Face Me I Face You embraces modern trends and reminds us that there’s no single way to write a book.
By Evidence Egwuono Adjarho
One of the best gifts Nollywood has given Nigerians is arguably the iconic characters Aki and Pawpaw. These characters are renowned for their innate and spontaneous humour and mischief. However, beyond their comedic antics, Aki and Pawpaw have also provided insights into communal living in Nigeria.
This connection is evident, as most of their movies are set in low-cost housing, commonly known as ‘face me I face you’ structures. For instance, you do not need to have lived in one of these houses to relate to the chaos that can ensue. Although some of the characters may be cliched, the drama unfolds in various ways that keep the movies entertaining.
Similarly, Oyindamola Shoola’s book, Face Me I Face You, draws from the heart of Nigerian communal life, painting a vivid picture of the interactions, tensions, and humour found in such environments.
The book’s title alone evokes a sense of nostalgia that makes readers eager to dive in. When one hears “Face Me I Face You” as a Nigerian or someone familiar with the country’s slang, what comes to mind is a lack of privacy and the ‘drama’ or, in Nigerian parlance, ‘wahala’.
In Face Me I Face You, Shoola uses a collection of 32 poems to tell a relatable story, mostly stemming from communal living. She explores issues such as familial and internal conflicts, marital pressures, religious hypocrisy, and infidelity, among others. The poems in this book are divided into sections: “Palava”, “Face Me I Face You”, and “Water & Garri”.
The first section, “Palava”, contains nine poems that focus on the dynamics within the extended family of Olori Ebi, unfolding through the eyes of an unnamed narrator. Readers see how Mama Sade and Baba Sade navigate their contrasting approaches to life.
Baba Sade is described as “notorious for his discreet adventures around town searching for fresh fish”, another way of saying he is an adulterous husband, while Mama Sade’s coping mechanism is turning to religion. The relationships between characters like Maami and Aunty Sola illustrate what extended families are like—the tensions, conflicts, and complicated connections.
This familial relationship in “Palava” blurs into the next section of the book, “Face Me I Face You”, which shifts focus to the different personalities of the characters living communally. Shoola introduces relatable characters like Sade, Bimpe, Folake, and Delilah whose struggles with societal expectations, particularly around marriage, reflect the realities many face.
Sade, burdened by marital pressures from both her family and society, becomes desperate for a partner, leading her into a cycle of heartbreak. Bimpe masks her vulnerabilities about being unmarried through the “high standards” she sets for herself. However, readers see the irony in the poem entitled “We Have Never Seen God”:
Bimpe we have never seen your man,
but we know he wears a gold wristwatch
with a time setting for England,
long beard and a bald head.
Delilah, of the four women, is highly unbothered by societal conventions. As a sex worker, she unapologetically lives her life outside of societal norms but still faces the harsh stigma attached to her choices. For instance, one only has to consider the negative connotation of the name, ‘Delilah’.
The final section, “Water & Garri”, tells the love story of Folake and her fiancé, still situated within the ‘face me I face you’ setting. Both Folake and her fiancé narrate this section, offering readers two perspectives on their relationship. For instance, their varied interpretations of what love is become apparent: to Folake, love is more in acting than in speaking; to her fiancé, it lies in the coyness of his lady.
One of the things you can hardly miss about Face Me I Face You is its smooth transition from one poem to the next. The short descriptions before each poem aid this flow, while also providing character development. Shoola’s use of code-mixing, slang, and onomastics adds colour to the book, making it accessible to younger audiences. The book is also a nod to contemporary pop culture. For instance, the title of the first poem, “How I Got This Ring” is derived from the lyrics of Cardi B’s 2020 song, “WAP”.
By the time readers reach the end of the book, they also discover a playlist attached, featuring songs by Fela Kuti, Falz, Simi, Burna Boy, and others. This is one of the things I found intriguing about the book. You don’t come across a book every day that includes a curated playlist to enhance your reading experience.
Beyond the obvious, Oyindamola Shoola’s writing is well-suited for the times. Her use of slang and puns appeals to a specific audience more than others: Gen Z and younger millennials. There’s a popular notion that these generations have a short attention span, leading to a decline in reading and an increase in the consumption of video content instead.
However, Shoola seems to have considered this while writing. Her poems are short, fun, and dramatic, making it easy to read the entire book in one sitting. Some might dismiss this style as ‘unserious’, but perhaps it’s Oyindamola Shoolaa’s way of making reading enjoyable for everyone, showing that you don’t have to be a book nerd to engage with literature. Whatever the case, Shoola’s book has been warmly received by reading communities.
Face Me I Face You embraces modern trends and reminds us that there’s no single way to write a book. It is a carefully crafted work that addresses social issues in a unique way, drawing readers in before they even realise what they’ve gotten themselves into. This book is sure to change perceptions of poems as difficult reads.
Evidence Egwuono Adjarho is a Gen-Z who loves God. She believes strongly in the power of literature and spends her time amplifying it through book reviews. She is a final year student studying English at the University of Lagos. Find her @evidence egwuono on Instagram, X, Facebook and LinkedIn