In 2014 276 schoolgirls were kidnapped in Nigeria by the terrorist group Boko Haram. In his short 128 page book, Nigerian born Helon Habila writes about the kidnappings plus Islamist militancy, politics, religion and the culture of life in northern Nigeria.
I found this book quite a shock and it has the same awakening effect on me as an episode of Unreported World, a current affairs documentary series on Channel 4 television at home in the UK.
Helon Habila takes the reader on a journey that is far removed from normal life in the Western world. It is quite a shock to read about the daily struggles of ordinary people in northern Nigeria. Helon explains the background to the region with it’s many violent conflicts, corruption, political squabbles and religious differences. Although the title refers to the kidnapped schoolgirls, this short book is basically about the political and religious scene in northern Nigeria.
I found this book very easy to follow and the issues involved very familiar. Although it is very sad what has happened over the years to the people of northern Nigeria, their experiences are not unique. Their political and religious struggles are mirrored across the whole of the Middle East and many parts of Asia.
Helon’s writing style is very similar to that of Robert Fisk and this book reminded me of Pity the Nation - Robert Fisk’s classic recounting of the clashes in Lebanon. Helon lays the history squarely on the table, explains the culture and the political and religious problems within the society but leaves the reader to make their own mind up regarding the causes and who the bad guys truly are.
I liked The Chibok Girls because it is a real story that was not widely covered by the Western media. It brought it home to me just how lucky people in the West are and how the same problems involving Muslims appear to repeat themselves, time and time again throughout Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
I was pleased that Helon fully explained all the politics and religious issues involved. I found it informative and although the title is misleading, I got a lot from reading this short book. It was good to be able to learn about a foreign country from the comfort and safety of my sofa. There are many problems in this world and Helon enables us to understand it from the sidelines. I am pleased that Helon did an awful lot of research to give the reader the full picture and put the record into the public domain. He has made a great record and analysis of this period in Nigerian history and for this I think he deserves the top score of 5 stars. Well done mate for giving me a first class read with lots of politics and religion but no sex.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Columbia Global Reports for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.
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