Gift Chimanisha Chanda

Book Review of Dead of Night by Phili Phil-

Ebosie
The Dead of Night is another fascinating book by the great author Philip
Phil-Ebosie.The author was born in Onitsha, Anambra State, in 1946.He spent
from 1956 to 1973 in England. He holds a diploma in Cinematography and a
Certificate in Television Direction/Production. He is currently the Principle
Producer (Drama) with the Nigerian Television Authority. Some of his works
have been performed on television as Short Plays, notably Called me Eyo
Fancy. With all these professions and incredible skills, he further produces his
second novel to be published as Pacesetter after his one The Cyclist. And
now let me explore his wonderful, great and yet interesting book called Dead
of Night.

The book Dead of Night by Phili Phil-Ebosie is about these anonymous

robberies in the Nigerian context specifically in a place called Ikorodu Road in
Lagos. Two am is the hour, the dead of night when only the armed robbers
are abroad-unless like Mercy Okon your husband has not come home and a
neighbor has been outside a police station. Mercys innocent trip to find
Iphrian gets her involved with the armed robbers and puts the happiness of
her entire family in Jeopardy.

The themes of the book are basically robbery security and revenge. The
major theme in this books revenge. Philip uses Iphrian, the protagonist of
this book as a good man, well respected and rich in some way. Ironically the
protagonist who seems to the a good man, is the avenger of himself from the
armed robbers. The book is divided into 19 different chapters each chapter
carrying a particular ideas that relates to the theme of the book.

As you read chapter one, you gain curiosity as to what transpires after
Iphrians wife sets a quest of finding to the way about of her husband who
left early in the morning and has not yet come home. The neighbor of Mercy
told her earlier than he has seen Iphrians called a police station. Now this
creates some kind of fear because the location of the police station is near
the so called Ikorodu Road were the strange robberies occurs. Fortunately
Mercy arrives safely at the police were she discovers that her husband was
accused of insulting a sergeant after he crushed his car into the sergeants
car and tries to bolt. Doubtly Mercy asks to see his husband but shes denied
liberty to tell to him because it was later in the evening and she told to come
Gift Chimanisha Chanda

next morning. This was the same time that Facto and his boys, the robbers
were coming from their night out to come do their work.

Philip uses a dark night to try and emphasis on how much danger Mercy
was involved in when going back home. Ironically the robbery didnt happen
on the Ikorodu Road were they usually happen but outside the get of Mercys
house. Facto and his boys didnt not just steal Mercys car but sexually
abused her. The neighbor, Frank came to the rescue after the gangsters had
bolted and made their profit.

My favorite part of this book is where Iphrian was granted mercy by the
complainant, the sergeant and released from prison. This teaches one lesson
that even evil and bad people can do good some times. And now after all this
comes the scariest part were Iphrian discovers that her wife was raped and
was now at the hospital where she was taken by the neighbor Frank. Iphrian
now become furious and angry and plotted to investigate and punish the
armed robbers involved in the evil deeds.

With the assistance from one of the police men at the police station, Iphrian
heads on a quest to find the gangsters involved in the rapping of his wife. He
was too exasperated to even think of the consequences of his plotting to
murder the gangsters. The assisting police man warned Iphrian not to do
anything and leave the matter to the police to take care of it but he didnt
consider anything but revenge.

He gained information about were Facto and his boys were going to meet at
night to discuss a deal with one of the drag trafficker. Iphrian undoubtly
recognized his stolen Vox Wagen when he was departing from the police
station from a chat with the helping police man.

This is the climax of the book, were he inaudibly follows his car turning off his
front light. His face looked quizzical and ferocious as he instinctively followed
the gangsters. One of the gangsters noticed they were being followed, and
so he stopped the car and came out. He went to the boot of car and opened
it to get and gun and then headed to were Iphrian had stopped his car.
Iphrian un noticeably killed the armed robber. Back to Facto and his other
guys, after waiting for the man who went to check who was following them,
they tried to go and check why hes taking long to come back. After noticing
that the armed robbers were approaching him in his car, he turned on the
gears and run all of them and crushing every one. Astonishingly, he came
out without a scratch and then headed to the hospital were he was told that
his wife is now feeling much better.
Gift Chimanisha Chanda

Next morning the police came to his house early in the morning and one of
them asked, We just investigated that four armed robbers were murdered
last night, we came to ask if you were involved in the killings that
happened. Iphrian denied any accusations and told them that he, his wife
and his two children are going to the village to start a new life there.

The police, looking at his situation and the horror he had gone through
recently they granted him permission to leave town .Iphrian thanked the
policemen and especially his neighnour, Frank and off he went to the his
grandmother village with his family and started a new life there away from
trouble and horror.

Personally I enjoyed the book and the structure helped me to connect each
chapter together and made me curious to read more and more. I would
recommend you to read this book as if has its rich in vocabulary and
sentence structure which would help students like me. For non-students I
would also urge you to read this book for luxury and fun because it teaches
us a lot about the nature of man, ways to deal for problems and how to solve
them effectively. I encourage you to read this book to encourage African
writing as well and as this may promote more and more books from this
author, thank you.