Taduno’s Song by Odafe Atogun will be featured on the Radio 2 Book Club on Monday 1 August.
The book was selected with the help of a panel made up of Reading Agency and library staff from across the UK.
WIN 10 copies of Taduno’s Song for your reading group when you visit our Noticeboard! You can read an exclusive extract too.
Taduno’s Song
The day a stained brown envelope arrives from Taduno’s homeland, he knows that the time has come to return from exile.
Arriving full of trepidation, the musician discovers that his community no longer recognises him, believing that Taduno is dead. His girlfriend Lela has disappeared, taken away by government agents. As he wanders through his house in search of clues, he realises that any traces of his old life have been erased. All that was left of his life and himself are memories. But Taduno finds a new purpose: to unravel the mystery of his lost life and to find his lost love. Through this search, he comes to face a difficult decision: to sing for love or to sing for his people.
Selection panel review
Our library reading panel loved Taduno’s Song – here are some of their comments:
“I was enthralled by this book; after being slightly baffled by its seeming simplicity it started to draw me into its world and once there it held and enthralled me. The sincerity of the writing was unavoidable and the emotions it aroused remained with me. It felt deeply personal and yet it explored huge issues, oppression, political regimes, exile & sacrifice. After reading this book I was also led onto finding out more about the background, Nigerian politics and Fela Kuti, neither of which I had much previous knowledge of. A truly spellbinding read.”
“It’s about a once famous musician in exile from his Nigerian homeland. A letter from his girlfriend Lela makes him realises he must return – but back in his home town no-one recognises him, and Lela has been taken by government agents. The country is ruled by a military dictator, who says he will free Lela if Taduno makes music in praise of the government – praise-singing. The story is scarily real, and at the same time surreal – why should people not recognise him, he was well-known and not in exile for that long? But the surrealness works, you easily accept it. The book is directly and beautifully written, the writing flows, you don’t miss a word. It’s a book I’d like to have, and come back to.”
“This is an interesting book. Set in Nigeria by a Nigerian author. It is written like a song with an ethereal quality that is quite in contrast to the subject matter. It is this style that intrigues and makes the horrors palatable whilst reading but has you questioning what it was you read, what is happening and what you really understand about the tale. It is very clever, beautifully written and disturbing.”
About the author
Odafe Atogun was born in Nigeria, in the town of Lokoja, where the Rivers Niger and Benue meet, but hails from Edo State. Now a full-time writer, he is married and lives in Abuja.
A word from Odafe
“Libraries are very rare to come by in my part of the world. For some years now I have been nursing the dream of building a public library in my community which would give people access to books they ordinarily would not have access to. That Taduno’s Song has been chosen [in part] by librarians and The Reading Agency emphasizes, for me, the importance of libraries and reading generally. It is so inspiring to know that my creative effort is getting some attention. I cannot say thank-you enough. It would be a dream come true for me if I’m able to build a public library in my community one day to encourage people to read more. A big thanks to BBC Radio 2 Book Club!”
Get involved
Tune in to Simon Mayo’s Drivetime show on Monday 1 August to hear a live interview with Odafe Atogun talking about his book.
Have you read Taduno’s Song? You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter, or follow author Odafe Atogun. You can take a look at what other readers thought, or leave your own review.
Want to find out more? Take a look at the Radio 2 Book Club Twitter feed or find out more on the Radio 2 Book Club website.
