AMAGA AND THE FOOTBALL MATCH BY PATRICIA PEACE EJANG

GENRE: CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
TITLE: AMAGA AND THE FOOTBALL MATCH
WRITER: PATRICIA PEACE EJANG, UGANDA
REVIEWER: FUNMI RICHARDS, NIGERIA

Amaga and the football match tells a story of a young boy who is smart, playful and in some ways troublesome. It is written in a quest narrative form that teaches children the values of hardwork and discipline.

Amaga young, as any other playful and lively child plays pranks on peers and falls into a lot of mischief. Of course this leads to him being "excommunicated" from his peers because their parents don't want his influence on their children.

However, the tides change when his future is foreshadowed through his dream. In my view, this is where the story really begins.

Didactic lessons flow from here and we see how with a focus in mind — being the best football player in the world, he is able to turn a new leaf, challenge himself to be more responsible and go on to receiving prizes from the village chief at the end.

Funnily enough, the narrative technique employed in the story reminds me of Hua Mulan, the legendary folk heroine's story that's been adapted into the Mulan animation and film. It especially reminds me of the soundtrack in the movie "I'll make a man out of you".

Amaga's story like Mulan's is a story that can be told to one young generation and another under the moonlight, just before bedtime, in classes or wherever. It's a simple story that reminds children that success is first in their mind before anything else and once they make the choice. They can throw in determination and wise counsel which is what Ocuku's place in the story symbolises, then, they can take action to achieve their dreams.

The pitfall here is that not all dreams come through, and while this is beautiful, innocent and hopeful, it does pose the question of what Amaga would have done if his dream hadn't come true?