A REVIEW OF PERPETUAL OBIDIEGWU'S 'PRICELESS JEWEL'

  

THE PRICE OF GREED, UNTRUTHFULNESS AND BETRAYAL
Book: Priceless Jewel
Author: Perpetual Nkechi Obidiegwu
Publisher: Bulkybon Publications Company, Lagos
Year: 2012
Reviewer: Victor Bruce (victorbruce_2000@yahoo.com)

On first contact with Perpetual Nkechi Obidiegwu’s fantastically crafted novel, Priceless Jewel, one would be tempted to conclude that the book is another stereotype of Mills and Booms story- a simplistic romance of a young unassuming gentleman meeting a radiantly charming and dashing young damsel, and you assume they live happily ever after. But you are quite far from the truth.

Priceless Jewel, a titillating cum motivating story, sends a cold shock into your inner consciousness which promptly draws out ceaseless empathy from your stream of humane sensibilities. The story’s setting begins in Chapter One from Onitsha, where it steadily unfolds to Ughelli, Lagos, London, Ghana, and Britain through the chains of events in the subsequent chapters.

The author uniquely present some characters in the novel, such as Kingsley, Nneka, Mike, Susan, Dr Steve, and Ozioma, as normal flesh and blood humans living in a contemporary world full of absurdities. Obidiegwu also makes a symbolical point with her excellent personification of a magical golden necklace in a larger than life sense, which she metaphorically used as a heroine that would not rest until it avenges herself on her seeming enemies, sending them to abysmal agony.

With a strange sound from Oluoma’s grave, the story leads one to knowing more about a set of twins, their mother’s unmatchable love for them, her death and the gift of two golden necklaces as well as a planned theft by their stepmother- Joy, to get the necklaces at all cost. After an attack on the twin sisters by a group of boys and the robbery of Oluoma’s necklace which resulted in her death, which was spearheaded by Kingsley one of the robbers, one would aptly say this kick-starts the beginning of a river of betrayal of trust, pretension, greed and the subsequent catastrophic consequences.
Joy, who mastermind of the robbery, is eventually swindled by Kingsley and he in turn tasted the bitter pill when Nneka took him to Lagos.

In Chapter Two and Three, the story unfolds with the return of Nneka to school after two weeks and her almost being taken advantage of by Professor Bassey in his office. She eventually left school for a hotel where she met Mike, a waiter. It was in her state of annoyance over Mike’s supposedly mistake of spilling ice-cream on her that she met with Mr. Gideon, the businessman. From there, a chemistry of attraction began to flow between them, which culminated in their attendance of a party, only to return together much later to her room. Here, the character of Gideon as a true gentleman is brought to the fore as he refuses to take advantage of Nneka even as she present herself to him on a platter of gold.
But how fortunes change? After few months of absence from school and not desiring to meet or live with Kingsley again, their stars crossed again when Nneka on her request to visit Mr. Gideon came eye to eye with Kingsley. Luckily, Nneka escapes back to her hotel and thereafter to her school hostel. With Nneka’s escape for the second time, Kinsley is more frustrated and turgid with anger. However, after a short interval of Kingsley’s death, Nneka also lost the necklace to Mike, and she took ill. She also died by the golden necklace snake’s strike.

Chapter Four to Six is so fast paced like a running thriller clad in terrifying events as one encounters Susan who is possessed by an unparalleled greed. She moves over to live with Mike after meeting the latter at a party organised by a fellow student. She is enthralled by the necklace that at the slightest opportunity at the beach, she hid the necklace which she later went to retrieve after breaking up with Mike. Her greed forces her to search out a company to sell the necklace.

Mike is also later visited by the golden necklace which turns into a pretty young girl that eventually killed him despite his pleas for mercy. Susan sells the treasured jewel to Dr. Steve for N700 million plus other mouth-watering incentives. Without informing her parents, she travelled to London where she lives a carefree life style. She befriends a British bloke known as Smart- very handsome and averagely built, who in a short time discovered her abilities. He introduces her to Mr. Smith Duke, who offered her the opportunity to exhibit her football skills.
From Chapter Seven, the story moves straight, back to Nigeria again with Ozioma sitting by the side of his sick father, Udoka. Joy’s insistence on giving Udoka an expired drug results in a fight between her and Ozioma which mistakenly lead to Udoka’s death. Joy takes to her heels but Oluoma’s spirit appears and kill her. Ozioma goes back to school and her good character is brought to the fore. She returns to Onitsha and a portrait brings back memories of the good old days with her family. She recalls how they played football and how she used to slug it out with Oluoma. Tears come pouring down her eyes as she engages the spirit of Oluoma in a chat, with the spirit promising to recover her golden necklace at any cost.

Chapter Eight through Ten, takes the story back to England where Susan is struck by a strange illness which leads to her changing of hospitals until Smart reached a conclusion of sending her back to Africa. Susan’s strange illness is noticed to the chagrin of her parents. Jane is however, on hand to call a pastor. With the help of the pastor and the strange visit of the roving vengeance-seeking ghost, the issue of the stolen necklace is brought to the open.
Despite searching out the company that bought the necklace, their problems are further compounded when they discovered M.D had travelled to Ghana.

Susan behaves weirdly in M.D’s office and almost made the spell bound receptionist jump out of her skin as she approached and touched her face. After some seeming tragic comical scenes, luckily, she entered a car and is driven off to a church where some pastors prayed for her.

Few days later, their search for remedy takes them to Ghana in search of Dr. Steve, while Susan is left behind in Nigeria. Luckily, on their return to Nigeria they met with an astonished and angry Dr. Steve, who only succumbed to the pressure of letting go of the necklace when he encountered a dreary voice which ultimately fast-track their search for the golden necklace to the USA, in the custody of Mr. Wright whom he had sold the necklace to. Mr. Wright`s greed and quest for power is beyond measure. It is due to his adamant stance that brings forth a lady in white hovering at the office entrance and which later blinds him after a hot chase.

By and large, a careful look at the narrative style employed by the writer reveals the use of the third person omniscient technique which aptly gives a vivid picture without holding back of any of the characters actions and thoughts. The choice of this style is so pivotal in unraveling what would have being subtly claded. The choice of words which is largely simplistic and the natural dialogue also go a long, long way in registering a dramatic image to even the most naïve reader.

The story is full of suspense from the very first chapter to the last paragraph which builds in the reader the hungry appetite to quest for more. This is vivid as Oluoma’s ghost is asked what would happen to the sick Susan. Her response is; “leave her case to heaven,” before she stepped into her grave. Now, would Susan die, when, and how? These questions would sort of beg for answers even as the books closes, disappearing with the golden necklace at the turn of the final page.

Obidiegwu so masterly weaves the horror laden plot that it not only mesmerises but makes you empathise with whoever comes in contact with the golden necklace. But one should quickly put in here that, the golden necklace does no harm to anyone that has no inordinate ambition concerning it. Thus, all the victims of its attack were those that were morally bankrupt one way or the other. Therefore, one could rightly say they reaped what they sowed.
Remarkably, in the handling of these contemporary issues and the dexterous approach employed by Perpetual, one would only but resolve in lauding her craftsmanship as a fantastic writer of a “must read thriller.”