A Man with Three Shadows - A review

 Book Review

Book Title: A MAN WITH THREE SHADOWS
Author: Dare Olorunfemi
Reviewer: Dr. Ayodele John Alonge Date: 18th April 2021 

_________

Joseph Dare Olorunfemi, a man with three shadows, is my uncle whose English Language expertise I grew up to admire and covet.  Uncle J.D Olorunfemi was my first English language teacher at a period in my life when speaking English was a challenging task.  The one and only sentence I could compose at the time was, ‘Size shoe for this boy.’ Did I even understand what I was saying, let alone the grammatical structure? I must say that It was an enormous blessing to have Boda Dare with us when I was growing up. He polished and watered my academic footing, which translates to what I am today.

 

Let me focus on the duty that is assigned to me, the appraisal of the stimulating book that chronicles more than six decades of a man with foggy beginnings, who "grew up in a foggy spiritual climate where there was no clear-cut distinction between idol worshipers and churchgoers" p1, Oroke which is also known as Ayedayo in the present-day Mopamuro Local Government of Kogi state. 

Reading this 152-page book, where Dare Olorunfemi imaginatively recounted his life chronicles, invoked mixed feelings of fear, humor, hatred, love, sadness, hope, faith and paradise. I must confess some paragraphs in the book "A man with Three Shadows" activated sweet and bitter tears from my eye. This powerful book evidently recounts the traverse of 3 shadows:

1. The shadow of a man, Dare Olorunfemi
2. The Shadow of Death, and
3. The Victorious Shadow of the ALMIGHTY 

These three shadows flow through these carefully crafted 17 titles that make the chapters of the book

 

·         Chapter 1: The Foggy Beginnings

·         Chapter 2: Letter of Admission with Tears

·         Chapter 3: Snakebite without Pains

·         Chapter 4: The Light

·         Chapter 5: Back to Ibadan, a gaze on University of Nigeria

·         Chapter 6: Encounters with the Shadow of Death

·         Chapter 7: Going back to Ibadan and Sister Shade's letter

·         Chapter 9: Anniversary with Pesty Flies

·         Chapter 8: Daddy Prepared for Transition

·         Chapter 10: A Broader Look

·         Chapter 11: Rubbing Shoulders with Death; Accident 2

·         Chapter 12: Accident 3

·         Chapter 13: Accident 4

·         Chapter 14: My Radio Nigeria Odyssey

·         Chapter 15: An Errand with a Higher Portfolio

·         Chapter 16: Errand to Ekiti

·         Chapter 17: Errand on Inadvertent Publicity

The author has made reading of this book clear and interesting with preface that I see as a  pointer to the themes in the book.   While the author was reintroducing himself in 2003 at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, he enumerated 20 reasons why he shouldn't have been able to stand, to walk or even be alive. While reading the book, I see how these reasons are expansively discussed in story-like diary ; these form the themes of this book.

Dare Olorunfemi would not have been able to share these experiences,

1.      If he did not have salvation through Jesus Christ.

2.      If the spiritual forces had consumed him during numerous attacks in his dreams.

3.      If he had not been rescued from the hooks of illiteracy.

4.      If he had been caged by poverty, and unable to acquire a good education.

5.      If he had been killed by one of the numerous scorpion stings.

6.      If he had died of a bite by a viper.

7.       If cobra spit had destroyed his eyes while he was digging and peeping into its hole.

8.       If he had been killed or deformed in one of the four traffic accidents.

9.       If he had one of his arms amputated as a result of Osteomyelitis.

10.  If he had been paralyzed by "incomplete spinal cord damage" from a traffic accident.

Dare Olorunfemi would not have been able to recount these experiences in the this

11.    If he had not passed through good, loving, caring, and sacrificial parenthood

12.   If he had drifted away into a bad company.

13.    If God had not arranged his encounters with destiny helpers.

14.   If God had not fought the battle to get him reinstated after the sudden sack in Radio Nigeria.

15.    If there was an error during any of the four surgical operations he had undergone.

16.   If his life slipped away during one of the many times he slumped, fainted or fell unconscious.

17.    If the altitude had remained one of the best hunters or palm wine tappers at Ayedayo Amuro

18.   If he had taken to drunkenness or drug addiction at any point in his life.

19.   If he had any other god besides the Almighty God.

20.    If he did not enjoy the cover of the Shadow of the Almighty which shields him day and night from the shadow of death.

 I like to add one more,

Pastor Dare Olorunfemi wouldn't have been here to tell the stories that will end in melody and praise   if he had not womanized only one on woman….  Sister Shade…
_____________________________

As stated on page 43 of this book, Boda Dare finds succor in Sister even at the period of his encounter with the shadow of death – accident 1, 2, 3, 4, as recorded in chapter 6, 7, 11 12, 15

By August, 1989, I got some relief. Everything really subsided. On the 14th day of that month, I made my second trip to Ilorin to see Sade. I dropped the prayer point with her and I went back to Ibadan. Within weeks, I got a positive response.

The answer was never "yes" nor "no". She just told me to "let's continue our prayers", emphasising that "what's bad needs prayers, but what's good requires more prayers". She has never explained the meaning of that philosophical expression. We just continued to pray and to pray, possibly till death doth us part.As we can see in all these tragic incidents that occurred to Pastor Dare Olorunfemi, experiences close encounters with death and miraculous escapes from the plots of outright fiends and unfriendly friends. Payers, the Shadow of Almighty –It has been His Grace that brought him safe thus far.

After the 23 months of serious sweating and pain that took the author to eight hospitals in Kaduna, Kogi and Oyo States, God gave him victory over long-drawn spiritual warfare.     I will like to read a piece on page 73, titled  A Doctor's Testimony

Months after. I went to our staff clinic in Radio Nigeria to be treated for malaria fever. In those days, a medical doctor would come to the clinic twice a week. After he attended to me, I went back to my office. Minutes after, the doctor sent a nurse to call me.

The doctor said: "I saw in your case note that you had a bone infection.
How is it now?"

"It is gone!" I said.

Doctor asked: "How?"

I told him of my ordeal, even how the fourth operation failed.

"Are you a Christian?"

"Yes," I said.

 He asked: "Born-again?"

"Yes, by God's grace." I said

Doctor: "Prayerful?" I smiled and said, "Well, the little I can, by His Grace."

Doctor: "No wonder! I thank God for you. I can tell you that in most of such cases, we keep patients on drugs for years. Many result in amputations.

 

In the concluding that chapter, the author clearly reveals where the title of the motivation book comes from:

My shadow would have been erased

by the shadow of death,

 but Shadow of the Almighty has kept it growing and testifying nations. (p74)

 

Professional Experience and Challenges

The Chapter 14, 15, 16 and 17 of the book chronicles Pastor Dare Olorunfemi's Rise -Fall -Rise at the Radio Nigeria.

1)      J.D. Olorunfemi's 30 years sojourn in Radio Nigeria serving the nation with sincerity, dedication and winning awards and commendations, serving in many important committees, and handling special duties to the highest satisfaction. 

2)      He was indeed a rising star with steady merited promotion without a single query in his file.  All these are recorded on 90 -92

 

3)      At a point, the "star boy" was stabbed by office fiends and unfriendly friends - He was sacked without fault and
….. as it was recorded on page 97 titled – "An Eclipse at Noon." 
Termination of Appointment (page 99)

Grade level 12, the slaughter slab of Graduate -

19) Remember he was forewarned

"I know you very well, he said; I don't think you can work in Radio Nigeria"
 (page p90 line 10)
___________

What really amazed me is how Prof Dare Olorunfemi fought the battle with prayers and wisdom. Using his networks from Ibadan to Abuja. I said he fought with wisdom; he could have used his rich media networks to ruthlessly fight radio Nigeria with mainstream media social media.  But he reported on p100 line 14

"I heard a voice saying, Dare, Radio Nigeria is your glasshouse.
Handle with care"

Yes, He did handle with care, after three months, he was reinstated

         page 106

About 8 pm, I was about to enter the Minister's office while Director Admin was coming out. He held my hand and technical drew me back, saying: "Please, come. We sent your letter to lose yesterday. Please, go and resume."

I called my wife, intending to give her the news. Immediately picked the call, she shouted: "Praise God! Congratulation Somebody from your office brought the information to my school today. Some have also come home.

The letter was sparsely worded and signed by the same person who wrote the letter terminating my appointment.

God, again, took the glory!

Against all odds, pastor Dare Olorunfemi claimed to the zenith of his career at Radio Nigeria. He became full Director in charge of New Media before retirement.  This affirmed that he actually got strong persuasion that God wanted him to be in Radio Nigeria (reported on page 90 line 18)

 

Observation & Suggestions  
The cover design is apt, though making it a little brighter to have effect of shadow would been better.

a)      I love the use of pictures in this type of book -memoir, it makes it real; however, the full-color pictures should have been appropriate for clarity and artistic

b)      Maybe the publisher and author decided to use all black because they believe shadows are black (the dark figure cast upon a surface by a body intercepting the rays from a source of light). Nevertheless, In today's world with different colour of a ray of light, the shadow should be multi-color.

c)       This book will be suitable for reading to enhance faith and for people passing through challenges in their life and career.

d)      The author has used moderate words and simple vocabulary and language to maximum effect, creating clear moods and images and making the stories more powerful and vivid. With this, it is suitable for general readers, even teenagers.

e)      I think this is the author’s first book; with the wealth of experience the author as  a professional and as a Minister of God words, I suggest he should  dedicate his post-retirement era to write more books both Christian book (Marriage counseling, Vision and Dreams, etc.)   and professional (media, broadcasting, News writing)

Conclusion
I want to join other reviewers, such as Dr Segun Olatunji, Mr. Felix Oboagwina, Mr. Ayodele Aliyu, and others, that Dare Olorunfemi’s A Man with Three Shadows is a fantastic piece from a brilliant mind. God has blessed the author with the sharp memory - brilliant ability to recall long-time events with alacrity.
(I covet such memory)

Your gift of dream is very strong, sir. They are not just dreams; they are visions because all his dream came to past just like Joseph in the Bible.  
I respect you more for that.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book.