The Battle Front

INTRODUCTION


The title to the book The battle front comes about when the author imagines such terrible place like the war front. A place where there are struggles, agonies and threat. Every battle front breaths casualties, tears and calamities. A field where the heat of the day and the chill of the night heap torment on the warriors. In fact, mere cold and tensed heat of the day are common evils amidst the chronic ones at the battle front.

It is a forum for the survival of the fittest; where the sick, the wounded or injured ones appear as if healthy. This is demonstrated by the attitude of Henry in the story:

Henry and his brothers watched him finished, they made no response again. Henry managed himself to lift Ken from the ground. He stretched him on his back with the assistance of his other brothers. They dragged themselves up stairs and washed their wounds.

They applied iodine and attached wool on their sores. Ken was first attended to. Subsequently, they laid him gently in their arm-chair to rest. Henry tied his wounded knee with bandage quickly and look fit in readiness for possible revenge and continuity.

Come on boys! Lets go! he ordered the rest of his brothers out without delay.

As an imaginative piece of writing; Stephen x-rays the division, the die-hard attitude and the consistent war of self-interest within the political circles in the country. More so, he carefully relates the situation of struggles, wanton destruction of capital intensive infrastructural installations and chaos at the Niger Delta over the natural endowment that the mother-earth has in preservation for the country. Aligning the typical situation of the civil war of 1967 was also of importance on this allegorical overview. When there was division in the political interest of the nations leaders. The then Igbo leaders wrestled to secede the eastern region. At the inception of this struggles, the Yoruba leaders had nothing against this idea, though, neither did they support it. They had only believed it was going to be of advantage too if their neighboring clan (Igbo) could succeed in the struggle. But somehow along the line, the Yoruba leaders broke faith to give the chief of the Hausas the battle strategy it required to overpower the Igbo army when the deceptive promise of making the next president out of them (the
Yoruba leaders) immediately after the battle, enticed the key member of the leadership.

This character is seen in Sam who chooses to stay closer to Dave in those trouble times before the enticing promise of making him the new class captain leads him to break faith with Dave, considering Henrys offer:

Henry looked down with discontent, counting the toes of his feet. He had thought Sam would help him once he made the request.

His eyes were suffused with tears and, agony of revenge seized him. So, Sam! Youll not, you will not help me. I swear if I do not announce you the new class captain on Monday, if only you can help me.

The new class captain on Monday? he inquired confirmedly. Yes Henry affirmed if youll help me

emmh! No problem, Sam remarked, but Ill not have to go out with you against him anyway!

Sams disposition brought liveliness into Henry.

That is no problem! Henry snatched quickly. You just stop them stop them! Tell them no thorough fare again.

No, Henry! Sam objected, this is what youll do. Take this padlock to our pantry and lock their small gate with it against them. Then, motivate your brothers to climb their little fence after you. Thereafter, you bombard them.

Henry did not allow Sam to rest his lips when he ran out of doors with the padlock, shouting his brothers names.