When I saw the prompt, my memories drifted way back to my primary school days, when we were always called out by our literature teachers, to read parts of the text, from our literature books. Teachers of those days were very meticulous and deeply committed to their vocation. They always ensured we were exposed to excellent tutelage, which seemed a tortuous journey for us back then, but which looking back, I'm very thankful for. I did learn, albeit in slow sturdy steps. We were made to read and study so hard, a far cry from what I see in these times, so very unfortunate that these days, kids hardly read literature books or maybe they are too lazy to do so.
I remember when the best reader would get a pat on the back and sometimes some sweets or candies too, for me, earning my teachers' respect was all that I wanted.
I never wanted to be considered dumb, no, so I became a voracious reader, I just devoured everything I could get my hands on. I was also young enough to read for pure fun and to adore the joy of adventure which some of those books infused. So I would say that I had an enriching literary journey growing up!
"Eze goes to school"
"One week one trouble"
"The drummer boy"
"Things fall apart"
"Animal farm"
"Sugar girl"
"Chike and the River"
"The gods are not to blame"
"Silas Marner"
"Tales from an African village"
"My father's daughter"
"My father's car".... Jeez I could go on and on.
It is certain that each book I read as a child shaped my imagination and world view in an extremely deep way. From Eze Goes to School which portrays the struggle and success of education, through One Week, One Trouble, a relatable humorous lessons for life, this reading list comprises a mixture of African literature and timeless classics.
They made my days awesome because they were interesting as they were morally enriching. Grandma always made sure I had time to read these books, sometimes when she was taking a nap and I had nothing to do, sometimes far into the night, using the kerosene lantern. Her encouragement was a gift that intensified enjoyment and love for storytelling and knowledge. " Things Fall Apart brought things closer to home in terms of cultural heritage, While with "Silas Marner", I had the best experience in terms of cosmopolitan universality.
It is touching to think about these stories spurring my imagination, as would the folklore of my grandmother. But one book that had the most significant impact on me was "Eze Goes To School", it is one story that gripped me with its beauty perhaps as a result of its setting resonating with my perculiar situation.
Eze, a brilliant and ambitious boy from a humble background who could not be deterred by the challenges he had to face to succeed in school, and succeed he did.
A beautiful story of resilience and determination shining through the darkness of adversity, success in the face of numerous challenges. As I reminisce about this book, I could aptly see how my culture was deeply portrayed in it, and it brings nostalgia of the good old days when learning was much more fun.
This is in response to an initiative of @ericvancewalton, to make us walk down memory lane and relive those moments long gone, keeping them alive for our future generations.
You can be a part of this initiative here
I am @edith-4angelseu and thank you for stopping by my neighbourhood.
