Anthems for a Father - Paperback

by Ben Osemeke (Author)

Anthems for a Father is a biographical fiction based on the life of the father and the author, laced with insightful humour, jokes and traditional African proverbs. It is about the reflection of a son on the teachings and influence of a father following his death. The story highlights the struggle of a son in search of a university education abroad after being failed by the education system in his homeland. In Canada, the benevolence of a few lecturers helped him achieve his dreams and his father's: a university education. It tells a story about living in two worlds with stark cultural differences: an advanced Canadian society and a mundane African village, rich in culture that is also part of the Canadian mosaic. It is about seamlessly navigating both cultures to embrace the diversities they offer. It is about the will to succeed in spite of all odds, driven by the love, influence and teachings of a loving father.

Anthems for a Father is narrated with sincere candour and a sense of humour, interlaced with thought-provoking proverbs and idiomatic expressions. "Bowel movement can sometimes be difficult, but you have to move it to stay alive," declares one proverb. Another declares, "When an ant stings a child in the buttocks, the child will realize that its buttock is part of its body." Readers will benefit from life-teaching principles narrated in the novel.