Tunde Ososanya - Lagos, Life and Sexual Distraction

Tunde Ososanya - Lagos, Life and Sexual Distraction 

4⭐

Genre: Fiction, Short Stories, African Literature, Literary Fiction 

Pages: 148 

Format: Paperback Proof 

Publisher:  Envelope Books 

Date Published: 6th April 2023

Huge thank you to Evenlope Books for sending me this book to read and review.

 

Book Blurb: 

Lagos, Life and Sexual Distraction is a collection of 12 short stories, mostly focused on the distinct character of life in Lagos—the commercial capital of Nigeria. “The book tell you wetin average Lagosian dey go through sake of survival and why people who’ve lived in Lagos are able to withstand the harsh realities they experience in other parts of the world.” In writing this book, the author says he has tried to teleport the reader to Lagos, to experience what an average Nigerian in the south of the country does to keep his or her dreams, hopes and aspirations alive. He also shows the tensions that exist between the generations, between the sexes and between different social classes and ethnicities. The book shows why every Lagosian is expected to live by the popular local saying, “Shine Your Eyes”, wey mean say you gazz dey vigilant. At the same time, two stories are dedicated to the very different plight of people living in northern Nigeria. Northern Nigerians are mostly Hausa and Muslim; those in the south are mostly Christian and Yoruba or Igbo. Lagos is a land of opportunity and Lagosians are one of the most successful people in the world by virtue of their perseverance. As the author says (in Pidgin), “I dey live and work for Lagos and I love am—as I hope say you go see.

My Review: 

Such an interesting book that features a variety of different stories that depict life in Lagos from different perspectives and people. It features ordinary Nigerians, rich, poor, happy, and sad…and explores their day-to-day life in the vibrant and colourful city.  I loved the exploration of all the different lives, characters, and paths. Some of them bright, some ugly, some shocking and some very mundane. This book has it all.

Although I didn’t enjoy all of the twelve stories on the same level, all of them were fascinating in their own unique way. The writing was so beautiful and colourful that I felt connected to all of the different characters, and felt that I was living all of those stories together with the characters. At times I wished some of the stories were longer, so I could learn more about the individuals in those stories.

I don’t usually enjoy short stories, but this book was an exception. It is the only short stories book that I thoroughly enjoyed and didn’t want to end. I wanted more stories and more of the different feelings that this book allowed me to feel.

Overall: Beautifully written twelve stories about daily life in Lagos, featuring all different kinds of people. If you want to feel a variety of emotions and learn more about this vibrant culture, city and its people, then this book is definitely for you. 

About the Author

Tunde Ososanya (born 1990) is a Broadcast Journalist living in Nigeria. A graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, he currently works at the BBC’s West Africa bureau in Lagos and specialises in reporting in Pidgin English. He began his career as a television presenter with the Nigerian Television Authority in 2016, going on to become a Senior Editor with Legit.ng. He has also been a Contributing Writer for Opera News. He is a fellow of the African Academy for Open Source Investigations (AAOSI). This is his second book. His first book, Later Tonight, came out in 2016.

https://www.envelopebooks.co.uk/lagos-love-and-sexual-distraction