Akínrópò brings the World to Africa with ‘Scars Do Heal’

Scars Do Heals 5

Káyòdé Akínrópò and a fan of Scars Do Heal, Michael

By Isa Isawade

“Scars Do Heal addresses a couple of factors that prevent one from achieving success in life. However, it encourages one to not despair but to hold on strongly and keep believing…”
– Akíndàmọ́lá Akínyọọ́lá, Lagos, Nigeria

“The novel has an interesting storyline. Táyọ̀’s character and endurance are worthy of emulation. Thanks for writing about unfairness and forgiveness in the world. Everyone that will read this novel will find it very enjoyable. It’s unputdownable.”
– Faith Ike, Lagos, Nigeria

Copies of ‘Scars Do Heal’

“Whether or not you have ever lived in Nigeria, Scars Do Heal will draw you into what it is like growing up in that great but flawed country…Issues of polygamy and discipline; sex and power; violence and forgiveness; hard work and rewards and Christian faith are all dealt with honestly and with a lightness of touch that belies their seriousness…I like all the dialogue – makes it easy to read. Above all, it encourages all of us to keep hoping for a brighter future – scars can heal.”
– Neil Sorensen, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK

“Scars Do Heal is one of the best novels that I have read from an African author since Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. This spine-chilling and optimistic book is a perfect read for rejuvenation, knowledge and fun…This is a must-have novel for all lovers of great works of fiction.”
– Prof. Kọ́láwọlé Waziri Ọlágbóyèga, Japan

“Káyọ̀dé writes a compelling tale that strongly reminds readers that scars of life can indeed heal…The story of Táyọ̀’s struggles and victories leave a lasting impression on me. I strongly recommend this book because it’s thought-provoking!”
– Láńre Ìlọ̀, Canada

“Scars Do Heal, is in part, a written form of the oral storytelling which was/is still prevalent in many cultures all over the world. Reading it brings to life some aspects of Nigeria’s culture which many people might have never heard of. The issues of life’s journey and its unpredictability are well espoused by the author.”
– Rekha Narula, Midlands, UK

The above testimonials help to appropriately describe the great service Káyọ̀dé Akínrópò has rendered to humanity with the writing of Scars Do Heal.

The first lesson readers of this wonderful novel will take home is the undesirability of divorce in marriage. The pains and destruction it engenders are sometimes catastrophic.

Divorce is described by Danica Mckellar, as quoted in the novel: “The end of a marriage has got to be one of the saddest events one can experience. I’ve heard that the pain [of divorce] is second only to an actual death in the family…” So, it should be avoided as much as possible.

Káyọ̀dé Akínrópò and his beautiful wife Ìyábòdé with their children, Olamide and Ifeoluwa

Scars Do Heal also teaches the spirit of sacrifice and determination to lend helping hands to fellow human beings even at great costs. The example of uncle Ezekiel, who was all out to help Dupe gain the education denied her by her maternal grandparents in care of whom she was, aptly illustrates this. In spite of his wife’s admonition to stay out of trouble by dumping the idea of sending Dupe to school against the wish of the grandparents, Ezekiel remained propelled to liberate the poor girl.

He was at the time already sponsoring Dupe’s sister, Ike in school, yet he was determined to add Dupe’s burden to his lean shoulders. He countered his wife’s admonition against the decision: “What I am doing today is not for the present time, the advantage would be seen later and posterity would judge maybe I was wrong or right. I will go ahead and do this again because what will turn out favourable often starts out with many challenges.” Posterity judged him kindly in the end.

Scars Do Heal reminds readers of the virtue of responsible sexual behaviour which, happily, is still held sacrosanct in most parts of Africa. The hero of the story, Táyọ̀ and Rísí’s tragic play in the bush reminds me of a similar experience in my early secondary school days. I was callously lied against before my father (of blessed memory) by one of my stepbrothers that I had a girlfriend. My father, an uncompromising disciplinarian, beat the hell out of me.

He then ‘prophesied’ that I was not likely to complete my secondary school education because I would soon impregnate a girl. To prove him wrong, I resolved not to go near sex or marriage until after attaining my first degree from the university. God helped me to achieve the goal.

Also, the warning and punishment given to Táyọ̀ and Rísí which kept them apart from each other for the benefit of their future were symbolic of the ancient African culture of volunteering to guide and protect the children of any member of society. There was collectivism rather than the negative culture of individualism that we see pervading our society today.

Author of Scars Do Heal, Káyòdé Akínrópò in the United Kingdom

The 309-page book is arranged into fifteen chapters with each chapter addressing an aspect of the story in a way that we can all relate with.

Chapter 1 reflects the reality of the unfortunate fate of an average orphan or child in a broken home in Africa as Scars Do Heal depicts the fog of hopelessness and confusion that descended on Táyọ̀ and his sisters immediately after the painful divorce between their parents:

So early, Táyọ̀ and his sisters started life in most uncertain circumstances. They were directionless as they were denied direct parental care.

Their parents feuded at their expense with their welfare and future glaringly in jeopardy. As for education, only Táyọ̀’s was in contention as the fates of his sisters were already sealed- in Africa then, it was taboo to send a girl child to school!

At age eight and stalemate still unresolved, Táyọ̀ asked his elder sister: “Will I ever go to school like my age mates? Why has my going to school become this difficult?” It took three separate meetings in two different villages of elders from both families for Táyọ̀’s dream of going to school to come to fruition.

Scars Do Heal puts Táyọ̀’s fate succinctly: “To want to learn, to have the capacity to learn, and not to be able to is a tragedy.

Chapter 2 tells the harrowing experience of Táyọ̀ as he begins schooling, though excitedly. Táyọ̀ happily attended school barefooted. His love for education which made him always have a home lesson with his friends who were lucky to be attending school gave him an edge over his classmates on his first day in school and this immediately earned him the enviable position of the class monitor, a position he kept till he became a prefect because of his consistent excellent academic performance.

He went through hell throughout his learning years as financing his education became a herculean task for his father who was always defaulting on payment of his school fees. Táyọ̀ and his sisters lacked the basic things other children took for granted.

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Táyọ̀’s sister, Dupe started primary school without the approval of any of her parents or grandparents at age 16. Their eldest sister, Dayò had been married off uneducated in her early twenties. Their youngest sister, ìké was the luckiest as she was taken away to live with their uncle Ezekiel who believed that every child should be educated.

In Chapter 3, good news came the way of Màmà Omóye, Táyọ̀’s grandmother when a palm oil trader from Olúọdẹ village came to inform her that she saw Omóye after many years of disappearance. The joy was, however, short-lived when Omóye did not show up as promised months after and mama’s decision to send Dúpé in search of her mother proved to be a misadventure.

In Chapter 4 we see how the seeming lack of love from their mother, Omóye developed an unforgiving spirit in Táyọ̀ towards her even when her visit, occasioned by her father’s death, after many years of disappearance was a great joy to Táyọ̀’s grandmother.

Omóye was the only surviving child of her mother. Four of her children had died during their infancy before Omóye stayed, and her only younger brother fell from a palm tree’s top a few days before his wedding and died. She got married to Kólápò, Táyọ̀’s father at age 21.

We also see in this chapter how the shocking death of their grandfather cast a thicker shadow of uncertainty on Táyọ̀’s ambition to get educated and break the yolk of poverty. He, nevertheless, continued to do well in his study.

The trouble Teacher Owonifaari courted by the uncontrolled libido that made him impregnate pupil Duuni and all the shenanigans that played out are full of entertainment and lessons for all, both young and old.

In Chapter 5, we see a combination of fortune and misfortune for Táyọ̀. He had the fortune of being chosen by the catechist to read the lesson at the church’s annual festival as the head prefect (a rare honour), accompanied by the misfortune of having to appear before the large congregation barefooted without good clothes on such an important occasion. But, what followed was very interesting.

Scars Do Heal abundantly acquaints readers with the age-long African tradition of child upbringing, marriage, and virginity. Some Yorùbá terms and terminologies used with dexterity by the author to give telling effects to his story clearly inform readers of his root which is the Yorùbá part of Southwestern Nigeria.

Scars Do Heal also boasts abundant comic relief. A rip-cracking one could be found in Chapter 6 where Kólá, Táyọ̀ employer’s son took him to a cinema to watch an Indian film. Being his first time seeing a film, he got scared when the actor in the film pointed a gun at the audience and Táyọ̀ attempted to flee, thinking the actor was going to shoot them all dead. He had to be held back and assured by Kola that no bullet could come from the television screen to hit any of them.

We also see in this chapter how success instantly changes a man’s status. An instance of this was when Táyọ̀’s letter of admission to high school was brought to him in his employer’s house by his uncle. His life changed immediately. People around including his employer started showering him with love and respect. He instantly graduated from a houseboy to a respected member of the family. He was now allowed to eat with the family on the dining table against the bench created for him. He was for the first time allowed to sit with them in the living room to watch television. The same applied to other privileges.

In Chapters 7 and 8, readers would see how Scars Do Heal touches on every part of our life as Africans- the culture and traditions; our idiosyncrasies; our unbridled religiosity; the mindless racketeering of some so-called men of God; the vices in our society; the beauties; the qualities; the resources; the numerous challenges we face; the coveted life of the rich and the hopeless life of the poor; polygamy, and politics.

Chapters 9 and 10 reflect on the virtues of hard work, determination, education, morality, accommodation, and above all, godliness. The conversation between Táyọ̀ and Teacher Aliu during a counselling session by the teacher to heal Táyọ̀ of a post-attack trauma at Origbo High School also informs readers of how people of different religious backgrounds in Nigeria once harmoniously lived together.

That happenings at Origbo High School as contained in Chapter 11 are representative of typical college life anywhere is another strength of Scars Do Heal.

Chapter 12 makes Scars Do Heal read like a real-life story, especially the political aspect. Every Nigerian who either witnessed or has read about the legendary achievements of the Action Group turned Unity Party of Nigeria in the early post-Independence era in the Western Region and its people-oriented government led by the visionary Chief Obáfémi Awólówò of blessed memory would relate very well with Scars Do Heal’s story of ‘Chief Obaniyi Awóníyì and his UNP.’ It also reminds us of the misrule of the then-ruling party at the federal level, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) which abruptly ended the First and the Second Republics in Nigeria.

Chapters 13 and 14 present interesting occurrences that crystalized in one of Táyọ̀’s greatest moments in life- winning a life-changing scholarship to study at the University of Glasgow in Scotland at a time it seemed he had lost the opportunity the second time.

In the last Chapter, readers would be touched by the now unravelled hidden fact behind the strange behavior that ruined Omóye’s life. But her moving words to her children shortly before her death remain big lessons for mankind: “….I’m not after getting any support from you if at all you’re thinking about that. What I am after is for us to be united and for people to learn from me that, looking for a solution to one’s problem in wrong places, keeping unnecessary secrets, fear, hatred and loneliness are dangerous. All of them are killers…

It’s pleasing, however, that Táyọ̀ made a huge success of his life, rising from abject poverty to opulence and stardom. It’s also heartwarming that reconciliation took place between father and children, and Omóye and the rest of the family which ensured that she got celebrated in death by the same children she had abandoned for decades. Truly, Scars do heal.

Táyọ̀ went through any possible hardship as can be on earth while growing up. He lived through them all. He was tossed around as caregivers vacated their roles either through death or other factors. The hard life he experienced in the city of Ibadan after the death of his grandfather and his passing out of primary school is another chapter of vicissitude in his life.

Táyọ̀’s life, like that of many people, was a mixture of moments of sadness and happiness; moments of trial, tribulation, and triumph; moments of hatred and love, and moments of low and high spirits.

Scars Do Heal should be made a companion by everyone especially, children. If a child is made to read Scars Do Heal, over and over, he is most likely not going to go astray in life. It should be in every home. No wonder Prof. Ọlágbóyèga describes the novel not as a must-read but “a must-have.”

The greatest quality of the book in my view is its language of presentation- simple, straightforward prose understandable to all who could read and write. Also, every man or woman, especially in Africa will find his or her life largely represented in the marvellous novel. As a matter of fact, with Scars Do Heal, Akínrópò has effectively brought the rest of the world to Africa and Africa to the rest of the world.

Scars Do Heal is available on Amazon kindle and paperback. Dedicated sales reps are in Lagos, Ibadan, Osogbo and Abuja in Nigeria. Contact the author for more information on +447735751023, kayolaife@yahoo.com, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Linkedln.

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