I do not come to you by chance — book review

I Do Not Come To You By Chance was humorous. At times, I was cautious about laughing, because the story tackles serious matters that affect people in real life.

If we had read this for Literature-in-English class, we would have had a field day dissecting all the themes.

Like the power of influence, and how a deteriorating government makes people turn a blind eye to wrongdoing when it benefits them because they lack viable alternatives.

Or how our society pressures people to take on more than they can handle, whether it’s raising more children or hosting lavish burials when the deceased’s family is poor.

The book so closely mirrors real life today in Nigeria. Despite being published in 2009 and set in the early 2000s (as deduced), it made me reflect on how the issues raised are deeply ingrained and influenced by our broken systems.

But to acknowledge this is not to absolve criminals of their responsibility because, at the end of the day, we are accountable for our actions.

Yet, because the story is told from the first person perspective, you are wont to empathize with the protagonist’s choices.

Without a full understanding of how his shady dealings impact his victims, you, the readers, are inclined to overlook his flaws and sympathize with him and the circumstances that led him down this path.

In a way, it mirrors the protagonist’s transformation, from initial remorse when confronted with the negative consequences on his victims, to believing the stories he told himself to justify his actions and, ultimately, accepting his true motives with his full chest.

I finished the book with a heavy sigh. A good name is worth its weight in gold.

Can’t wait to see the upcoming movie adaptation. I hear Genevieve Nnaji is producing it.

Read: Books I read in 2022: A recap