Lagos — Chuks Iloegbunam earned a reputation as one of Nigeria's brilliant journalists in the 1980s. His newspaper articles then and now are noted for their vibrant, perceptive and incisive features.

His review of Odia Ofeimun's still born collection of poems entitled The Poet Lied led to the threat by the well known poet and playwright, John Pepper Clark-Bekederemo, to sue Longman Publishers. It is therefore obvious that Iloegbunam is not given to writing frivolous essays or books. His biography of J.T.U.Aguiyi-Ironsi entitled Ironside: The Biography of General Aguiyi-Ironsi, Nigeria's First Military Head of State, has led to the appropriate reassessment of that well intended but unfortunate Nigerian Head of State. Iloegbunam's biography, which is an act of justice, succeeds in situating the life of the late Ironsi in its proper historical perspective.

Nevertheless, the fact that Iloegbunam has produced a novel shows that he is capable of devoting his creative abilities to a variety of literary works: essays, biography and novels. Surbernia's Day is a captivating story of twelve hours in the life of an African nation named Surbenia. This is certainly not a story that skims the surface of events because it explores the various layers of the politics of the metaphoric Surbenia through a well layered narrative that interrogates issues of injustice, brutality, disillusionment and hope from various angles. One interesting aspect of this novel is that the author has made hope central to the narrative in spite of the gargantuan negative odds. In a country and continent where hope is a scarce commodity this is clearly a creative focus that is bound to generate the attitude that here are attainable possibilities in the governance of African societies.

Surbenia is clearly a metaphoric and symbolic nation for the activities of the dictator, Hikensi, reflects the activities of several of those political monstrosities foisted on Africa by circumstances, powerless civil populations, power hungry soldiers or dubious foreign powers. Africa, of course, through its unpleasant colonial experience has always been treated unfairly through the encouragement of the least accomplished elite class to assume leadership positions by western countries. Hikensi is an epitome of this class of monstrous political ogres and he symbolizes all that should be abhorred by all reasonable people in well governed societies. The satiric dimensions of this narrative are presented quite early by Iloegbunam through the scenes at the Airport ceremony for the departing Hikensi. His praises by the sycophants are emblematic of politically disoriented tyrants and he described thus:

People of Surbenia! People of Surbenia! Let us remember why we are here. The President For Life, His Excellency, Field Marshall, Chief, Dr. F.U.C. Hikensi, The torch of the land, The Spirit of the People, The Scourge of the Oppressor, The Pacifist, is embarking on a crucial mission abroad. The Redeemer, the Revered Leader, Our Father, is headed for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Dar es what? Dar es Salaam! To do what? To take over the Chairmanship of the African Union. To formally assume his long-standing entitlement as the Father of Africa. Father of where? Father of Africa! (2).

This comic speech clearly stresses the political excesses of Hikensi and at the same highlights the tragic ironies of his administration. He is called a scourge of the oppressor as well as a redeemer but as the story progresses it becomes obvious that he does not redeem but destroys and that full dimensions of his oppression can only be conceived in the fevered imagination of an insane man. And this brutal regime has been foisted on the people of Surbenia for ten years.

It is interesting that Iloegbunam adopts the thriller tradition to sustain the interest of the reader. This is a commendable feat in a story in which tragic incidents are rife. But the author pulls off a feat of imagination through the blend of the elements of surprise and excitement. A normal expectation as the narrative progresses is to read details of Hikensi's elevation as the Chairman of the African Union but his plane is hijacked by his own security men and diverted to Heathrow Airport in London where he is off loaded like a sack of putrid waste. The plan to rid the country of this tyrant is not hatched in a day, rather it took the careful contemplation and many years of dedicated attention by Tapsn Tapsida, Kwanka, Nwata, Nwamama, Nonyelum and her brother, Dr. Ebuka, the Ambassador of Surbenia to the United States of America.

The plan to rid Surbenia of the tyrannical political incubus of Hikensi required not only intelligence but absolute secrecy. Fortunately the rescue and eventual appointment of Tapsida as the Chief of Personal Security to Hikensi aided the plan. However, it must be stated that Tapsida's reprieve at the last moment from execution is due to Hikensi's gratitude that Tapsida's father saved him from a school bully in the secondary school. Thus when Hikensi hears over the radio about the impending execution of Tapsida he immediately sends Colonel Aganiru to save the young man who did not do anything in the first place to deserve death except that he asked a soldier an innocuous question. The reaction of this soldier who felt that Tapsida should not have the temerity to ask him questions is symbolic of the general insanity of soldiers who treat all civilians with undeserved contempt. However from that moment of his reprieve Tapsida commences work as Chief of Personal Security but with the ultimate aim to remove Hikensi quite clear in his mind. On the other hand Hikensi's aim as he instructs Tapsida is "that he could not afford the luxury of attempted coup plots" (61).

Iloegbunam shows that the various people that Hikensi executes without reason or with flimsy excuses are symbolic of the brutal excesses of such horrible regimes not just in Africa but in other parts of the world. In addition he also illustrates that the tendency to destroy is discernible in the activities of not only the military associates of the dictator but also in the activities of his civilian associates like Chief Akaike as well as his wife Princess Hakporu and their pampered son. Hakporu does not only waste the resources of the country is unnecessary international trips but she is also a drug baroness.

This interesting narrative presents a mini trial of Hikensi in the Airplane on its way to London. The charges against Hikensi that include the destruction of the parliament building, the dumping of toxic and nuclear wastes in his country and the brutal murder of the traditional ruler of that community who protested, the deprivation of the people of the resources from their mineral wealth and the pauperization of Surbenia (32-40), symbolize several of those aspects of socio-economic activities that are prone to be destroyed by deranged tyrants. These charges are presented to the other members of Hikensi's entourage in a form of mini people's court and it is not a surprise that they returned the verdict of guilty. Iloegbunam widens the canvas of his narrative by presenting other activities in other parts of the world as events unfolded in the plane. The scramble by several people to declare themselves President adds a macabre comic touch to the narrative. In Tanzania, the original destination of Hikensi, his Vice President Dr. Okemmu declares himself a President; in the United States, Hakporu, the wife of Hikensi declares herself the President while in Surbenia Aganiru declares himself a President. The Ambassador of Surbenia to the United States who is in support of those who disgraced Hikensi out of office puts it succinctly:

Amazing things have been happening in the past six or so hours. During the period, one man, speaking from Tanzania, declared himself the President of Surbenia. Two others inside Surbenia itself have laid claims to the same position. And now here you are all witnesses to what has happened... (101).

But the real replacement for Hikensi known as Dr. Tagbo who is "principled and incorruptible" (171), is freed from prison and requested to take over the leadership of the country. It took quite a while to convince him contrary to the inordinate desire by the other comic characters to take over the Presidency through selfish motivations.

This narrative is spiced by the introduction of periodic reports through the British Broadcasting Corporation's "News Hour"; an avenue through which the novelist presents to the reader the activities proceeding in other parts of the world concerning the developments in Surbenia. It is through this "News Hour" that the information concerning the various Surbenia High Commissioners and Ambassadors declaring their support for the new government is highlighted. Iloegbunam uses this technique to metaphorize the tendency of diplomats to act selfishly and opportunistically.

The novel also captures the life of the deprived members of the Surbenia society through Anuka, Uchennia, Mbamri and their children as well as Ngana and Mama Ikowas. It is commendable that the novelist delves into this lower level of the deprived inhabitants in the society and his portrait of Surbenia becomes comprehensive and metaphoric. It is this ordinary long suffering mass of people that embark on the spontaneous task to erase the Hikensi incubus by removing all the street signs in his name, tearing down his numerous portraits, destroying his statues and removing all the banners praising him. Clearly Iloegbunam is symbolizing the transience of power through the activities of the masses.

The characterisation in this novel is equally symbolic. The novelist uses symbolic names to situate his characters as well as to illustrate their innate human qualities. The female Commando Commander is known as Nwamama which could be interpreted as someone who is beloved or popular or famous. General Iweoku as his name signifies is full of hot temper. And a freed prisoner interprets Hikensi's name thus, "ike-nsi. That means arsehole. The other na Akporu. That one means arsehole again. Arsehole plus arsehole" (247). The use of these names contributes to the deepening of insight in the novel. In addition Iloegbunam anticipates the feminist implications of his novel by making male and female characters equal sharers in the struggle to transform the society.

Surbenia's Day is certainly a novel of symbols and metaphors and Chuks Iloegbunam has excavated a human story from a conglomeration of tragic events. This is the story of our contemporary times but it concludes with the hope that determination and an appropriate socio-political vision can make the much needed difference in real life. However, the canvas that Iloegbunam takes is large and at a few points in the story it appeared as if the plot was becoming unwieldy. In addition there are few typographical errors but these errors do not call attention to themselves and they could be conveniently ignored. The incidents are numerous and they did task the creative ingenuity of the novelist in blending them into the story. Fortunately, several of those comic incidents and events that include the activities of the character known as QC, who is caught on the coup day carrying cartons of both local and foreign currency, and the lamentations of the Hikensi woman who recollects her mother's admonitions concerning her lust for men, serve as fictive elements in such a way that the interest of the reader is sustained.

Surbenia's Day is a relevant, symbolic, metaphoric and interesting novel which captures several slices of contemporary social, economic and political relationships. It is a novel that is capable of infusing with hope the disillusioned people in many countries. It is also a novel that adds several narrative strategies to the familiar technical devices popularized by African novels. This is a novel that should be read for its human story, its fictive vision and its hopeful prognostications.

Ezenwa-Ohaeto is of the Department of English, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.