What else may bring satisfaction to an outstanding young female lawyer who has kept a clean
sheet in her over 500 lawsuits? Tamara is a story that unveils the multifaceted answers to this
question. The author of this fascinating story is Theodora Tamunobubelebara Obianime. She
was born in 1996 to a Christian family in Rivers State. Theodora studied at Afe Babalola
University, Ado-Ekiti, where she bagged a First Class degree in International Relations and
Diplomacy. Between 2017 and 2018 she interned with the office of the Secretary to the
Rivers State Government where she kept administrative records and assisted in memo
writing. During her service at Lofty Inc. Allied Partners Limited, she participated in key
projects some of which were related to budgeting and resource control. Theodora possesses
leadership and social media management skills. She enjoys reading, writing and travelling.
Tamara is her second fictional narrative, and it was published in 2018, the same year as her
first fiction.
Tamara, the eponymous character in this story, fulfils all the obligations needed to place one
in an enviable position on a career ladder. However, by certain twists in her fate, we are taken
through the contradictory realities that dot her life: comedies and tragedies; hopes and fears.
The author’s subject matter and themes are familiar to everyday living. But they must not be
read as being simplistic because they unravel certain universal realities of human
relationships, aspirations, and fears.
The story begins with Tamara’s love relationship with Ketunde. Because of her enviable
pedigree, her employer saddles her with the tasks of defending numerous lawsuits. Nobody is
in doubt of the emotional attachment between Tamara and her fiancé, but Ketunde is
disturbed by her inability to place a balance between her social life and her career. When he
is offered a scholarship to do a Master’s degree in the United Kingdom, he patiently awaits
the opinion of his lover, Tamara. Will her decision eventually count? What follows is the
author’s personal, but subtle, commentary on the most significant aspects of human
existence.
Moreover, despite her astonishing courtroom history of not having lost any case in over 500
lawsuits defended, Tamara finds herself in dire need of her employer’s approval of a request
that will change the course of the story. At the moment, the case between the government and
Tamex Oil Limited must be won. Having added another big win to her quiver, the Tamex Oil
case, will Tamara be at the mercy of her employer or can her excellence and brilliance earn
her the desired approval that would henceforth change her life?
Tamara is not all about love, infatuation, and breakups. It teaches very important principles
and virtues needed in human relationships. We learn a few of these in the outcome of the
cases won by Tamara. For instance, a widow is on the verge of being denied access to her
deceased husband’s wealth after the latter willed his entire estate to her. She faces opposition
from her stepson, her children, and other women who claim to have been pregnant for the
deceased. Through the legal expertise of Tamara, the case is decided in favour of the widow.
But the widow’s decision immediately after the judge’s pronouncements jolts Tamara, her
prosecutors, and even the reader.
A commendable aspect of Theodora’s storytelling skill is her ability to get her readers
emotionally attached to certain characters. Apart from the protagonist, another character that
gets the empathy of readers is Celina, Tamara’s bosom friend who suffers from leukaemia.
Giving the piles of lawsuits on the table of her roommate, Tamara, what would be the fate of
Celina as she battles with an ailment that threatens her life?
What more? The author contrasts between those who believe in true love and those who
believe that flirting is preferable to the myth called “falling in love”. Charles and Tuwa are at
the heart of this illustration. However, for those like Chuks, whose path cross that of Tamara
towards the end of the story, the climax of their experiences is likely to generate robust
discussions about this captivating story of romance, love, infatuation, breakups, and legal
battles.
Theodora’s use of simple expressions that capture the sensibilities which she portrays makes
her work appealing. Besides, her mastery of the storytelling technique sends a message to the
Nigerian literary world that a writer in the mould of the romantic writers, Jane Austen,
Charlotte Bronte, Nora Roberts, and Lara Daniels has been born. It must be added that while
Theodora doesn’t just produce romance stories, the stories are intriguing and “healthy” –
something which the romance genre is in dire need of.
Overall, Tamara is about what defines true, lasting happiness and fulfilment. In addition to
underscoring the centrality of family life and human relationships, it offers tips on how to
properly handle traumatic encounters. My recommendation of this book is without hesitation
and boundaries, as I am convinced that its readership will cut across generations because of
the universality of its subject matters and themes.
