I grew up around the story of Arusi Okija and Idemili, both highly feared and revered deities for traditional worshipers in the South Eastern part of Nigeria, especially Anambra state.
Synopsis
This is the story of Akwaugo, an insanely beautiful girl who got married to a possessive and controlling man, Mezie. After several years of marriage, Mezie decides to invite a third party into their marriage to help give them a child. Not only that, but he also involves not one but two deadly deities to prevent Akwaugo from cheating on him. However, his plan backfires when things don’t go as planned, and his jealousy and insecurity get the better of him.
Thoughts
The thing that made Akwaugo stand out to me was the infusion of the Igbo language. I thought it was very well blended, and although the sexual content put me off a bit (due to personal reasons, not the writer’s fault), I still enjoyed and appreciated it.
Akwaugo was an easy breezy read. I finished it in less than a day, and it had me engaged throughout. Yes, it reads like a Nollywood plot and is very much cliched, but you can’t deny the excitement and fluidity that comes with the story.
I also liked that the author didn’t try to bring or infuse Christianity into it, as it was clearly written from the perspective of people still believing in and worshipping deities. So, there was no forced attempt to pray anybody out of anything. I really liked that.
I think Mezie was let off too easily, as Okija should have struck his short self with something more dramatic 😒. I would have loved to see Akwaugo discover and find herself, and I felt like she just left one man and jumped right into another without a moment of reflection on who she really is and how she wants to live her life.
Finally, everyone needs a friend like Nwaamaka; I love her character!
