'Eze
goes to school’ by Onuora Nzekwu and
Michael Crowder
 |
| Adefila |
Adefila’s Crown
Troupe is famous for its innovative rendition of works that are flexible enough to be performed in
conventional and unconventional performance spaces.
He shares his
experience of the book ‘Eze goes to school’, which he read way back as a little
boy in primary school, while preparing to move on to a secondary school. His
reminiscences of the book were mostly locked in the innocence, struggle and
dedication to hard work that Eze showed in spite of challenges he encountered
after the passing away of his father.
I read the book’ Eze goes to school’ while I was still in primary
school. It is so many years back now but memories of the book remain fresh with
me. When I read the book, I did not feel like it was yet another book because I
was like Eze’s age too.
I saw the difference in life situations with different people and I
think it kept bringing back the message to me. For Eze, going to school meant
walking for miles and having to carry load to the market, which was the same
distance as his school.
I must say that it helped me become appreciative of the support I enjoyed, going
to school at that age. I went to go to
school then being driven in a car by my father. Though young, I learned to work
and follow my heart through things that I believed in.
I remember vividly too, the moral lessons of the book, which were put
across through Eze’s experiences. The book shared the importance of having
parents talk to their children to be confident of themselves and be the best at
their studies. Okonkwo, Eze’s father, proved this when each time he told Eze
not to allow anyone beat him to academic excellence.
My memories of the book also remain strong following the lessons that
Eze learned while he served his master. He learned the importance of timeliness
and focus in everything he did. He learned also, the reward for not taking what
belonged to other people, just as his master taught him.
In the book ‘Eze goes to school’, I appreciated what dedicated mothers
do to help their children achieve success in good things. I saw also in the
book that life makes a beautiful meaning when you interact with people.
I still see the book as ‘a big deal’ that every child should
experience by reading. It showed a relationship between the teachers and their
pupils. It bred a bond that made teaching and learning interesting. It showed
how teachers built up their pupils and confided in them for greatness.
In this book, I saw how Eze was continually encouraged to stand up in
healthy competitions. It was not only his father that encouraged him to have a
competitive drive to come tops in his class, his teacher whom he did serve also
encouraged him to do the same. You could feel the enthusiasm with which his
teacher encouraged him to beat pupils from other schools, for him to qualify
for the scholarship.
I will recommend that children read this book and have an experience
that could shape their thoughts and approaches to doing things as they grow up
in life. Eze always had to put in his best at work and it earned him good
success.