Rites of Passage - An essay from the collection, Of This Our Country

To define Nigeria is to tell a half-truth. Many have tried, but most have concluded that it is impossible to capture the true scope and significance of Africa's most populous nation through words or images. Yet here, through personal essays from 24 of its writers, a more accurate picture comes into view, and in his essay Anietie Isong grapples with the idea of preserving tradition, the power of language and the strength of community. Powerful, lyrical and entirely unforgettable, the essays from OF THIS OUR COUNTRY weave together a living portrait of Nigeria, one that is as beautiful as it is complex.