Of mistaken identity and jungle justice

A review of Adewale Adetoyese’s book, A Court of Anarchy by Mejai B.M. Avoseh

THE Hobbesian state of nature represents a chaotic society where life is constantly under threat, and in a court of anarchy, Adewale Adetoyese tackles the difficult but necessary conversation of extrajudicial killings.

The book begins with a discussion of the power of colour. The first chapter, The Arrival, portrays white and black as contrasting portrait of power. White is positive and preferred by all, while the black depicts negativity and is held in disdain.

Adetoyese neatly connects the colours to racism and the plight of those whose race is black.

The author uses the thoughts of Adisa in public transportation to prepare the reader for the arrival of the suspect and the gist of the story,

The second chapter presents The Suspect and puts Adisa on the spot as an eyewitness of moral degeneracy and a reenactment of the Hobbesian state. The author uses Adisa’s experience as an eyewitness and near-victim to present the lawlessness and the impunity of jungle justice in our society. In this lawlessness, everyone is the suspect in the court of jungle justice.

The third chapter presents Foiled Execution, which paints the picture of a negligible few who escape jungle justice by a rare stroke of luck. Not many victims are as licky as Olu to be rescued at the nick of time by due process.

Adetoyese continues the plot in chapter four through The Gist. The hot gist was that Adisa ‘betrayed’ the values of his community by attempting to save the poor boy (the suspect) from jungle justice. Gist travel fast in a small community; the author uses aftermath of the gist and Adisa’s mother’s reprimand to prepare the reader for The Lazy Morning.

The reader is introduced to Adisa’s ‘morning after’ in The Lazy Morning. The fifth chapter builds on matters arising from the gist of the previous day.

The author uses the chapter to highlight the satanic extent to which religion and tribalism have undermined the development of Africa.

He also uses Adisa’s readings to point to the generous public data of woes available in Nigeria on the havoc religion and tribalism have brought to suffocate communities.

The author further uses his mastery of prose to bring nature, as well as the usual mother-son friction and love into the story.

The visit of Baba Oba in the sixth chapter brings African hospitality, respect for elder, and the voice of reason into the story.

Baba Oba represents the voices of elders and wisdom. No wonder Adetoyese puts the title of the book, Court of Anarchy, in Baba Oba’s mouth. He puts his voice solidly behind Adisa’s actions and courage in saving a suspect the previous day.

The author again uses Baba Oba to draw attention to, and condemn the atrocities perpetrated by the vanguards of jungle justice. Baba Oba’s stance was contrary to expectation.

The chapter concludes by arguing that those who demonstrate Adisa’s type of rare courage should be commended and rewarded.

The author repeats the central message of the Court of Anarchy in the seventh chapter, The Fierce Reprisal, where he shows how easy it is to set up innocent lives for painful death. He also uses the chapter to revisit the place of religion in the community.

Although the book addresses a topical and tough issue, the author skillfully puts it in simple readable piece that is accessible across literacy spaces and levels.

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