Gamji College is Chin Ce’s second published prose fiction dealing on the character of the new nation states of Africa
under the various civilian and military regimes that govern them in the twenty first century. In
Gamji College the story of post colonial Africa appears to have moved from the rustic setting of the previous novel,
Children of Koloko, to rest on the chaos and drift that permeate the life of modern college youths. Chin Ce’s focus on the youths of Africa is to make another important statement on the implication of State drift to anarchy on the intellectual and moral well being of the younger ones. Unfortunately it is the same tragedy that we have seen in
Children of Koloko: a tragedyof misplaced values and lack of direction bred on the stable of ethnic irredentism. The style and handling of the
Gamji College stories reveals an admirable craft in dialogue, and the dramatic of narrative by the novelist. "The Bottle," part of the story is entirely written in the conversational style. Chin Ce sustains a "racy interchange of banters" throughout the story. In THE CROSS we meet a born-again president hoping to make his country a holy republic and whose conceit is lost on his zealous supporters –all but the hero of the story Tai who stands for a few sceptical members of the younger
generation that refuses to be buy in to the hype and deception that post colonial politics have wrought on the polity. Stories in this section include "Gamji College", "A Matter of Choice", "The Ministers"¸ "A Pleasant Routine" and "Ending the Game", THE BOTTLE comprises the dramatic discussions of a new generation of young Nigerian African people who critique their environment and celebrate drunkenness andamnesia as a mark of protest against a nation state that can no longer guarantee their future as its citizens. It is supposed to be New Year and a new session, but the youths of Gamji are busy at the college bar. Their discussions are uncanny commentary on national history of betrayals and the restlessness of their spirit. The Stories here include "Dogo Makes a Toast" "Happy Break" "To Change the World" and "Dogo’s Hypothesis." The final part THE GUN witnesses the final violence of politics, the consequences of befuddled visions on the part of aspiring African leaders, and their undiscriminating followers. Gamji union election begins as a genial academic pastime but threatens a conflagration that engulfs both innocent and guilty suggesting that political brinkmanship in a post colonial is replete with violence and gansterism and urgently needs re-examination in light of its failure and inability to respect or uphold the democratic aspirations of their people. In such stories as "Nap for President" "Napoleon’s Manifesto" "Dinner with the Dead" "Kinsman and Aspirant" and "The Spoils of War" Chin Ce's cynical gaze explores the tragedy of misplaced values, lack of direction and political chicanery bred on the stable of ethnic chauvinism and religious hypocrisy in Nigeria and the rest of Africa.
Gamji College unmasks religion, politics, and human weaknesses in a vividly realistic and humorous manner. They are truly stories of modem Africa and her citizens. Gamji College reveals a brilliant potential in this member of the new generation of writers.