Book Review
Title of the Book: Amour Maternel
Author: Mark A. C. Ogbodo
Reviewer: Nwabufo, Uju Patience
Publishers: Aboki Publishers
Year: 2021
Pages: 68
Genre: Prose [Novella]
ISBN: 978-978-8546-45-0
I have been told to review the literary book; Amour Maternel (Mother's Love) written by Dr Mark A. C. Ogbodo. One may wonder what concerns a Medical Doctor with literary work. "ARTICULATED EMOTION!" Dr Mark is a consciencious, intelligent, diligent and ever successful scholar. Hence, a writer! A writer with great articulated emotion. Most writings are purgation of emotion. And from my view point, emotion is the hidden tap root of this exposition (the book).
This book, entitled "Amour Maternel" (Mother's Love) written by Dr Mark A. C. Ogbodo contains 68 pages in 8 chapters. In this prose work, the author uses characters to draw the attention of the reader to what is expected of a mother in bearing, nurturing and equipping a child for greater life's challenges, in order to build a happy and stable human that would maintain a healthy and cordial social relationship.
Whatever I have to say is built on the central theme which is "Mother's Love" that generates real human that impact life positively.
Nevertheless, my view cannot give full detail of what the book has to expose concerning mother-child relationship, in tune of away-from- home relationship. And this is the reason everyone needs to read the book; "Amour Maternel".
From the beginning to the end, the author paints a family that is in the paramount need of recollection of humanity that is from the onset was trashed from the "tray of love", out of self esteem of the mother. The book exposes the ugliness of pursuing material acquisition against devouting quality time with love and consciousness of making a functional human being.
The author has explored the impact of lack of maternal love extensively. This runs through the chapters; from the period of child dependence to adult-independence, using the power of description that appeals to senses. Hence as you read, you are catarpulted into the scenes and integrated with the actions.
The joy of having a child could be marred by lack of motherly devout care. A mother who only pursues her career ends up distorting the expected mother/child relationship. And what's the resultant effect? The child gets bonded and fond of the father or available caregiver who spends more time with the child. Of course, closeness intrigues sense of love. So, whom a child is close to, wins her love.
Little wonder, Ojela was badly impacted, in character and academics as her father, who is her friend indeed dies. Thus, she escapes to solitude. Amour Maternel portrays a vivid picture of how psychological abnormal behaviours take over a cherished daughter when her widowed mother abandons her to acquisition of wealth and fame - Ojela escapes to a course of study that would hide her, in conformity with her live-alone acquired attitude. She becomes a reserved person, she rebuffed familiarisation even among her equals. She is easily provoked and would exhibit mistrust, throw tantrums, and even threaten to kill herself. How can Ojela give what she does not have? She is devoid of love and cannot give love to anyone! She lives without love all alone in the corner and distanced from people with no comforting ear. She is lost in the desert. Yet she has a living mother! What a mother?
All that the mother provided for her material needs is not measurable to maternal love, thus, she keeps being hungry and in search of love. Amidst the suitors; she looks out for her father's replica. A string of life in Ojela is the ways of her father, the light on her being is the manner of her father's doings. Hence, Okekeni (the successful suitor) can only awaken her love by referring to her as "...beautiful Princess", chapters 2 and 6, as the father would identify her. Lying side by side with this joy is the maternal deprivations that denied her mother's presence which make her be in want of attention cum love.
This original inspirational piece of work has come at a very good time when chaos avail in relationships at social settings. Therefore, reading of this book is highly important. Everybody needs to read this book. It will help prospective fiancé, fiancée, young and elderly spouse, teachers at all levels of social institutions, counsellors at every works of life, etc. This book should be found in the library of every household, school, Church, hospital, correction centres, counsellors' office, etc
Reading of AMOUR MATERNEL is a necessity to avoid a battered life and relationship.
Thanks.
