Please note that this is not intended to be a critical review of “Ink in My Blood” by Charlie Ndi Chia. Rather, it is a self-reflection on what I have learnt about my elder brother, Charlie from reading his book, “Ink in My Blood”.
The fact that I am using his platform to reflect on my own life as Charlie’s younger sister might probably appear in some people’s eyes as selfish, yet, I hope that at the end I would have succeeded in making a point in Charlie’s favour!
We individually often get so caught up on creating a safe and protective life for ourselves that we end up, unconsciously and unintentionally, of course, restrict our much-needed support to siblings.
I felt cheated for not knowing these courageous parts of my brother that are depicted in his book. I felt cheated that other people, journalists, colleagues, friends and not me lived and shared these experiences with him. I felt sad that I, and probably my other siblings were not there for him while he was going through the most turbulent periods of his life. Where was I when all this was happening?
But, as my courageous brother recently disclosed, when I shared with him that my regard and respect for him as a person has been greatly, positively reframed since I got to know more of him through his book, living as the only boy amongst six girls warranted that he keeps some of his struggles to himself. I personally think, however, that he also withheld his true emotions and physical hurt from everyone. Yes, it takes a whole lot of courage and a special kind of person to hold a peaceful space within themselves while giving voice to the thoughts of a society. Charlie Ndi Chia did so by seamlessly reframing each situation and event he found himself in, to highlight the funny and laughable side of the narrative. Come to think of it, he does so even in his day to day living! Great example is him having a ‘nickname’ for almost everyone that he knows and associates with! It is also mesmerizing that these nicknames stick and are equally accepted by those re-named by Charlie!
I believe there is a caring and protective side of Charlie that has not been sufficiently portrayed in this book. The part of him that was the driver and reason for going through these traumatic events – the caring, protective and supportive part. I can recall one experience in which I felt this protective and caring part of Charlie. Our parents in my early teenage years, had decided to send me to spend my holidays with one of our relatives. Just before I embarked on the journey to stay with these relatives, Charlie took me to the corner and sternly advised that I should inform him of any ‘mistreatment’ that I encountered from this family; he told me with a very matter-of-fact look in his face, “I would handle them accordingly if that ever happened”! Thankfully these relatives from the word go welcomed me as one of theirs and treated me as such! I hate to think what kind of letter my brother would have written to them if they had treated me differently!
Another loving memory came years later when I visited my brother Charlie in Ndian soon after he took up his job with Pamol. He was the epitome of a protective and proud big brother all rolled into one.
Ink in My Blood’s conversational style, although it implies that the younger generation is the target audience, allows for any one of us, old, young and still-to-be born to become the “truth-seeker”. We get to know the truth behind, what probably until now had only been half-truths, from the “horse’s mouth”. It provides the substance, flesh to the skeleton and a deeper understanding of the events that took place; the events that brought Charlie Ndi Chia into the spotlight! It also helps us understand why he has stayed in the spotlight like forever!
I suggest you don’t miss your chance to learn the truth and the lessons from this book. The narrative is short and concise. It goes directly, from the word go, to the heart of the story – no meandering!
Rosaline Nain Chia
Charlie Ndi Chia’s follow-back (I might as well openly & shamelessly piggyback on his success)
02/06/2025
Scotland, UK