How do I badge the author?
A Romantic whose feelings and imaginations create the rich tapestry called life, a Victorian projecting stark social realities or a Modernist gorgeously igniting ones stream of consciousness. 'Dreams & Chaos' by Sentilong Ozukum is here to stay for decades and generations to come.
Molu+Esther or Molu+Ali? Ever since I first read 'Campus Blues' I day-dreamt for the answer to this intriguing curiosity. Oh well! finally I have the answer and I shall be providing the answer later. Stay tuned to know the 'Who'. Let me first of all talk about the thoughts and feelings the book has planted on me, inside me.
°Depression°
Of late I've been hearing of 'DEPRESSION' a lot. Few months back as the board results got declared, a news flashed of a girl (Div- 1st, Distinction in 2 subjects) committing suicide in one of our states (I intend to keep the name of the state to myself), reason being, being chided by parents to have scored much higher. Oh Mom-Dad! Have you realized now what you have lost, you lost forever your brilliant, lovely, uniquely gifted daughter. I wish all parents remember what Psalm 127: 3 read, "Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him."
°Education°
Educators, do you take the rod when a ward uses 'this' for 'these' or for whom E is not equal to mc²? Have you tried to delve into the artist which breaths inside, hidden due to our pressure on them? Every child is not born with the "genetic lottery" (p.52), but is uniquely gifted like "Picasso, Bolt, or Sheldon" (p.53). Let us, as educators, negate that 'There is a dangerous flaw in the education system and it is killing the dreams of so many talented kids in the country everyday" (p.52). Let us tell our students who are our sisters, brothers, sons and daughters that we are their teachers, their parents and will always guide them choose their path. But in return I wish they adhere to the fact that "a small insignificant event in our life today can cause a catastrophic event in the future" (p.60). Dear student-kids, please be mindful of the 'The Butterfly Effect' 'The Chaos Theory' (p.60).
°Girls/Women°
What does a girl, a woman want? Tricky right? "Civilizations have come and gone, but no man has ever been able to answer the question correctly" (p.126). The author has provided some 'P's' a girl looks for in her man. I, personally, pondered deep into those P's because many a times, on different occasions, I have been darted with a question by my people, "what exactly do you want your man to be?"!! I struggled for an answer and finally came to the conclusion that personally I wish for a man whose "heart is firmly committed to God" (p.128), but it's all in the hands of God who has written my destiny. But Girls/ women be wise and to the Men around, yes it is difficult to know a woman but she isn't that difficult too.
°Love°
Tell me, how many times have you fallen in love? "We fall in love only once" (p.97). "Finding someone that attracts you and falling in love are two completely different things" (p.128). Personal level, I don't believe in love at first sight. To me it's mere attraction leading to varied calculations but love, "love isn't based on probabilities" (p.98), "true love doesn't have conditions" (p.257). Love is tricky. It brings bags full of joy and yes pain too and "the greatest pain that comes from love is loving someone you can never have. Yet you never feel pain unless you have felt love" (p.225). To those who have lost love, please cheer up for "good things come to those who wait" (p.222). You gotta carry on, you got to move on. "...we don't stop loving someone, we simply learn how to live without them" (p.229). I had always been troubled with a thought whether to follow my heart or my head and thanks to the author for I know now what to follow.
Coming to Molu+Ali or Molu+Esther. Have you see the illustration on the back cover jacket of the book, the girl with Moluti there? Oh she looks so pretty right, looking outside the glass panel and with the bouquet of gerbera flowers landing serenly besides her. This girl with whom Molu is drinking a cup of coffee is ___. Sorry, you got to read this beautiful piece to know for yourself what Molu's Dreams & Chaos brought him to finally. Trust me you won't regret a bit as you close the book.
I wish to conclude with one of my favourite Nicole Lyons' verses, "It's ironic, isn't it? How hope keeps us breathing just to kill us in the end."
PS..
To Sentilong Ozukum: Thank you for letting me smile and cry. I felt Molu around me and he is with me to stay forever. Good thing really do take time. Thank you.
To www.ilandlo.com: Without you getting D&C was impossible. Love you.
To Heritage Publishing House, Dimapur: I am in love with every bit of the book, from front to back jacket & and all blacks on the whites.
