Title of Book: Eagle Drive
Author: Terna Abu
Publishers: Konkofi Publishers, Makurdi.
Year: 2020
Pages: 213
Genre: Prose
Reviewer: Terese Uwuave
Terna Abu’s Eagle Drive is an intriguing, engaging, and at the same time, a harrowing tale of a promising young graduate of Mechanical Engineer who is determined to ply the thorny path of becoming an entrepreneur in a country in which her citizens, including the young energetic graduates only think of what their country can do for them and not what they can do for their country as preached by John F. Kennedy. The novel chronicles the entrepreneurship dream of Bemdoo Akile, the protagonist and the nakbas he passed through to actualise this dream. The journey, though made epileptic by people who don’t share his business idea, financial inadequacy, planned occasional thefts by his employee and armed robbers, disappointing government loan policies, and some mischievous and envious business partners, holds readers spellbound by Bemdoo’s determination, doggedness, and resilience towards achieving his dream.
One gripping aspect of the novel is its strong and timely message. In a corrupt ridden society where almost everyone is obsessed with the idea of having a piece of the national cake, there is no any other message that is worthy of a novelist’s noble pursuit than entrepreneurial ship for national development. This is evidently the only way of rescuing a lost people from the claws of corruption, self-centeredness and instilling in them the spirit of nationalism, innovation and scientific discoveries that have become sine qua non for development in our modern world. This is the cause that Abu champions in this novel. The novel is a reminder that to make meaningful development, we must, like Bemdoo, not only think of having “many manufacturing companies like other countries” (12) and becoming entrepreneurs in order to contribute to making the country great (13) but also willing to sacrifice our time, loved ones, jobs, resources and what Brian Tracy regards as “short-term gain aimed at immediate gratification” (11). This is what the characterisation of Bemdoo epitomises in the novel.
The novel is thus, an answer to Charles Nnolim’s challenge that the twenty first century African writers should expand their artistic canvas by embracing the challenges posed by globalisation, dominated by technologically oriented new world order. This new world order, to Nnolim, has the potentials of creating a new Africa, a new spirit of optimism, an Africa full of promises, with a healthy independent technology (Issues in African Literature 234-235). Eagle Drive is an evidence that Terna Abu has not taken Nnolim’s challenge with a pinch of salt. The novel is thematically trailblazing with its engagement of entrepreneurship for national development. The unpretentious nature in which Abu takes over the theme of entrepreneurship evokes a fundamental question: Is there anything called an entrepreneurial novel, like there is a bildungsroman? If there is none, Terna Abu might have blazed the trail by producing a model of an entrepreneurial novel in Eagle Drive. A careful reader of the novel will hardly ignore Abu’s innovation which is unmistakably glaring as can be seen in the way the novel systematically engages the concept of entrepreneurship; its methodology, practicum, challenges and solutions as well as its benefits towards manpower and national development. This is a conscious attempt to birth a unique novel type that is similar to the historical novel, bildungsroman and romance among others.
The author’s artistic dexterity is evident in his brilliant handling and control of the prose narrative techniques. Firstly, the language is figuratively endowed. Expressions like: “like mustard seeds,” (16), “like a thunderbolt,” (5) and “Heaven had just turned off its taps,” (29) exemplify the use of simile and personification respectively. Secondly, the plotting is equally interesting. The novel opens with a romantic plot before switching to a seemingly utopian plot where Bemdoo attempts inventing a machine. At another point, we see an investigative plot where Eno’s collaborative theft must be unravelled. With suspense and flashback, the author weaves these multiple plots without losing his grip on any of them, bringing each to its logical conclusion. Within these plots, Eno and Peter’s laughable theatrics on pages 59 and 67 are a few humourous effects to ease any perceived tension from the reader. More so, Abu’s descriptive power is commendable. His description of Akpan’s moustache as “Osama-Bin-Laden beard,” (54), the dressing of Ademola (17), the slums in Kano, and the beauty of all Bemdoo’s girlfriends are all done with astonishing clarity.
Another fascinating of the novel is the author’s realistic presentation of characters who are representative in nature. This is what George Becker regards as “the cross sectional presentation. This technique infuses Abu’s characters with different traits that are prototypes of real personalities we encounter in our physical world. Relatedly, we can picture the determined Bemdoo, Sarter, Mimi and Torngu; the versatile Dr Harrison, the gullible Eno, the sacrificial lamb in Lilian; the overambitious and impatient Kange, the money loving Chioma and Ebiye, and the mischievous, envious and evil Atotsaghen. These characters exhibit traits that cut across all the human personalities we encounter every day. This presentation brings readers close to the characters, evoking sympathy from readers. Thus, by this, Abu is “evidently more scientific, objective, analytical, impersonal, schematic, less sectional and therefore more realistic. He is also more likely to take the average which is more embracing and less exceptional” (Ferdinand Iorbee Asoo, The African Novel and the Realist Tradition 29).
Although Hausa and pidgin expressions are used, it’s strange that ‘orne’ is the only Tiv word used in the novel despite the fact that Bemdoo and his business associates are all Tiv people. On the whole, Eagle Drive is an intriguing, educative work of art that is in the words of Roland Barthes, readable and filled with orgasmic ecstasy. With the novel, there is no need for other non-literary books on entrepreneurship.
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Terese Uwuave is a critic, short story writer and playwright. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and is currently pursuing his master’s degree in Literature at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. Uwuave teaches Literature at Jewel Model School, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria.
