When parents abdicate in their responsibility to properly raise their children, the repercussion is always of heartbreaking consequence. This is the central theme in a short book entitled The Price of Pride, a debut novel written by thirteen-year-old Precious Esosa Osaro. The Price of Pride, which has its setting in Okukuma community, falls in the fiction category of the genre of literature.
Osaro encapsulates in her book that Mr and Mrs Ochigbo, Ada’s parents, allow their material wealth minimize their role of proper upbringing of their child who eventually is tossed up and down by ignoble conducts.
The writer of the engaging book, establishes that dereliction of duties by parent in tutoring their children in the right path can be fatal in the end.
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The thrilling book teaches that the aristocratic class should not be engrossed in or pre-occupied by their riches, as to over-indulge their children, but will do well to guide and direct them to take up good manners.
The tragicomedy book is structurally segmented into ten chapters in which chapter one presents Ada as a girl born into affluence, very intelligent, but is spoilt, rude, saucy, proud and disrespectful, having no regard for anyone.
In chapter two, Ada’s parent celebrates a colourful birthday for her in a manner that shows deep love for their beloved daughter, however , Ada spoils the show. Ada uncouthly rejects a gift from a close friend who presents her own widow’s mite as a birthday gift. Instead of showing appreciation of the gesture, she disgustingly looks down on the friend whom she accuses of wearing old and wrinkled attire to her party.
Chapter three of the powerfully written book takes a peep into what the future has for the Ochigbos through a soothsayer who warns of a misfortune perilously looming ahead of Ada if she does not turn a new leaf.
In chapter four, Ada’s inglorious attitude continues unabated, and even worsens, as she appears wayward, recalcitrant, sneaking out in the night, becoming a drunkard. However, Ada dies as a victim of deep-seated animosity.
The authoress does a good job in chapter five as she offers a second chance for the bereaved parent who are later blessed with twins that they bring up in an acceptable manner.
The return on investment in raising up the twins in conformity with moral standard manifests in chapter six as the Ochigbos begin to harvest the proceeds of good home training endued on Ada’s siblings- Emeka and Amaka.
Chapter seven gives account of how Ada dies through a conspiracy masterminded by an embittered friend who insists on taking her own pound of flesh as a result of public ignominy suffered during Ada’s birthday bash.
The disaster that once visited Ochigbo’s family earlier, comes visiting again in chapter eight as death takes away the breadwinner of the family after sickness, leaving his wife of over thirty-seven years in grief.
However, the tear and anguish become a thing of the past in chapter nine when Mrs Ochigbo’s twins marry the same day.
In chapter ten, the authoress presents how Emeka justifies the investment of his parent on him by turning the estate his father left behind into a big company. The writer also discloses afterwards how both twins give birth to baby girls in their marital sojourn.
The allure of this gripping book is how the writer shows that even though mistakes can be made, there may sometimes be a second chance at re-writing whatever error has been committed.
There is no error in affluence, and there is no error in making that affluence rob positively on ones children, but children should not be over pampered and spoilt. They should not be morally bankrupt individuals who will be a menace to themselves and the society.
The Price of Pride is well packaged. the illustration is first class, and cover picture suitable, conveying the message the book aims to deliver. The blurbs are short, but detailed, aptly summarising the plot.
The teenage writer achieves stylistic excellence, employing the use of simple and short sentences written in lucid and elegant language.
But ‘doted’ at the third line of the first paragraph under the About The Book in the back cover should have been ‘dote.’ One expects that present tense should have consistently been maintained throughout.
In the profile of the authoress, The Author should have been The Authoress to maintain the feminine gender since the authoress is a female.
Meanwhile, it is highly commendable how a teenager can weave words in a short book, devoid of embarrassing typographic and grammatical error. This could ould only have meant that the work is well edited and proofread.
The Price of Pride lives up to its billing, presenting itself as a collector’s item. It is well worth buying.
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