A Review of Adekanmi Olumide’s ‘Archive of Scars’

A Review of Adekanmi Olumide’s ‘Archive of Scars’

Life is an unending drama, and every young lady has expectations of a life she desires. Men of questionable character lure some of them into their net by mouth-watering promises of a better life.

Gracia’s case is pathetic. She is trapped in the net of a fellow villager, Jerry Skola, who is working as a university clerk in the city. Gracia is excited about his promise to her to join him in the city. They met at the Bongan festival, a yearly gathering of the Tang people. It is a convocation that allows young men and women in the village to find love and consummate their marriages.

At the tender age of 18, Gracia marries Jerry and later moves to the city with him. Gracia soon gets disillusioned because Jerry will not fulfil any of the promises he makes to her. She discovers she is married to a man who is deceptive and always up to no good. She is confronted with harsh financial difficulties, and her husband, Jerry, compounds her plight by adding emotional neglect to her basket of troubles.

Gracia’s financial agony becomes more pronounced as she welcomes her four babies in quick succession. Each additional mouth that needs to be fed inflicts deep pain on a family whose finances solely depend on her husband’s meagre salary.

Olumide Adekanmi’s ‘Archive of Scars’ is a story of emotional trauma and survival. It follows the struggles of Gracia, from domestic abuse, financial constraints, family fragmentation and teenage pregnancy, among a list of endless tragedies.

Gracia is overwhelmed by the responsibilities of motherhood; her husband is insensitive to the plight of his growing family. Eventually, Gracia concludes she is married to the wrong man.

As more pressure mounts on the family finances, Gracia becomes desperate to improve her family’s standard of living. Her neighbour, a hobby, teaches her baking and confectionery, which she soon turns into a business. Her new venture brings her some financial relief, and for a while, she is elated to contribute to the family’s welfare. But this does not last for long.

Gracia discovers that her husband is stealing from her income, and when she confronts him, it creates a deeper strain on an already wobbly family relationship. It is while she is grappling with the responsibilities of her two girls and the demands of entrepreneurship that she discovers she is pregnant. She delivers a set of twins.

Adekanmi’s narrative is structured to trace Gracia’s life from her brief romantic relationship with Jerry through her toxic marriage to her eventual professional triumph as a Judge. Gracia’s story is punctuated by both pleasant and unpalatable experiences. She battles her husband’s betrayal and her daughter Tonia’s rebellion. She is also faced with the tragic death of one of her twins. Undaunted by all she faces, she keeps her eyes on the goal, determined to change the narrative by improving her family’s standard of living.

At some point, Gracia tells herself it is time to run away from her abusive marriage and the toxic environment it presents to her. This act of defiance gives her a new lease of life. The courageous move sets the tone for the rest of her voyage on earth. She picks up the debris of her life and self-esteem and moves into a modest one-bedroom apartment with her children. Slowly, she watches as her struggle is transformed into fortune.

This story exemplifies the courage to persevere against all odds. It shows that afflictions have the inherent power to unlock potential and simultaneously activate courage and resilience. Gracia seeks admission to study law and rises to become a Judge; she eventually confronts the drug gang in her district responsible for her child’s death. From an unsophisticated wife, she becomes a strong mother and eventually someone society looks up to. But her battle against societal injustices suffers a big blow when she is diagnosed with osteoporosis, a health condition that abruptly terminates her promising career

This story is a sweeping domestic saga, richly expressive in its emotional detail throughout. The writing fully commits to the “scars as archive/badge of honour” theme, which is evident throughout the pages. Her story is a strong motivation for everyone going through life’s vicissitudes and shows that it is possible to pick up from one’s ruins, gather the ashes, and take another shot at life. In the end, she leaves behind the generations with a legacy of hope.