BOOK OF THE WEEK: ROYALTY BY BOLATITO IDAKULA

Hello people.

At some point in my life I had two acquaintances with pronunciation issues. One had a habit of exchanging 'ch' sounds with 'sh', e.g pronouncing ‘China’ as ‘Shina.’ The other had the problem of lambdacism; thus it was common to hear words like lamp and lamb being pronounced as ramp and ramb.

 I must admit that sometimes I did find these pronunciations hilarious, and more than once I was tempted to utter some witty remark concerning their tongues. However, after reading this week’s book, Royalty, by Bolatito Idakula [daughter of politician Rashid Ladoja and wife of musician Bez Idakula],  I must say I'm glad I kept my mouth shut on those occasions.

Royalty is a memoir detailing Bolatito's life as a politician’s daughter in a polygamous home, her struggle with low self esteem and the loss of a child, as well as her journey to wholeness.

In the book, she describes the less-than-cordial relationship between her parents and its effect on her when she eventually moved in with her father and stepmothers. She also shares her struggle with low self esteem and describes the grief she felt on losing her child. 

One thing is for sure: a person cannot read this poignant book and remain unaffected by it. The book captures the effect of polygamous home on children and makes one aware of just how much insensitivity can hurt.  It also emphasizes the need for care when dealing with children and teenagers, as one careless word or action could mar them for life. 

Fortunately, the book is not all sorrow . There are points where readers catch a glimpse of sunlight; a ray of hope even in the midst of the storm. Bolatito does not neglect to mention the love story between herself and her husband; musician Bez Idakula, which I believe some readers may be dying to know. She also explains how she eventually found peace in her reconnection to God.

Many, especially women, will find Bolatito's testimony inspiring. It can be downloaded for free via the Okadabooks app.