Taduno's Song

Odafe Atogun

Music can be a power for good or evil. This is the message of this story. Taduno, a returned Nigerian exile, famous in the past for his revolutionary songs is now faced with a life changing dilemma. Use his music to save his fellow citizens or to save the one he loves. Great descriptions of Lagos street life and of how citizens cope with life under a brutal dictatorship. Extremely violent. A debut novel - simply told, but very moving.

Extract

'Taduno, is it really you?'...
'TK?' Taduno whispered, unable to believe his eyes.
Rising to their feet, they locked in tight embrace. The unwashed smell of TK pervaded Taduno's senses; but he did not mind. He dragged in the smells deeply, grateful for the miracle of that moment.
'You remember me?' he asked, after they pulled back from their embrace.
'Why would I forget you? How can I forget you?' TK asked, with a tired laugh.
'Because the whole world has forgotten me. I returned from exile to discover that no one remembers anything about me.'
'The whole world may forget, but I can never forget.'

Parallels