left with all the ingredients of a cauldron threatening to brew over. Against this backdrop enter the protagonists of Obinna Udenwe’s first novel Satans and Shaitans – Adeline Chuba (the daughter of a leading evangelist) and Donaldo Amechi, the only son of a chief and industrialist.
Being the progeny of illustrious parents isn’t a guarantee of happiness. They are broody and given to introspection while being constantly kept under lock and key under the watchful eyes of bodyguards. One might be tempted chalk their behaviour down to the ‘poor rich kid syndrome’. The reality couldn’t be more different.
Both of their fathers are part of a deadly cultish organisation which calls itself The Sacred Order of the Universal Forces. Both their fathers are charming sociopaths with a habit of turning deadly if anyone gets in the way of their plan to gain control of their country, exploiting an Islamic terrorist organisation along the way. With members drawn from leading politicians, academics and key religious figures from the major Nigerian tribes, The Sacred Order plots to destabilise the country for its own purpose.
Amid all the scheming, Adeline falls deeply in love with Donaldo, but knows they have to keep their relationship a secret. With their controlled lifestyle this goal proves difficult. When the chief finds out, the Sacred Order instructs Adeline to be sacrificed and she is ‘kidnapped’ with tragic consequences.
Udenwe’s strong characterisation convincingly captures the extent to which both fathers have traded in the little humanity they have in exchange for wealth and power. With a great eye for description, the beauty of the surrounding Ishieke and Williams Island (the fictitious area in Eastern Nigeria where the families live) is brought to life. The dialogue, especially when focused on The Sacred Order’s ruthless plotting, makes this book a page turner.
The novel is fast paced and keeps you gripped until the very end. Udenwe’s writing is so precise and clear that you have to remind yourself that you are reading fiction, not fact considering Nigeria’s turbulent political situation.
Udenwe also shows an admirable grasp of the two main religions in Nigeria (Islam and Christianity) and reveals how powerful figures misinterpret and exploit these faiths to create factions and rivalries between the tribes and different regions for their own gain.
I would have welcomed more chemistry between the young lovers as I found their romance a bit unconvincing at times. By the end of the book they hadn’t made a lasting impression. The female characters could have been more robust. Apart from Madam Vero, Adeline, Donaldo’s mother Christiana and Chuba’s wife Franca come across as victims.
That said, I look forward to reading more from this author, especially in the crime mystery genre. A great read, Undenwe is a young writer to watch out for.
Ola Awonubi is an award-winning short story writer. Her latest novel, Love’s Persuasion, is available from ankarapress.com. You can find out more about her work at easytowrite.wordpress.com