Fulfilling My 2023 Resolutions; The First Book I Read This Year

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For the first time in my life, I made a new year's resolution. And one of my 2023 goals is to read lots of books. Today is the 8th day of January 2023, and I'm glad that I read my first book of the year today.

The most amazing thing about this book is that the Theatre and Media Art students in my school loved it so much that they decided to dramatist it. After reading the book this morning, I went to my school in the evening to watch the stage production.

The Nerves was written by Emmanuel Emasealu, a Ph.D. holder and a senior lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt.

SUMMARY OF THE PLOT

Emmanuel Emasealu begins the play with Tokunbo( who is seen receiving money from her aunty) and her aunty, Mrs. Ruth Sandra discussing. The money received by Tokunbo is for her day-to-day activities throughout the week. Mrs. Sandra tells her to collect receipts for every good or item she buys but Tokunbo groans because she's not usually comfortable with collecting receipts after she purchases anything. Tokunbo asks her aunt if she needs more money, but her aunt tells her that she will not deny her anything. Tokunbo also complains about the fact that she is tired of being accountable to her Father always and that she's old enough to be accountable to herself. Aunty Sandra replies that her Father just wants the best for her as she knows she's his only child.

Mrs. Sandra reminds Tokunbo of her Father's visit today and that she should put on a happy face and be excited. Tokunbo assured her aunty that she was surely excited that her Father is visiting today.

Tokunbo tells her aunty that she needs to go out, but her aunty refuses because she needs to prepare something for her Father to eat when he comes to visit. Mrs. Sandra then suggested that her friend Hannah will assist her while cooking as she(Tokunbo) prepares to go out. Hannah whose real name is Philip Ayeni, a male (disguised as a female) and also Tokunbo's boyfriend has been living with Tokunbo in Mrs. Sandra's apartment for a while now.

Tokunbo's aunt not knowing about what has been going on in her apartment asks Tokunbo to go wake Hannah up. But Tokunbo tells her aunty that Hannah can't cook and that she shouldn't bother herself. Mrs. Sandra bombards Tokunbo with lots of questions with Tokunbo explaining how she took her in sure of the infamous fire outbreak. Mrs. Sandra then excuses herself due to an urgent meeting she needs to attend. Now Philip and Tokunbo are seen discussing the whole issue on the ground, with Tokunbo unsettled about it and Philip trying to calm her down and persuading her to pull herself together. Philip tries to calm her down more by reminding her of all that she has done for him.

Accepting him to take refuge in her house as the school authorities are after him after leading the students into scandalous acts. Tokunbo's mind isn't still at rest even as they discuss the situation.

Philip and Tokunbo's discussion gets interrupted by a knock on the door. Tokunbo goes to open the door and suddenly it's her Father, Thompson Anthony Babatunde. As he enters, Tokunbo introduces Philip to her Father as her friend, the President of the University's Student Union. As they discuss, Mr. Thompson gifts his daughter, Tokunbo a car and she gets excited about the present.

But she suddenly gets sober as she remembers that her Late Mother and her siblings died in a ghastly car accident. But her Father moves close to her to console her.

Mr. Thompson then enters into a conversation with Philip, and Mrs. Sandra is seen arriving. On the arrival of Mrs. Sandra, Mr. Thompson greets her sister, Sandra as she calls Mr. Thompson, "A.B.T" and Mr. Thompson calls her, "Ruthless Ruth." Mrs. Sandra, on seeing Philip Ayeni was so perplexed that instant. He recognizes him as the Students' Union President who has caused a lot of damage to the university and therefore scolds him for such action as she talks to Mr. Thompson. Philip proposes to marry Tokunbo but Mrs. Sandra refused, influencing Mr. Thompson who also objected to the proposal telling Philip to leave the apartment this instant.

Mr. Thompson's health needed attention and he was rushed to the doctor. As Philip and Tokunbo talk things out, Tokunbo tells him to leave before her Father and her aunt get back.

Although all this while, Tokunbo has been pregnant for Philip all this while, and as he gets out he comes back with some pills which he gives to Tokunbo to take before they elope as planned. As Mr. Thompson and her sister, Sandra return, they meet Philip whom they ask for their daughter. As they enter her room, they meet the lifeless body of Tokunbo.

CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PLAY, "NERVES"

1.MR. ANTHONY BABATUNDE THOMPSON

A fifty-four-year-old businessman. He is the lovely father of Tokunbo and brother to Mrs. Sandra. He visits his daughter's apartment where he gives his daughter a car and also meets Philip Ayeni, Tokunbo's boyfriend.

2. MRS. RUTH SANDRA

She is the Domestic Hall Warden in Queen Amina Hall, University of Kombo, sister to Mr. Thompson, and Aunt to Tokunbo. She later meets Philip who she scolds because of the scandalous activities he led in the university and also objects to his proposal to marry Tokunbo.

3. TOKUNBO THOMPSON

A final year student of Zoology. She is the daughter and only child of Mr. Anthony Thompson and niece to Mrs. Sandra. She deceived her aunty by keeping Philip in her apartment as "Hannah." She is a girlfriend to Philip and she meets her demise due to the circumstances that surrounded her and her boyfriend.

4. PHILIP AYENI

A final year student of the Department of Political Science and also the President of the University's Student Union. He is the boyfriend of Tokunbo who got rejected by Tokunbo's Father and Aunt to be his wife. His actions later led to the death of Tokunbo.

My PRAISE

The author’s use of song made the play interesting, and also helped move the plot forward. The climax at the ending part of the book got my heart racing. I'd give this book a 6 out of 10.

ALL IMAGES IN THIS ARTICLE ARE MINE OTHERWISE STATED.

Thanks for reading.