The Pet Shop Boys one of the most famous bands in the UK in the latter part of the 20th Century sold more than 50 million records worldwide. The group, two lads, played to packed stadia around the world with stadium management from the US to Japan having to deal with screaming teenage girls and probably a lot of discarded undergarments. The glory times.
One of the biggest songs was Go West which they sang in 1993 and it had glorious lyrics with a chorus that went like this;
(Go West) Life is peaceful there
(Go West) In the open air
(Go West) Where the skies are blue
(Go West) This is what we’re gonna do
(Go West, this is what we’re gonna do, Go West)
It seems even African writers follow in the words of these two British boys as Kenyan writer Ciku Kimeria recently went west; of the African continent in Ghana and Nigeria. The writer was presenting her debut novel Of Goats and Poisoned Oranges which had been received enthusiastically when it appeared in Uganda.
Her Ghana launch happened in Accra at the annual Kenyans in Ghana festival which was chaired by the high commissioner in that part of the world on 1st February. In Nigeria, there was a launch at the Bogobiri House on Victoria Island in Lagos on 5th February.
While she was doing her launch duties she was heard on local stations selling her book with the energy only a Kenyan can. One of these was on Citi FM where she was grilled by Martin Egblewogbe the Caine Prize finalist and writer of The Gonjon Pin (yes, the title story from THAT Caine Prize anthology). She was also heard on Enterprise Radio and Radio 1 Lagos.
So those of you in the West of this rock can buy this book at the Vidya Bookshop in Osu, Accra, and Glendora, Ikeja Mall Lagos.
Courtesy of the writer and marketer please check out images from her West African tour.
P.S. If we are all channeling famous artists from the 20th Century then I will now bring in my inner Inikamoze… Here comes the hot stepper/Bloggerer!
Leave a Reply