Book Title: Wahala Be Like Bicycle
Author: Babry Gernah
Year: 2021
Publishers: Aboki Publishers, Makurdi
"Life does not owe anybody a living, is a call to strive to excel" p. 159. This quote from the book should be cast on stone as it carries a meaning beyond the length of the sentence.
Wahala be like Bicycle is a loaded piece with many life lessons, 'Strive to Excel' is the motto despite challenges, obstacles, and setbacks, it is key to stay focused.
The author's vivid description narrates the series of heated events during a weekend that set the trail for a journey into the life of Junior Air Men (JAM) at the prominent Air Force Military School, (AFMS) in Jos, Plateau State.
The school operates as a military institution owned by Nigerian Air Force (NAF) that offers secondary school education and military training to Nigerian teenage boys from ages 11 to 17 years. The students undergo formal education in subjects such as Mathematics, English, Technical drawing, Physics, Government, Biology, Geography, and French.
In addition, they get trained in military artillery, strategy, and tactics. The militia drills and instructions prepare and encourage a profession in the Nigerian Armed Forces and many proceed to become commissioned officers in the Army, Air Force, Navy, and other security outfits.
This book is an eye opener into the daily lives of Junior Air Men, and how they manoeuvre through their lineup of activities, buying jobs, patching, and the writer talks about how time elongates and it seems JAMs have extra 8 hours apart from the regular 24 hours.
The writer uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or mockery to expose and criticize the boy's actions or vices; the communication at the institution is unique with it own slangs, patterns and buzz words such as "cut out", "Adam's apple", "ojebs", "patchers", "Wala", "shandy ", "clowns", "buy job", etc.
This further sinks the reader into the world of JAMs as storytelling from each character was personalized according to their isolated point of view, circumstances, and perspective.
Aside from some minor typos, "Wahala be like Bicycle" is a brilliant memoir of a JAM's daily life and how these experiences help shape the well-rounded individuals this prestigious institution has groomed over three decades.
In conclusion, the writer has made the alumni body of AFMS proud with this piece of literature and it is pertinent that the NAF sees to it that boys from AFMS should be absorbed in various capacities into the Nigerian Military, leaving them to the streets not a wise investment militarily as they groom gentlemen that are making a difference in the world.