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the complete review - fiction

Okeke the Magician

by
Ogali Ogali

general information | our review | links | about the author

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Our Assessment:

B- : simple, odd story

See our review for fuller assessment.

The complete review's Review:

       In his introduction, Ogali describes Okeke the Magician as "an imaginary story of a young man who made up his mind to study magic and occultism and finally qualified as an adept".
       Okeke isn't the most talented of youths: he fails to pass his "Cambridge Examination", and then fails at a number of trades, finally winding up as a temporary clerk.
       Okeke's life is changed when he sees the "Greatest Magician Professor Gundu". He resolves to become a magician too. First he goes to Lagos, then he manages to stow away on a ship to America. All the while he is studying spiritualism and magic. He gets his first degree -- "M.A. (California)" with "First Class Honours in Spiritualism". He gets a good job ("Director of the City Branch of Spiritual Laboratory") and publishes "his famous book on Oriental science".
       Okeke goes to London (collecting another degree -- "with First Class Honours in Herbalism"). He is successful here, and then in India (where he gets another degree), Egypt (collecting a "Doctor of African Science"), and completes his grand tour in Abyssinia, returning triumphant to Lagos.
       The list of honours and degrees and appointments is a long and impressive one, and Okeke clearly has become an adept by the end. Okeke doles out his magic quite liberally too, including providing a Board of Thieves with an "Open Sesame Charm" which lands him in a bit of trouble. But a few incantations and the magistrate is more than willing to drop all charges against him .....
       Because of this bad experience Okeke leaves Nigeria for America again: his home country being unable to "welcome him whole-heartedly".
       Okeke's success story is quite an odd one. Even in the world of magic degrees and official stamps of approval are apparently necessary -- mere magic acts aren't proof enough. There is a bit too much academic success and too little abracadabra (or rather: "Abakabara") in Ogali's tale. Still, the story of Okeke the Magician is bizarrely entertaining.

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Links:

• Onitsha Market Literature: From the Bookstalls of a Nigerian Market - at the University of Kansas
• Indiana University Library collection

• The collection Veronica My Daughter and Other Onitsha Plays and Stories, which includes:
  • Adelabu
  • Caroline the One-Guinea Girl
  • Eddy the Coal-City Boy
  • The Ghost of Patrice Lumumba
  • History of Item: Past and Present
  • Long Long Ago
  • Mr. Rabbit is Dead
  • No Heaven for the Priest
  • Patrice Lumumba
  • Smile Awhile
  • Thirty Years for the Director
  • Veronica My Daughter

• Daniel Kehlmann's magic-tale, Beerholms Vorstellung
• Emmanuel Obiechina's introduction to An African Popular Literature
• Life Turns Man Up and Down, edited by Kurt Thometz
• Index of books relating to Africa

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About the Author:

       Nigerian author Ogali A. Ogali was born in 1935 and was a leading author of the pamphlet literature sold at Onitsha market.

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