STARS OF THE NEW CURFEW. Review on Stars of the Curfew - Ben Okri

Stars of the New Curfew - Ben Okri

There are six stories in all about Postcolonial Nigeria, especially Lagos. These stories focus on the gruesome state in which Nigeria was with its problems of postcolonial authoritarianism, poverty and diseases. In The City of Red Dust, Emokhai had to sell his blood regularly for his existence while the governor’s birthday was being celebrated burning gallons of fuel for the demonstrations by the fighter planes. The army almost had an unwritten right to entertain themselves with a forceful feast on women’s flesh. Dede had to cut her throat to save herself from those beasts that were out to enjoy themselves on the birthday of the governor. The author makes use of magic realism in this book. The tone is simple and at times a little stoical .The author and his characters do not shriek out in pain.