By Peter Ogege
All is set for the public presentation of Colours of My Mind, a 275-page collection of essays and creative writings by Delta State-born author and public intellectual, Austin Emaduku.
The book presentation will take place at the Egini Community Townhall, Egini, in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, at 12 noon on Tuesday, August 25, 2026.
The event will be chaired by Professor G.G. Darah, an eminent academic and one of the pioneers of scholarship on Oral Literature in Nigeria, as well as a prominent political and community leader in Delta State.
Published by Premium Times Books, Colours of My Mind examines Nigeria’s socio-political experience in the second decade of the 21st century, drawing extensively from Emaduku’s public commentaries, social media interventions and personal reflections.
The book review will be conducted by Stephen Nse Kekeghe of the Department of English and Literary Studies, Delta State University, Abraka.
According to the description of the work, the book provides a critical assessment of leadership failures, democratic contradictions, cultural erosion, governance challenges and the resilience of Nigerians in the face of persistent national difficulties.
Beyond its political commentary, Colours of My Mind explores the culture, traditions and lived experiences of the author’s natal environment, placing the distinct identity of the Niger Delta within Nigeria’s broader struggles over power, identity and social change.
The book is divided into six broad sections, with each section exploring different dimensions of the Nigerian experience. Its themes include governance, federalism, elections, human rights, the Niger Delta question, religion, culture and ethics.
Emaduku adopts a direct and accessible writing style to interrogate issues of public interest, challenge political and social complacency and draw attention to the consequences of poor leadership and systemic neglect.
The book also devotes considerable attention to the Niger Delta, particularly environmental degradation, youth restiveness, militancy and the cultural anxieties confronting communities in the region.
From the perspective of an indigene of Egini, Emaduku examines what he describes as the enduring and “intractable problems” of the Niger Delta while questioning forms of militancy which, despite emerging from legitimate grievances, have sometimes inflicted further harm on the communities they claim to defend.
Other issues addressed in the volume include the restructuring of Nigeria, the limitations of the country’s current quasi-unitary system, the case for true federalism, democratic accountability, religious intolerance, the marginalisation of African traditions and the influence of contemporary Pentecostalism.
Professor Darah, who wrote the foreword to the book, describes Emaduku’s writing as “erudite and punchy,” while highlighting his conviction and distinctive voice as a public intellectual.
The author, a native of Egini, holds a PhD and is a Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Human and Natural Resources. He is currently Head of Personnel Management in Ughelli South Local Government and has previously served as President-General of the Union of Udu Communities. He is also a member of the Udu Council of Chiefs.
His background in public administration and community leadership, combined with his experience as a rooted indigene of the Niger Delta, gives the book an insider’s perspective on many of the issues it addresses.
The concluding creative pieces in Colours of My Mind provide a more personal and lyrical dimension to the otherwise strongly analytical work, offering readers an insight into the author’s reflections beyond politics and public affairs.
With its combination of political commentary, cultural reflection, personal experience and creative expression, the book is expected to provide readers with a critical record of contemporary Nigerian society and the changing realities of the Niger Delta.
The public presentation in Egini will therefore bring together academics, community leaders, writers, political actors and other members of the public to formally unveil a work that seeks to document the author’s observations of his time while provoking reflection on the challenges confronting Nigeria.
