Excerpt from The Life Changer “Listen, my son, this admission is a life changer for you,” Ummi said.
The Life Changer by Khadija Abubakar Jalli is a JAMB-recommended text for all the candidates sitting for the exam. The writer of this book amazingly does not portray the content as an exam-based text only for students to read mainly for grades. She explored the realm of life on campus. What every undergraduate could have imagined and what campus truly is when a newly admitted student starts to live such a life.
The writer of this piece made the character – Ummi Ahmad the narrator which suited my urge as I read through the 9-chaptered texts with the pronoun “I” recurring. So, I created a new act scene in the atmosphere around me as I came into play for each chapter.
The narrator, Ummi Ahmad, a mother of 4, Omar, Teemah, Jamila, and Bint, narrates her university experience to her children as they await their father. Each of them holds a bottle of Zobo as they listen actively. I held mine too, so that I could feel the interlink between the drink and the storyline. A brief one, as you are about to grab a copy of this book, make sure you have a bottle of Zobo next to you.
The first chapter was about Bint, the last child’s encounter with her class teacher Mallam Salihu. When asked if anyone could say good morning in French and how the day went in the class. Bint’s classmates were happy she could be courageous to a comeback question to her class teacher. A question from an inquisitive student should be warmly welcome, this I learned in this chapter.
The book is top-notch. It brings out both French and English words that are meant for a student to learn simply. I could not help but to bring my pen out to ring some new words. Some are surreptitious, Bonjour, wiggle, and claustrophobia, to mention but a few.
While reading through the chapter, I thought bint would be the main chapter in this text. Fortunately, I’m to read the story of Ummi Ahmad who describes her son’s admission into the university as a life changer.
The life changer opens me to how it feels to dress in styles that suit my spirit. Every other student’s freedom to behave in a way that seems allowed. Even though it’s absurd to an innocent freshman coming out of the 5-day uniform outfit. The text explains what peer influence could cost. Ummi narrates this with Salma Muhammad’s story during her degree.
Help during exams? The life changer made me realize the real sanction of examination malpractice. Expulsion as guilt awaits graduation serves as a deterrent to others. I’m sure you won’t want to miss this. We were once guilty, we just escaped, but we won’t always have the rabbit’s leg.
As you skim through the library to get a text, ensure you grab a copy of The Life Changer. Enjoy the rest of the week with it. “C’est tres Bien” dear readers. Click here for more
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