Offering of Hearts: A review of Tukur Loba Ridwan’s The Forgiveness Series

The Forgiveness Series is a social commentary on the challenges in relationships — focused mainly on disputes & altercations & the routes to mending…or irreparable hurt. Tukur, in eight short poems wove a tale of love, heartbreak, reconciliation & rejection.

The titular poem is a narrative of a man who struggles against the curse of reflex — who unleashes weapons of voice, against his wishes & subsequently bleeds in remorse. Many times, no matter how heartfelt & genuine, apologies fall short because you cannot retract words after you have hurled them in anger. But, what more could a sinner say on the alter of redemption than admit his faults?

Loba, in exploring forgiveness touched on rejection & distance — times when clemency has been exhausted. Sometimes, an apology is a dog chasing its own tail because you have run out of forgiveness & she has run out of mercy because you keep getting on her nerves ‘stead of her nerve endings.

Other times distance is created when two irons refuse to bend for each other. Ego stands in the way of pleading forgiveness — or offering one. It could, as a last resort, take the intervention of a third party to achieve a truce.

Jide Badmus,

Author of Obaluaye