The Forest Dames - Tapa blanda

"The Forest Dames" is a story about the devastating effects of war, in which AdaOkere Agbasimalo dwells on the sordid consequences of civil war on humanity and especially on the womenfolk in an African society.

 

Deze, the heroin, is a young girl with a keen mind, who lived with her parents in a typical African setting. She observed the war and upon adulthood the memories remained intact, haunting her. 

 

Her story is about a senseless war, killings, atrocities, mayhem, man's inhumanity to man and regrets. She x-rayed the wounded psyche of a nation in its struggles and tortuous effort to achieve normalcy.

AdaOkere Agbasimalo writes with a passion that underscores her connection with her environment and profound knowledge of the theme of her work. She also has a rare gift in creative writing which enables her to latch on to a theme and very quickly weave her way through the scenes and characters with masterly control. This skill is perceptible in all her works which are unputdownable as they all immediately draw the reader into the story with a commitment to fulfill the objective of the story. Not afraid to grapple with potent social issues in her works, AdaOkere Agbasimalo in her usual candour, set out in the book "The Forest Dames", to recount war experiences from the gender perspective. With typical incisive narrative and imagery, she paints an engaging picture of hate, fear, passion, hunger, deprivation and hope, all the key elements of the crisis of war; eliciting in the reader, profound empathy at all turns. Her thoughts as enunciated in her book "The Forest Dames" should catalyze any mind desirous of equity, justice, fairness and peace in the world, to embrace these virtues. "Mom, you are rare" - Chibueze Benjamin Agbasimalo (son), Student, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State Nigeria. 2004. "Ndaa Ada Agbasimalo, i nwere ezi aha n'ulo di gi, i nwere ezi aha n'ebe i na aru oru, i nwere ezi aha n'umu nna gi". - Chima Eke alias Obareze (Bongo Musician) 2008 in album title Ezi aha ka ego