“Young man, take a look at this book,” said Wenenda Wali as he tossed me ” A Thousand Times On The Same Road” by China Acheru.
“I believe I’ve read all of Chinua Achebe’s books,” I responded hastily. “When did Achebe write this one?”
“I’ve warned you about drinking too much alcohol,” Wenenda responded with a mischievous smirk on his face.
I didn’t quite catch the joke until I looked at the name on the book again. We both laughed off my silly but understandable transposition gaffe.
Our August Meeting for the 1st quarter of 2024 is set for March 22nd. The main dish is “On a Platter of Gold” by Hon. Bolaji Abdullahi. But our hunger for books is insatiable. So, we’ve thrown in two more: one by China Acheru, aka Ikwerreman, and another by Chioma Ezenwafor titled “Becoming a News Titan.”
Now, let me digress (Apologies to Acheru).
I’m not your typical Nigerian football fan. Back in Ogharefe, Delta State, during my high school days, friends would travel all over Nigeria to catch league matches. I never got the craze.
But I have a “vice.”
I don’t follow football, whether local or foreign. But I love football commentaries and analyses. Back in the day, I listened to legends like Ernest Okonkwo and later Dr. Larry Izamoje. Dudu Orumen on TV was a treat too. It did not matter to me who was playing or winning.
But today, football commentary and analysis have lost their charm (at least in my world). Sportcasters talk very fast and loud and they feel “cool” about that. I still don’t know where they learned that from. However, as a result, I have given up my lovely “vice” and moved on.
Anyway, back to Acheru’s book.
What could be interesting about a book on Nigerian football? Normally, I wouldn’t pick up a football book if there were other options. But over the years, I’ve learned it’s not the story that makes a book, but the skill of the writer. And Ikwerreman did a darn good job telling his story about Nigerian football. He didn’t sugarcoat anything, and that’s refreshing. But, hey, football remains special in Nigeria. Whenever the national team plays, we forget our woes, enjoy the game and support the team.
However, there was a claim in the book that piqued my interest. Acheru said he’s the first Nigerian sports writer to have watched 1000 live football games. I had to know more. His response was swift and backed with evidence.
“Truth be told, there are some well-traveled journalists I’d admired even from secondary school. I believe they could well have watched a thousand games before me. Names like Kunle Solaja, Sab Osuji, Emeka Enyadike, Wole Opatola, Akinbode Oguntuyi, Mitchel Obi, and Emma Jemegah. The thing is, they never documented what they did. I documented mine,” Acheru fired back.
And Acheru wasn’t just blowing smoke. My only gripe? He should’ve included his well-documented evidence in his book!
Well, China Ikwerreman Acheru will be at the August Meeting on March 22nd. You should come too and hear things straight from the horse’s mouth.
