GOINGTHROUGH THE BOOK-'THEDRUMER BOY'

This book has eleven chapters and we shall take it from one chapter to another.

In chapter one, Madam Bisi gets to meet Akin for the first time, as the writer puts it:

Madam Bisi went towards the tree where the crowd was gathered. As she approached , her ears were thrilled by the most exciting drumming she had  ever heard…

She forced her way through the crowd, and by the time she got as far as the boy, she was panting.

‘Akin’, she said. ‘Akin!’

The drummer boy turned round. There was a smile on his face, but his eyes were closed. Madam Bisi pressed the note into his hands ‘Take this boy, and God bless you’.

He smiled again, but did not open his eyes. And then it dawned suddenly on Bisi that this boy had not merely closed his eyes out of the excitement of the day.

He was blind.

Such an attractive boy, too; and he was blind. Madam Bisi left.

That was the first encounter Madam Bisi had with Akin. But Madam Bisi found it difficult to forget Akin which is beyond her explaination.

Her later visit to the hospital, she got to know from Nurse Joe the cause of Akin’s blindness which was as a result of an accident had and coupled with  the ignorance of his parents  that led to his blindness and they have also abandoned him simply because they believe that once someone his physically challenged it means that person is useless.

In chapter two, we saw that the quest and desire to help Akin  drove madam Bisi to the Boy’s Forest Home ; where she met Mr. Fletcher who she got to know through Mr. Marshall, the welfare officer.

All that Madam Bisi wanted to do for Akin was to give him a future like every normal person without physical disabilities. She didn’t want him to end up a beggar all his life.

But when Akin got wind of what Madam Bisi was up to he decided to run away. Akin was afraid of accepting change, he didn’t know what to expect, he was afraid he won’t be able to adopt to whatever change that was going to happen to him. He Has dreams but at the same time he was afraid of pain, failure and rejection. Upon hearing that Akin had ran away made Madam Bisi to sob uncontrollably.

In chapter 3 Akin met Herbert who leaves with a teacher at ilekan college .At one of their social evenings at the school, akin was privileged to perform at the social night of the college where he met Mr. Marshall; who further informed him of plans to better his life, as the writer puts it.

‘Well you have heard all this talk about about your  going to the Boy’s Forest Home and all the rest of it. I am sure it’s the best thing for you. you may not like it now, but when you grow up, you will never regret having learnt a useful trade,’’ said Mr. Marshall, the welfare officer.

Upon discovering that Herbert has gotten involved with some bad boys, Akin left ilekan college and found himself at the eating house.

At the eating house , Akin helped  Ayike to rebuild her crippled business. He helped to bring back her customers and brought life back to Ayike through his talent and samba. But Ayike was too myopic and greedy and self centered that she couldn’t help Akin much; until  that fateful day his three friends left the eating house. Akin did not think twice but left Ayike for good.

In chapter six, Akin met Nurse Joe, who further reassured him that he could be whatever he wants to be despite his disability with proper training. He even assured him that he could  be a nurse, and Akin was happy to hear that

In chapter seven Akin goes on tour while in chapter eight Mr. Fletcher also goes on tour in search of students for his school.

In chapter nine, Akin reunited with his three friends he had met at the eating house. But this time he now knows their true character- as thieves and murderers.

Akin found himself in a very tight position, but thank God Ayike was there to save him.

At this point Akin was left with no choice but to end up at the Boy’s Forest Home; where he became the good pupil while Herbert became the bad pupil.

All ends well for Akin, though he was abandoned by his ignorant parents simply because he was blind. But thank God for the society who interverned through Madam Bisi, Ayike, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Fletcher and Nurse Joe .