Book Review: Ogadinma Or, Everything Will be All Right by Ukamaka Olisakwe

By Obaje Manasseh Charles

Ogadinma Or, Everything Will be All Right, narrates the quintessential struggle of young women in early-post-independence Nigeria. The story starts off with the sexual abuse of the protagonist, who is a young, innocent and naïve girl of seventeen aspiring to be admitted into the university. Several ill-fated events followed after her abuse; the young girl's dream to obtain a university education was halted, and she became pregnant with an unwanted pregnancy, which she eventually went on to abort.

Aghast by the unwanted pregnancy and abortion, Ogadinma got expelled from her home by her father to another city where she would live briefly with her uncle and his family. A new destiny began for Ogadinma after she was influenced into marrying a man who abused her and put her in the family way; being naïve and defenceless, Ogadinma suffered through a series of dehumanizing and life-threatening experiences, including accusations for her husband's drastic business fall. However, she had a twist of fate when she eventually summoned the courage to flee her marriage and seek a new life in the fog of uncertainty.

Towards the end of the story, the once naïve and defenceless Ogadinma transforms into a courageous woman who can confront overbearing misogynists in a public place and be nonchalant in marriage discussions. She began building an independent life by enrolling in skill training. However, the memory of her abandoned child won't stop stirring up guilt in her.

The story speaks to several social norms that affect Nigerian women, especially in the 1980s, from patriarchy to child marriage, religious extremism and the stigmatization of women who flee an abusive marriage.

The author unfurled her literary paraphernalia to plot a severely compassionate story depicting Nigerian society's feminine struggle. Ogadinma is a passionate, subtle protestation against the patriarchal norms whose end is the devaluation of women; the book indulges readers in reflecting on the far-reaching negative effects of patriarchy, including the suffering of children.

Moreover, the books speak to the unbalanced marriage culture in early post-independence Nigeria, in which women were forced to remain in abusive marriages or be stigmatized and rejected if they chose otherwise. Also, the book attempted to magnify the culturally-supported impunity of rape in Nigerian society, where victims are blamed and shamed rather than the perpetrator. Furthermore, the book captures the political climate of Nigeria in the early 80s, which was marked by political violence and the overbearing influence of the military class.

Nevertheless, the protagonist's character development from cheer naïve to suddenly courageous and daring appear hyper-heroic and rarely realistic. Overall, Ogadinma is a brilliant contribution to the local literature, which espouses salient feminist issues in relation to the broader society.

Advice for Readers from ERC

If you are looking for a good slice-of-life story where the protagonist survives against all odds, this book is for you. The story, despite being a bit heartwrenching, is one that you cannot stop reading. This is definitely a page-turner that you can read at a fast pace.

Let us know in the comment section what you think of Ogadinma Or, Everything Will be All Right by Ukamaka Olisakwe