At a time when it seems politic to denigrate the work of the Colonial Service it is
refreshing to read this tribute to the dedication of a Colonial Officer even in the face
of hostility. This dedication is shared by his wife who has to make the heartrending
decision (one that had to be taken by so many of us) of separation from their young
children for climatic and health considerations.
In a plenitude of nostalgic reminiscences Noel Rowling recaptures 21 years of life
in Nigeria. Her story takes the reader through the years from the early thirties, the
Second World War, and into the nineteen-fifties.
We can almost experience the rigours of the bush with the sometimes harsh
climate and the strange and terrifying insects and reptiles.
But also apparent is the quiet yet determined will to live and serve in far-flung
outposts which did - and still does - form the backbone of the Colonial Service.
As well as being an interesting historical account of the duties of a Colonial
Officer in Nigeria, the book contains amusing anecdotes of life in primitive
surroundings.
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