By admin
Gentlemen and Ladies of the world, there are many reasons why I love this book, but i’ll just tell you the main reason which is that it is amongst the few books on the Biafran war that deals with the war from a non-military point of view as the author rightly titled this scintillating book. Most books on the Nigerian civil war were written by its principal actors who were all military men, But this book is different and gives another perspective and view of the war.
The author Chief Tony Amadi is a brilliant and innovative Journalist cum Political Analyst. In this thrilling book, he details his humble beginings and how familial disappointments became a blessing and pushed him into Journalism. In this field he started excelling in the Entertainment side of reporting and with Lagos and Nigeria as whole bustling with great musical artists and even international ones happy to come over to the young nation, Chief Tony had a lot to report on and he did so well that at a tender age of 18 he was already deputising a major national daily in music reporting and criticism.
In the 2000s UK rave scene there was a popular dance track by Riche Dan titled; Call It Fate I Wonder Why ? – This best describes what happened to the Author next and led to this marvellous book being written. How many people today remember Chubby Chekker of the Twist Again fame, well I do even though it was way before i was born but IBS Owerri had its old school music section in the 70s that played music from probably the 1920s to the 1960s. Chubby’s music was a staple of the playlist and there was even an Igbo version that went – Aha ya bu Chubby Chekker; Chubby Chekker, Chubby Chekker dalu o, Chukwu nonyere gi o. Daddy and Mommy tried their best to explain what frenzy it was at the time but i got it all the same, because i like old school stuff.
Apologies for a whole paragraphical digression but as fate would have it, Chief Amadi was asked to accompany Chubby Chekker to Enugu when this biggest of worlds stars arrived in Nigeria in 1964 to tour, this led to his meeting with the then Governor Lt Col Emeka Ojukwu and this meeting was to have consequences that culminated in the writting of this book.
I try not to give away much in my book review in order to encourage the reader to go and buy these exciting books and read for themselves. So i’ll summerise by saying that Chief Tony Amadi left Lagos at the outbreak of the war against the advice of his yoruba friends who promised him safety in Nigeria. He became a Band manager during the war for the super group the Fractions, their job was to keep the army and the suffering Biafran populace entertained and this is a very important part of life during any war as seen during the First and Second world war, Vietnam and many more with Elvis, James Brown, Marilyn Monroe etc going out to entertain the troops and help keep morale up, Chief Tony and the Fractions and many other Biafran bands were no different and did a brilliant job keeping the army and the people in high spirits during a most devastating war, we owe them a lot a gratitude.
Chief Tony brilliantly merges war time entertainment and the raging war itself in this book and comes up with a gritty and gripping and at times very sad narratives in this book and he wraps up with his own miraculous escape from death and Biafra at the very end becoming the first Biafran to return to Lagos and made national headlines then as he wrote of his experience.
The books then deals with the post war era and Chief Tony again doesn’t disappoint as fate struck again and he became the first journalist to interview Gen Ojukwu in exile in Ivory coast – a very difficult and daring act that got him into hot water, with the Nigerian military high command arresting and interrogating him after the interview became national and international headlines.
I urge everyone to go and get a copy of this wonderfully exciting and thrilling book that is packed full of history and showcases destiny and human endurance.
The Other Side Of Biafra By Chief Tony Amadi is sold online on Amazon and bookshops across Nigeria
