Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, friends and well-wishers of Nkechi Ugochukwu, I am delighted to share my thoughts on I AM LOVED, a new literary work that is bound to change the way we see people with special needs.
First, I must congratulate the author for drawing attention to the plight of our children and friends with disabilities. This is commendable!
Nkechi, the writer we celebrate today is obviously compassionate and unselfish. And this book says a mouthful about her and her interest. This is admirable especially in a country where people no longer live for others.
I am also happy because this new book brings to a touching distance, the reality and travails of people with special needs, the anxiety their parents and care givers face and our fast-changing society that is now anchored on profit and individualism.
This book, in addition, appears to be asking every one of us to reflect and re-think our actions if we truly seek a better world.
Therefore, it will not be an overstatement to say that I AM LOVED is a moving story that is not only bold but also unpretentious. It tackles our fears and leaves us wondering. It pricks our conscience and speaks eloquently on health conditions like Autism, Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and other unbearable ailments that we love to avoid.
This is not surprising; service is at the centre of this provocative book.
In fact, this is what literature should do particularly in a developing country like ours which appears to have been designed only for the fittest. So, to leave our world better than we met it, we must all take interest, like Nkechi, in our common humanity.
One other remarkable feature about I AM LOVED is the human angle format that the author uses lavishly to drive home her point. This is very visible at the early stages of the book.
The thrilling story of Kike and Cynthia is apposite here. These two idealistic young girls hide behind their agonizing pains to project positive image and confidence necessary for a good life. This is human nature and many of us are guilty of this dual life.
There is also the profound story of Dike, the kind-hearted and courageous pupil who stood in defence of a mad man even at the risk of his own life and the irritable Benjamin who eventually turned a new leave.
But with this book, Nkechi brings hope. This is accentuated with the feeling of a happy ending. However, she reminds us about our mortality, our unacknowledged blessings and our secret pains which may not necessarily be any of the afore-mentioned visible disabilities.
I AM LOVED also teaches enduring lessons on faith, courage, loyalty, perseverance, friendship, good neighbourliness and commitment to high moral ideals.
However, like every literary piece, there are also low points. The first noticeable deficit is that the book did not pass through proper editing furnace which is our own quality control in the newsroom. This obviously would have lessened the errors which are not only typographic but also grammatical.
I am also uncomfortable with a cover design of a Caucasian mother and child instead of a black mother and child as this would have enhanced the aesthetic quality of the book.
I would suggest that the second edition passes through a proper book editor who has the professional competence and temperament to treat a copy better.
In summation, I wish to again commend the author and the production crew for a good job. Anybody who has written a book knows how bumpy the road to becoming an author is. It is a rough and tough road indeed!
I recommend this book to everybody and I pray that the author achieves her set goals and objectives of writing the book.
Thank you for your time and attention!
AZUH ARINZE, ESQ,
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine