Shadows by Eniola Bello: Volumes 1 & 2

In this collection of essays, Eniola Bello, one of Nigeria’s most celebrated journalists and newspaper columnists, critiques the country’s search for purpose in the first 25 years of the Fourth Republic. The book provides a rigorous, episodic narration of Nigeria’s democratic journey over the last quarter-century.

It chronicles our “democracy in action”—highlighting the critical institutional issues, policy triumphs, and systemic challenges that have shaped our contemporary history. It deeply reflects on the complex socio-political dynamics, expectations, and milestones of that period.

It covers governance issues such as corruption, human rights abuses, policy failure, insecurity, leadership incompetence, executive-legislature rift, the high cost of governance and the vanity of public officials, amongst others. It also addresses issues of godfatherism, political parties’ disdain for internal democracy, electoral fraud, the exploitation of religion, the hypocrisy and moral vacuity of the Nigerian elite, the ethnic manipulation of the people, and the pervasive love of money.