Temi Halim and the story of Tenka and His Magic Drum

By MCPHILIPS NWACHUKWU

Even writers, in their quite quarters are also deep in thought about how best to celebrate 50years of Nigeria’s journey to adulthood. Having at all times pioneered, the project, today popularly knowns as “ rebranding” through the various creative genres of prose, poetry and drama, the restless spirit, Muse will still not allow some writers rest, but will rather continue to prop them to the other side silence: the  un-rebranded side of the nation’s tangible and intangible social, material and historical culture.

One such writer is beautiful and gap toothed, Temi Halim, writer and publisher of children’s friendly reader titled, Tenka and His Magic Drum.

Temi Halim is among the Nigerian moulders of cultural conscience, who is worried that at 5o years of age, Nigerian children are still spoon fed with western mannerisms in terms of some borrowed cultural behaviours that manifest in the nation’s education system, dress culture, food culture and other social exhibitionisms.

When a whole lot of cynics have lost faith in Project, Nigeria because of palpable failure of her leaders failure in giving the citizenries desired governance and social in frastructural needs, Halim, at a recent meeting with arts on Sunday, exhibits a rather surprising strong sense of optimism and argues convincingly, that Nigeria’s huge cultural dynamics alone, constitute a worthwhile gift that calls for celebration in this long journey.
“ Nigeria is 50 this year. A lot of people say we have nothing to celebrate, but we have a lot to celebrate. Let’s celebrate our kids, our history, our culture, our laughter, our music, our beauty, all things that slowly we are beginning to forget. We are beautiful, our history is rich, vast and our culture diverse and deep.”

How does Halim bring this laudable dream into reality? You’d ask.. ” Take a look at this.” She says, handing you a beautifully illustrated hard bound copy of children’s story book.” This is what am talking about. She continues.” Isn’t this beautiful? This is a story book developed for the Nigerian child reader, who needs to understand the cultural wealth and dynamics of the African environment.”

Titled, Tenka and His Magic Drum, the story book, which interestingly is illustrated by a foreign artist, Judith Bicking is adapted from African folk narratives; and especially from the very folktale of the Yoruba.

The book, a clear departures from the popular James and Gill or the now very famous, Harry Potter kind of tales, Halim’s effort is aimed at celebrating the beauty of the African world: its rich history, philosophy, culture, science and fashion sense among other things.

Continuing, She added that ,” the future lies in our kids and so, Tenka and His Magic Drum has been produced for them; to show them that yes, Nigerians can do things properly; we are beautiful, regal and have our own stories.”

An arrestingly illustrated 29 page book, the story woven round the popular folk trickster, tortoise through a creative twist around a famous legendary Ghananian historical character ; Tenkamenin is written on a new narrative template to not only impact the essential moral knowledge expected of the African child; but also, to project the fading socio-political culture, cohesion, refined judicial order and social ethics and are the hallmark of African culture.

“It is not just a story book, it educates and entertains. From the ancient city of Djenne Jenno, situated in modern day Mali to the breaktakingly beautiful Chappal Waddi( the highest mountain in Nigeria) to Sungbo Eredo in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State( built by Bilikisu Sungbo, who is rummoured to have been the black Queen of Sheba.” She said.

The book, she continues,” takes the kids and their parents on a magical journey across cultures, nations in Africa, spanning centuries of African history.”

Published by an Ibadan, Oyo State based Anase Publishers Limited, Tenka and His Magic Drum is the first published book of the author, who although graduated in Chemistry, International Law and Diplomacy, has however ran a bookshop business and has also completed a play that explores the turbulence in the Savannah region of the Gulf of Guinea.