Half of a Yellow Sun and a Party

Movie Opens to Great Response

The movie Half of a Yellow Sun finally opened in Nigeria. And no surprise – it’s a hit! Ainehi Edoro in her blog Brittle Paper, quotes the film distributor FilmOne. *Half of a Yellow Sun . . was top of the charts in every cinema in Nigeria.”

The same blogger also posted a review by a Nigerian woman author, Chibundu Onuzo, who saw the movie not once but twice!

She says, “The movie is not a facsimile of Chimamanda’s much beloved novel.

Most strikingly, in the novel Ugwu, the houseboy, is the main narrator. Yet in the film, the sisters, Olanna and Kainene take centre stage.”

She ends with, “For now, let us celebrate Bandele’s movie for what it is: a triumph.”

You may want to read her whole review – don’t worry, there’s no spoiler! I especially liked her description of seeing the movie in two different theaters – one with a very lively Nigerian audience and the other with a more restrained crowd. I’m guessing the second had a number of expats in the audience.

I also found a preview of the theme music, Let’s Live Together, on YouTube. The song talks about unity, naming four of the major tribes in Nigeria – Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and Bini.

I’m eager to see the film.

Bob Craycroft, also a returned Nigeria Peace Corps volunteer, has already seen it. He emailed this comment: “I just viewed Half of a Yellow Sun (on DVD from Netflix) and it was spot on with my memories of that time. The movie evoked the feelings of uncertainty, tension, and sadness that I experienced.”

Later Bob says, “For me, the saddest moments came at the campus (he was teaching at University of Nigeria Enugu). My students were very excited about the coming war. They were convinced that their cause was just, that they would prevail. They were certain that the U.S., having secured its freedom through war, would back Biafra. They saw it as a great adventure — they had no fear.”

I recall that feeling too – hoping and even expecting that the U.S. would offer support, even recognition, to Biafra. After I came back to the U.S. from Biafra in 1969, I wrote to my senator asking for U.S. intervention, at least on humanitarian grounds, but got no answer.

Have you read the book, Half of a Yellow Sun? Seen the movie? Do you plan to?

One Hundredth Birthday Party!

Our friend Ruth Butler turned 100 on Saturday! Clem and I went to the party at Cornetta’s Seafood Restaurant in Piermont on the Hudson River. I’d met a few of the guests at George’s 80th birthday party some years ago.

He’s no longer with us, but there were many guests, including many of Ruth’s grandchildren and great grandchildren. Clem and I sat with Susanne Albert, another returned Nigeria Peace Corps volunteer, whom I knew in Lagos, and several new friends, Dottie, Elaine, and Mike.

My parents stayed with Ruth and George in Lagos, Nigeria, when they came for my wedding in 1964!

You’ll read about that in my memoir.

You’ll also learn why the Butlers had to leave Nigeria – the reason is related to the Biafran War, the subject of Half of a Yellow Sun!