Page 76 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 19

Re-Education Book Review

Samuel Phillips

is a writer, graphic designer, photogra-
pher, songwriter, singer and a lover of

I KEPT MY PROMISE God. As an Afrikan content creator, he
is passionate about creating a better im-
age and positive narrative about Afrika
and Afrikans.

ords, and how they and enduring promises can be and going home with me after school to
are used; music, how beautiful fulfilling them is. ‘terrorize’ the fruit trees. They had
good singing; art, suggested we go to the community
Wincluding photogra- A short story behind the book stream to swim, but I turned down
phy; road trips; creative thinking are On the day my dad passed, I made a the suggestion.
definitely the things I will easily and promise that my first book would be
naturally gravitate towards. They are dedicated to him. I was fourteen at When we got home, they went
some of the few things that capture the time, and on 21/12/21, almost behind the house where the huge
my heart at any moment in time. twenty-eight years later, I finally ful- garden was, while I went to enter
filled my promise and I am grateful the front of the house. As I passed
For me, publishing this new book to God for all things. by the window of my dad’s room
titled: Like The Days of Noah and towards the front door, I saw him
Lot, was not just an act of creative I remember the day he died; 14th of on his bed, resting. There was this
writing to express the thoughts I April, 1994. I will try to put down seven days fasting and prayer he
believe God would have me share as much as I can recall clearly. was having with some of his church
with the world, but a kind of “debt” members. So I guess he needed
that I owed when I made a prom- On that fateful day, I had just fin- some rest. He saw me pass by and
ise to write the book almost three ished writing my form four history left the bed to come and open the
decades ago. So, even though it is a exam, and had walked home from door for me. He opened the front
book that paints a picture of where school with two of my friends. door and I got in. We had a small
we are globally, both spiritually and The compound we were living in talk at the door about my exam. Ap-
physically, it is much more a book this small town in Nigeria had lots parently, he was also preparing tea in
that tells the story of how powerful of fruit trees, so my friends loved the kitchen for the church members

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