Review of grace and guts: An autobiography 1

Let me begin with this preliminary observation; I am very cynical about autobiographies. I view them as exercises in self-justification. Specifically, an autobiography could well be seen along the following lines: after a turbulent life, in which all kinds of excesses have been committed, an individual, in the evening of his life, now seeking to justify himself or in fact modify history, decides to write on what he has done or not done and why. Moreover, I see autobiography as something of an ego-boosting phenomenon.

Meanwhile, very much the same thing can be said for biographies. Not too long ago, in these climes for instance, a group of professors came together to extol a former strongman and military ruler in Nigeria. Their various codifications, in the form of the man’s achievements were such that he was cast in superlative terms. On this note, I remember that on August 17 every year, newspapers and air waves were always, awash with noise of this fellow’s birthday. But today what do we see. Almost nothing about this man; so much for our contemporary ozymandias!!.

However, Andrew Egonwman the author of Grace and Guts comes forth in a refreshing and convincing way as regards why he chose to write on his life.

Thus, when I was approached a few days ago to do a review of this book, I wanted to decline. This was in view of the rather short notice. Moreover, I thought to myself, not one of these characters again, who in their various ways and stations have brought our country to a sad low. But since I am virtually sold on any printed material, I flipped, almost passively through the pages. In the process, a number of features caught my eyes. The first was the line which indicated that the author of the book lost his father at the age of five. This struck a chord in me; for I had lost mine at an earlier age.  I was therefore curious as regards how a semi-orphan could have put this together. Again, as I looked through the various photographs, I was struck by the one which Andrew had with Reverend Ezediaro. I met Ezediaro way back in 1967, very briefly, as a fledgling High School student at the King’s College, Lagos. Thereafter, Ezediaro along with individuals like, Atuonwu, Aletta and Offonry disappeared from my life. Probably out of selfishness, I felt that, this event is one forum where I would probably meet up with Rev. Ezediaro, after 48 years. Thus, in view of much of the foregoing, and despite the rather brief notice, I decided to do this review.

The story of the book, as I see it, is an unfolding one with organic linkages to the evolution of Nigeria. This is why my review is titled: From the Local to the Global; the Life and Continuing Times of Edoleyi Andy Egonmwan.

Like any human being, he was born and I can say here that he had no choice in this particular matter. That was really the choice of Three Social Forces: Baba God, his earthly father, and of course, his mother. The point in much of the immediate foregoing is that, as far as I know, that initial entry into the world is outside any one’s volition. Even the surrounding circumstances are also outside our choices. In other words, you take life as it comes to you initially, and thereafter you get on with it. Thus, if you were born a prince, the point is, do not be too stuffy or self-possessed about it. The converse is that those born on the other side of life too need not feel dejected. You get on with it, in any case in both instances; one had no say in this fundamental matter.

Thus, the author had no choice as regards the circumstance of his birth in Benin, specifically at No. 17, Ishekwe Street, under very inauspicious conditions. As he candidly revealed, although he was born in a relatively urbanized setting like Benin, where there was a General Hospital, and nursing homes; he was not born in any of these clement contexts. Rather, our man was born virtually by the drain, through which used water, passed out from his father’s harem. Subsequently, the struggle for survival began. It was a situation which saw Andrew running virtually against the wind.

Predictably, even his pre-natal conditions were far from smooth. The financial resources according to the author were not there when he was in his mother’s womb. And to that extent, it was an elderly woman in Ogbe quarters, who through the use of herbs squeezed in water, provided pre-natal care for the then unborn, Andrew.

Shortly after, being ushered into this world, another calamity occurred. His parents got separated. And he had to live with his mother, who according to his accounts was solely responsible for his upbringing. One way of saying this was that, even prior to formally becoming a semi-orphan, in reality, he was already one. In the book, there are touching accounts of the clinical and detached relationship, which Andrew had with his father.

Kayode Soremekun