Title of Book: About Us: Essays and Poems Coloured by an African Experience
Name of Author: Uzoma Chuwocha
Genre: Poetry &Essays
Pages: 100
Publisher: Kith & Kin, City Square, Nairobi, Kenya
Date: 2023
ISBN: 978-9914-49-229-3
Reviewer: Salamatu Sule

About Us is a captivating collection of poetry, essays, and visual art by Uzoma Chukwocha. This collection showcases a fusion of various art forms, engaging readers through the multidimensional representation of narratives. While the genres themselves are not new, Chukwocha’s emphasis on the Ekphrasis medium is noteworthy. Ekphrasis involves the verbal representation of visual art through poetry, essays, and descriptive storytelling, where both the writing and the visual art become integral parts of the narrative.

Typically, Ekphrasis emerges from collaborations between creatives who adapt each other’s work to form a cohesive story. In About Us, Chukwocha masterfully employs this technique, allowing readers to interpret the combined artistic expressions according to their sensibilities.

In the poem “Alone in the Deep,” Chukwocha presents an artwork of an old woman by the riverside, seemingly awaiting the return of a long-gone relative, child, or messiah. This image conveys “expectant waiting” or “anticipatory waiting,” evoking a profound sense of hope, longing, and patience, often touched with melancholy. The poem echoes the experience of Africa facing a new civilization, reflecting a deep sense of loss and the aspiration for the return of cultural glory. Despite the challenges, there is an underlying optimism that Africa will rise again.

Furthermore, the poem suggests that Africa, and Nigeria in particular, should focus on future possibilities rather than past disappointments. Each failure offers a lesson, and every trial can lead to triumph.

The collection also includes expository pieces like “Arrested Development: The Plight of a Truncated Culture,” where Chukwocha explores the enduring impact of colonization on Africa. He critically examines the Berlin Conference of 1884 and its implications, questioning the absurdity of Africans defending or condemning foreign ideologies imposed upon them. Chukwocha’s contemplation of a white wedding within African culture highlights the complexities of cultural assimilation and the influence of European customs.
“Does anyone find it odd or even slightly cynical that we as Africans, who are aboriginal to our own land, would be here taking sides to defend or condemn either one of two usurping ideologies that were foisted on us either with beguiled self-serving intentions or sheet naked bloody force?”(pf1, ADPTC, About Us)
Through the collection, About Us, Uzoma Chukwocha invites readers to delve into the African experience, exploring themes of cultural identity, historical impact, and the resilience of hope. This collection is a compelling read for anyone interested in the rich tapestry of African literature and art.