This compilation of Regina Amadi-Njoku’s writings comes close to late Chinua Achebe’s Phenomenal book, Things Fall Apart in terms of the focus on the overall significance of culture to the African continent or any continent for that matter. However, as a series of writings by the author, it goes beyond the literary narrative and import of an Achebe’s novel to infuse issues of development with a historical perspective, present realities and future expectations given all the pre and post colonial issues that Africa is challenged with. The writer seems to have been divinely prepared to birth this book. Just like a child born in any culture, development becomes a focus from the cradle. Any delayed growth, either physically, cognitively or in the area of social skills amongst others are usually questioned and solutions immediately sought.
Amadi-Njoku in almost all the writings in this compilation digs deep into the cultural issues that have impacted the slow pace of African development. While not claiming that Africa ought to have become an Eldorado without colonialism, she believes that that part of African history must be paid a closer and more consistent attention with a view to maximizing the progressive aspects of African and Western leadership cultures. To her, no culture comes with perfection. As an educated African woman that grew up in the continent and had national and global work experiences especially at the level of the United Nations, the apex global civil service, she digs into all the variables of Culture, Gender and Work in Africa and beyond. These tripodal issues hold the keys to development. As a development expert, her first hand experiences as an African woman who has worked on and is concerned about development seem to have armed her well enough for all the periods she had been called upon to deliver lectures, teach or mentor younger ones to enhance development on a global scale but more so in Africa.
The issues of discourse in writings are as all encompassing as they are timeless. Gender and other cultural and religious issues in her view must be taken more seriously and Africa must take the initiative to find redeeming features in both the indigenous and Western cultures to fastrack development.
She seems to have in these writings been guided by a profound Igbo proverb which literally translated means, *we must recognize where the rain started beating us.
Again, *if you don’t know where you are coming from, you can’t know where you are going*. Development happens when we can look back to history, amend the present and plan better for tomorrow. That is the only credible pathway to development and to her, all the human capital, men, women and children must all as in the Igbo proverb ‘Igwe bu Ike’ (teamwork is power) spirit be contributors to development going by what existed before colonial period. The future is made richer by how we coordinate our yesterday and today seems to be the essence of her ‘gospel’ for lack of a better term.
Nnedinso Ogaziechi.
