AUTHER: CELESTINE VERLUMUN GEVER (CISM)

AUHTORS CONTACT:08064938817 OR determination100@gmail.com

PUBLISHERS:UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA PRESS LIMITED
TITLE:THE CORPER
REVIEWER: Bro Chris S.Ugwuja
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 2013
PAGES: 91
PRICE:250
CATEGORY:NOVEL
The novel; The Corper is a ten chapter write-up that explores the
experiences of an inquisitive driven Corps Member who upon arriving his
host community, decided to move from place to place and person to
person and in the process ,revealed the social, cultural, political and
economic landscape of his host community.
The opening chapter in which the author titled The arrival saw
the Corps Member admitting to the beauty of Ede-Oballa, his host
community .This, the wrier puts Wow....what a land in its natural
beauty. It is in the same chapter that the writer documents why the
Corps Member decided to write a novel about his host community.
According to the book, it is the belief of the of the Corps Member that
doing ,that is writing a novel about his community, could promote good
reading habit among the younger ones in the community, in addition to
providing a teaching material for schools and collages as well as
enriching the library of his host community and preserving their culture. It
is based on this strong conviction that other chapters began to unfold.
Consequently, the book documents how the Corps Member
proceded on a tour of villages within Ede-Oballa. During the tour, the

writer reveals how the inquisitive driven Corper Member was able to
have close contact with some trees whose fruits the Corps Member saw
on arrival.
The book progresses in chapter three with the writer giving an
account of the only secondary school in the community. He states
Community Secondary School Ede-Oballa has gone through merging
and demerging process(p.24).This chapter gives a vivid account of the
school.
In chapter four, the book explores the personality of the principal
of the school and the achievements she recorded in the school. This
chapter portrays the Corps Member as wanting to know the principals
roles in the development of the school.
More so, in the fifth chapter, the book reveals a quiz competition
in the school in which the Corps Member actively participated.(pp 3542).
Further more, in the sixth chapter, the book reveals how the Corps
Member along side others, participated in an inter house competition
held in the school .The chapter opens by stating the importance of the
competition thus: Inter house competition is one annual sporting event
among secondary schools in Enugu State that every students looks
forward to participating(p 43).This chapter gives a vivid account of the
sporting event and the previous ones.
It is in the seventh

chapter that the political life style of the Corps

members host community is presented. The chapter portrays the people

as politically active and peaceful.

The eight chapter of the book presents the cultural life style of the
community under consideration. Excerpt:. ..Egbachukwu is celebrated
twice a year ,namely Egba Chulwu Udu Mmiri and Egba Chukwu
uga(p56)
The royal stool of the people is captured in chapter nine as the
book documents the Corps Members visit to the palace of the Igwe of
one of the autonomous communities in Ede-Oballa .A vivid account of
what the corps Member saw is given to paint a picture of a typical royal
stool in Igbo land. This ,the book states:.....talking about the throne
itself, you will be confused, it had two beautifully designed royal seats,
one for the Igwe and the other for the Lolo.......(p 73).
The book concludes with the Corps Members visit to Eke-Ede,
the communitys market. There in the market. The book documents how
the Corps Member took note of all the striking things in the market ,and
this constitute the economic life of the people.
This novel is a commendable piece and a teaching material for
teachers of English language and literature in English at all levels of
learning. This is because ,the writer provides review questions at the
end of every chapter. The language is relatively simple and straight
forward .The glossary provided at the end of the book offers
explanations for some of the words that may pose a challenge to the
readers.
The flow of the idea is logical as one idea gradually leads to the
other. The writer exhibits commendable literary prowess in his choice of
words and sentence construction, thereby making the book a must read
to all the literates irrespective of n course of study and area of interest.