Reviewed By: Ita Williams
The Over Pampered Child, is a novel
written by Orok Nyong.
It is a gripping story of a promising male child Bassey Atiti. His
life starts-off like a tender young plant under the shadow of
financially comfortable parents who however, were now divorced.
It is a gripping story of a promising male child Bassey Atiti. His
life starts-off like a tender young plant under the shadow of
financially comfortable parents who however, were now divorced.
He attended a primary
school that provided boarding facilities for
pupils and towards the completion of his primary school education he began to show signs of a great life-in academics, in sport and in social life.
pupils and towards the completion of his primary school education he began to show signs of a great life-in academics, in sport and in social life.
As he prepares to
enter secondary school, everything started tumbling down because of his
mother’s nastiness.
His father; Mr. Agbor Atiti wanted the boy to continue as a boarder in a secondary school but his mother, Mama thought otherwise.
His father; Mr. Agbor Atiti wanted the boy to continue as a boarder in a secondary school but his mother, Mama thought otherwise.
She wanted to ensure
that the boy grew up as an enemy to his father. She wanted
the boy’s affection to be focused only on her to the exclusion of his father.
the boy’s affection to be focused only on her to the exclusion of his father.
She plotted to ensure that the boy became a day student under her roof. She started this plot with the boy’s compound master in the primary school, Comrade Kandy B.
Though Comrade Kandy B. was the school disciplinarian, he was easily
bribed by Mama to indoctrinate Bassey against his father.
Efforts made by Mr Atiti to ensure that Bassey takes the right path of life failed as he, Bassey had already been indoctrinated.
As a day student under his mother’s roof, Bassey underwent further indoctrination and lavished pampering. He started to indulge in bullying, fighting, truancy, robbery, burglary and rebellion.
He is trapped in the nefarious activities instigated by senior
students with whom he shared questionable companionship.
Sometimes when he threatened to go on a revenge mission or to engage in a fight, the mother would calm him down by lavishing gifts on him.
Unaware that the boy, Bassey was now a member of a cult group in School, the mother continued to pamper him.
One day, Bassey became one of the boys sent by the cultists to go and rob an old lady. The mission failed and Bassey is matcheted in the hand.
There is a police
case. Subsequently, Bassey is deformed in one
hand. His academic life begins to suffer. He is depressed; he is into drugs and soon he begins to hate his mother.
He failed his final examination. Down and out, he violently robbed his mother. He was arrested by the police. Fortunately, the Divisional
Police Officer (DPO) is a Christian who exhorts Bassey to turn a new leaf and admonishes his mother to apply effective disciplinary measures in bringing up the boy, instead of being taken to court and jailed. He is allowed to follow his mother home for a second chance in life.
This novel is not a tragedy, it ends well for Bassey because, he is
given a second chance to live a good life instead of going to prison or meant to face execution. He learns about David who killed Goliath and young Samuel who received instructions from God at tender age.
hand. His academic life begins to suffer. He is depressed; he is into drugs and soon he begins to hate his mother.
He failed his final examination. Down and out, he violently robbed his mother. He was arrested by the police. Fortunately, the Divisional
Police Officer (DPO) is a Christian who exhorts Bassey to turn a new leaf and admonishes his mother to apply effective disciplinary measures in bringing up the boy, instead of being taken to court and jailed. He is allowed to follow his mother home for a second chance in life.
This novel is not a tragedy, it ends well for Bassey because, he is
given a second chance to live a good life instead of going to prison or meant to face execution. He learns about David who killed Goliath and young Samuel who received instructions from God at tender age.
At the end of the novel, a way of escape into the good and right
portion of life has been opened to Bassey and his mother. There is hope for repentant.
The book is 174 pages. It has 25 pages of grammatical exercises
comprising vocabulary building, comprehension and class activities.
The book therefore, is a must read for Primary school pupils and
secondary school students and indeed for all because of the moral lesson contents.
The Over Pampered Child will be presented to the general public in March, 2017
No comments:
Post a Comment