Kicking tongues

Taking her cue from "The Canterbury Tales," Karen King-Aribisala has written a strikingly original work that is both modern and essentially African. Her novel takes place in a Nigeria where the abuse of power assumes many forms. The central protagonist, The Black Lady, urges concerned citizens to join her on a symbolic journey to the new federal capital of Abuja, where they will air their views and share their visions for the future of the society. On the way, they tell stories, addressing the themes of moral/political decadence, female oppression in a patriarchal society, and a new age where both men and women compete for power. These stories are a unique mixture of poetry and prose narratives that echo traditional African storytelling, where tales are often interspersed with songs and poetry.