On Friday, October 3, 2025, the Writing Centre at the 黑料网 (AUN) continued its legacy of intellectual inquiry and literary appreciation through a stimulating Book Club event 鈥� a morning of conversation, reflection, and shared humanity.
The session, held at the 24-Hour Room of the Robert Pastor Library and E-Learning Centre, was led by Dr. Seun Israel Adeleke of the English Department, supported by Mrs. Emilienne Akpan and Mrs. Ogechi Dan Okereke. The discussion centered on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie鈥檚 celebrated short story collection, The Thing Around Your Neck.
For years, the Writing Centre鈥檚 Book Club has been a cornerstone of AUN鈥檚 efforts to cultivate a reading culture among students 鈥� a space where literature becomes a mirror, a dialogue, and sometimes, a protest. Explaining the purpose of the initiative, Mrs. Okereke emphasized that the club 鈥渋s designed to help students engage deeply with texts, discuss the issues they raise, and view the world through the lens of diverse authors.鈥�
Dr. Adeleke noted that the choice of Adichie鈥檚 work was deliberate 鈥� not only for its artistic brilliance but also for its enduring ideological relevance. 鈥淓very form of writing,鈥� he said, 鈥渋s ideological, whether consciously or unconsciously. Adichie鈥檚 stories push us to interrogate the social systems and power structures that shape our everyday lives.鈥� One such system, he explained, is the communal avuncular culture common in African societies, where men often assume the title of 鈥渦ncle鈥� as a sign of respect or familiarity.
Yet, in many cases, this title becomes a mask for exploitation. In The Thing Around Your Neck, Adichie exposes how such traditions, left unexamined, can endanger women under the guise of kinship. Beyond gender, the discussion also explored Adichie鈥檚 nuanced portrayal of migration and alienation.
Through the story of Akunna 鈥� a young woman who wins the U.S. visa lottery only to face isolation abroad 鈥� the facilitators invited students to reflect on the myth of the 鈥満诹贤� dream.鈥� 鈥淎dichie cautions us,鈥� Dr. Adeleke observed, 鈥渢hat emigration is not always as rosy as it is imagined. For many, it comes with loneliness, identity struggles, and the weight of starting over.鈥� Students in attendance found the session both eye-opening and personally resonant.
Veronica Offiong, attending for the first time, described it as 鈥渢ouching, reflection-provoking, and contemporary.鈥� She highlighted the themes of immigration, racism, and feminism, adding that Adichie鈥檚 work 鈥渕irrors societal realities through fiction, reminding us of the vices we sometimes ignore in real life.鈥�
Another participant, Ikeyinna Ekweozor, shared his motivation for joining the discussion. 鈥淟ife has gotten so fast-paced,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd I felt I was losing sight of what I really love 鈥� reading and quiet reflection.
The session felt like a breath of fresh air.鈥� He also praised Akunna鈥檚 courage to flee from her abusive 鈥渦ncle,鈥� calling it a moment of powerful agency. 鈥淚t made me think about how dangerous that so-called 鈥榰ncle鈥� culture can be,鈥� he noted, echoing Dr. Adeleke鈥檚 critique of the avuncular system.
Throughout the morning, students engaged in lively exchanges about gender, identity, and belonging, each voice adding a unique layer to the tapestry of interpretation. Mrs. Akpan reflected that such discussions embody the Writing Centre鈥檚 core mission 鈥� to awaken critical thought through the joy of reading.
鈥淭he AUN Book Club,鈥� she remarked, 鈥渞emains committed to helping students fall in love with reading again 鈥� reading that makes them think, question, and grow.鈥�
As the event drew to a close, a thoughtful stillness settled over the room 鈥� the kind that follows deep contemplation. In that silence, Adichie鈥檚 words, Dr. Adeleke鈥檚 insights, and the students鈥� reflections converged into one resounding message: 鈥楲iterature is not merely to be read; it is to be lived, questioned, and reimagined.鈥�
Reported by Akachukwu Madueke