When three university students are killed in a rural town in Nigeria the father of one of the victims hires Phillip Taiwo, a psychologist and expert in crowd behaviour and violence, to investigate the controversial incident, in Lightseekers by Femi Kayode. Through Phillip’s investigation the multitude of socio-political issues in Nigeria, such as poverty, crime, poor infrastructure, failure of leadership, police corruption and outdated legal structures and the lawlessness that accompanies it, are revealed. Lightseekers balances important issues and an engaging narrative perfectly. It is a harrowing novel which cuts close to the bone, but Kayode’s skilful, sensitive approach makes it both accessible and highly enjoyable.
