Nigeria, May 31 -- I was in my early teens when I came across the slim novel, Weep Not, Child, by the then James Ngugi. Actually, the novel laid around as it was part of the school syllabus in senior secondary school, and the seniors read it.

I found it simple, easy to digest, but most importantly, I identified with Njoroge, the main antagonist. I could not understand how a child my age could be subjected to such harrowing experiences. It introduced me to the issue of colonialism and resistance.

Other books I later read in secondary school, like Tell Freedom by Peter Abrahams and the poems of David Diop such as "The Vultures" and "Africa" concretely situated me in my African environment, and established some consciousness between a Nige...