Anjili Migawa Ndahi: Marama, a Double Faced Settlement

Anjili Migawa Ndahi: Marama, a Double Faced Settlement

By:Balami Lazarus

I cannot remember the last time I reviewed a book. But here I am doing what I did some years ago. Reviewing a book is one of the simplest things to do if you know how to go about it. The work of Anjili Migawa Ndahi Marama: A Double-Faced Settlement, published in 2016, with an ISBN of 978-978-956-612-9 and 11 chapters and 215 pages, was an interesting read.

As a writer and a publisher, I have gone through many books in the three genres of prose, drama, and poetry. But Marama: A Double-Faced Settlement is more historical in terms of traditions and the emergence of Christian missionaries in Buraland.

The central theme of the book speaks of Marama as a settlement of traditional religion and the belief in Mountain Marama shrine with Christian beliefs, which are both competing with each other to the present day, according to the author. And hence the title, Marama: A Double-Faced Settlement.

The author was able to expressly explain some historical facts pertaining to the origin of the shrine and oracle of the gods that live in the caves of Mount Marama. Further reading of the book will give readers an understanding of the origin and rise of some clans that predominantly lived and occupied the area known as Marama, which is today a known town in Hawul Local Government Area in Biu Emirate Council of Borno State.

Mr. Anjili said that there are clans that own the ancestral Marama. The work also informed readers of the Bura cultural heritage and identity as an ethnic nation. Author Migawa briefly, with historical tales, explained the meanings of some clan names. For instance, Ndahi simply means stirring sand (Nda-hi)). While Wakawa means who and who (Wa-ka-wa),

The book further brought to the fore the cultural and spiritual history of Marama, with clear references to the works of the CBM Christian missionaries in Marama.

In conclusion, the book is no doubt rich in context, but its minuses are in its binding, which is poorly read and characterized by devil’s print (typographical errors).

*Balami , a Publisher / Columnist 08036779290

Anjili Migawa Ndahi: Marama, a Double Faced Settlement