Akpata presents memoir, Sand, Sun and Surprises

From left: Prof (Mrs) Victoria Akpata; Professor Enosakhare Akpata; Mr Solomo Uwaifo and Chief Artur Mbanefo

RETIRED professor of dentistry, Enosakhare Samuel Akpata, has presented a book, ‘Sand, Sun and Surprises’ to commemorate his 50th wedding anniversary to his beau, Prof (Mrs) Victoria Akpata.

The memoir which chronicles the author’s experiences living and working in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait was presented at the Metropolitan Club, Victoria Island, Lagos on December 29.

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Explaining why he wrote the book, Professor Akpata said: “After working in the Middle East for 23 years, I returned to Nigeria in 2011. In conversation with friends at home and abroad, a topic that invariably came up was about my experiences in the Middle East. Some of them have found it astonishing that I was able to survive in Arab countries for that length of time, considering the strange stories that they had heard about the region. Others have been curious and wanted tips on life in the Middle East, in case they emigrate or needed to advise others who had similar plans. Hence, I decided to write this memoir.”

He added that the memoir published by Narrative Landscape Press, will be useful for those who intend to migrate to the Middle East, visit and people in the Middle East who wish to know what expatriates think of them.

On why the memoir took three years to complete, Akpata said; “One of the challenges was getting illustrations because at the time I was there, I didn’t think I was going to write this book; otherwise, I would have taken a lot of photographs. Photography wasn’t really my hobby at that time. And if I wrote to the people who are still over there, they were suspicious of what one was going to do with the pictures. Even, my close friends were rather apprehensive and were not willing to send pictures. That was the greatest challenge.”

Some of the eminent Nigerians at the event were former Nigerian Representative at the United Nations, Chief Arthur Mbanefo, who also chaired the occasion; renowned gynaecologist, Professor Osato Giwa-Osagie; Professor T.A. Junaid; Retired Bishop of Lokoja (Anglican Church of Nigeria), Right Reverend George Bako and Engineer Solomon Uwaifo, the chief launcher.

David Olagunju