Published: Faithful Foes, A Novel by Gbenga Ogunsola

A modern audience deserves to read a modern story. This is not just about relatability of the narrative text, which as a matter of fact is essential to the reception of fictive writing; yes, it is more about commitment to relevance and the sensibility of the audience. An important aspect of fiction is the context – which undoubtedly transcends the cosmological space the story lives in – it also extends to the daily living and experiences of the audience. As a result, reading a precolonial narrative in an age of android is not only a misplaced artistic endeavor, it is a demonstration of lack of creative vision and a shackled commitment to the narrative of the past, a past that remains more appropriate in the museum of great fictions. In this dispensation, there is a need for writings that exploit social realities of a generation familiar with technology, gender fluidity, sexuality, penury, greed, breakdown of social order, betrayals and self-imposed definition of moral standards. And such a story must be told right. 

Faithful Foes is a story of tragedy. A tragedy inflicted because of perceived threat to a political ambition. Okoro is willing to annihilate the family of his friend, Badmus, because he wants to run for the chairmanship of his local government. To ensure that the threat is eliminated, he orders the assassination of the entire family of four. Alyson is the only survivor of this tragedy; thus, making the story his story. A central theme in this story is betrayal. And this theme runs throughout the story, as seen in the role of Fadekemi and her family, willing to sell Alyson to be murdered by Okoro and his gang, despite the fact that Fadekemi is saved by Alyson when she is to be raped.

Gbenga Ogunsola approaches his story with keen interest in weaving familiar themes around the peculiar issues affecting his society. It is not unusual to have writers discuss the themes of political corruption, deception, betrayal and moral ineptitude; rather, the reader is often interested in how such themes are given life and expression in a fictive work.

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Ogunsola Gbenga Adeboye is a poet, playwright and novelist. He teaches Chemistry related courses at Owu College of Management Technology, Wasimi, Ogun State. He is the Financial Secretary, Association of Nigerian Authors, Ogun State chapter. He is the Founder of ‘Writing the Unseen’, an association that helps talented writers get their works published, and the Co-founder of RGM publications. He has many books to his credit, among which is ‘In the lap of the gods”, a play. He lives and w rites in Nigeria.