A Nigerian in the NBA, Modern African Women and Oil

Looking for a good book to read? Every week, ZODML spotlights three great books from our extensive collection to inspire readers to try out books they might not have previously heard of. The selections fall under three major categories – fiction, non-fiction and children and young adult literature – so there’s a book to suit every taste. All of the books are available to borrow for free at our Community Library on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi. Be sure to check out our archives to see which books have been selected in the past.
Fiction: Changes by Ama Ata Aidoo Changes explores the complex world in which the lives of professional working women have changed sharply, but the cultural assumptions of men’s lives have not. Esi is an independent woman who leaves her husband because he intrudes on her time and personal space. Confronted with the difficulty of finding love and companionship on acceptable terms, Esi meets Ali and falls in love, but she must decide if she is willing to make the changes necessary for the relationship to work. Non-Fiction: Living the Dream: My Life and Basketball by Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player widely considered one of the best centres to play in the NBA. He grew up in Nigeria and didn't even pick up a basketball until he was seventeen, but just two years later Olajuwon powered the University of Houston to the NCAA Final Four...and that was only the beginning. In Living the Dream, Olajuwon shares one of the most remarkable basketball stories of our time. He tells exactly how it felt coming to America and leaving his family and friends behind, and gives vivid on-the-court profiles of his teammates, coaches, and competitors over the course of his long career with the Houston Rockets.
Read more about the life of NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon in our Discover Nigeria section.
Children and Young Adults: The Oil Conspiracy by Kalu Okpi Three big shots who desperately want to acquire more money get involved in illegal business, ranging from duping the government in oil deals to a silver deal, to smuggling cannabis. This last “survival” plan brings out their brutality and heartlessness when they resort to arson and murder to remove the obstacles in their path. What are your #BooksoftheWeek? Share with us in the comments!