An Igbo Childhood

Samuel Ibekwe has been lucky. He has, through an enthusiastically lived life, made use of the opportunities that came his way. He grew up in rural colonial Nigeria, a world which is now long gone. He was bright enough to be able to attend the prestigious King's College in Lagos, established by the colonial authorities to provide Nigeria with its future leaders. He made good friends during his time there, and he used his opportunities to the very best advantage, and made it to the UK for 'further study', gaining a doctorate at UMIST. Since Nigeria achieved its independence and subsequently suffered civil war, nothing is the same. The lifestyle Samuel grew up with, that his family and friends took for granted, is gone. This is a loving portrait of a golden age now past, using one boy's life as a path through contemporary life and culture. The reader is shown rural Nigeria, Lagos, the then capital, and the life of the common man as was. No one will ever lead this life again, making this autobiography a gift from the past to the future.