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Aliya is the lead character of the Novel Sweet Sixteen. She is also the only child of her parents. Aliya believes that at sixteen she should be considered as a young adults and not a child. She has also been more attracted to adult issues. Aliya feels stupid when ever she is being referred to as a child. She believes she is an adults trapped in a child’s body.
Aliya is Asthmatic. Her dad always made sure she had her Ventolin Inhaler when ever he came visiting. This was also his way of ending their conversations. She is also chubby but hates being called fat.
Aliya’s mother is nurse but her father who’s name is Mr Bello has had several jobs over the years.
Mr Bello was a journalist at the time Aliya was born, then worked as a Public relations officer when Aliya was in Primary School, then when Aliya entered secondary school which was a the age of 12, Mr Bello worked with an international organisation which helped the poor in Africa.
Aliya’s mom was always fascinated about Birthdays, However her Father Mr Bello never liked birthday celebrations because he felt the only events worth celebrating were achievements. Aliya father always called her my first lady.
This was written in the first birthday letter which she received from him, it read ” Happy Birthday my first lady, Remember that only God is greater than you”. Although she never really understood why he always called her “my first lady”. But she guessed it was because she was his first child or she was very special to him.
Aliya had a friend in school named Grace who didn’t like to talk much. This made people think she was a snub but Aliya understood her personality and saw grace as a nice and generous person.
Akin was Aliya’s classmate. Akin was smart but also very annoying and everyone including the mathematics teacher Miss Salako were aware of his frustrating character. In geometry class, Akin once pronounced mensuration as menstruation. This made the class burst into laughter and provoked Miss Salako. She punished him for that, but surprisingly Akin still got an A in mathematics at the end of the term.
Aliya was a science student but found chemistry very difficult, although she succeeded in passing her chemistry continuous assessment test after studying really hard.
Aliya got a valentine gift from a boy in her school whose real name is Tokunbo but was popular called Bobo. Bobo gave Aliya a teddy bear with a message on the heart saying “I Love You”. Aliya told her dad about bobo’s gift while they where discussing at the chess ground. She also told her dad that bobo said he likes her, but when Mr Bello asked Aliya if she also liked Bobo, she replied No.
Mr Bello then cautioned Aliya about boys and how most boys exploit young and dumb girls.
He made it clear to her by saying boys only likes dumb girls and bobo may only like her because he feels she is dumb but she objected and later asked if she could return bobo’s gift but Mr Bello say the decision was up to her.
Later on, while was speaking to bobo and attempting to return the gift the duty master approached which made them suddenly end their conversation. Bobo later travelled to Ireland with his family without informing Aliya and she was very unhappy about this.
On Aliya sixteenth birthday her dad who didn’t celebrate birthdays surprised her by giving her portable digital camera and a birthday card which was written “sweet sixteen” and a letter titled “Letter to my daughter”. She felt her dad copied Maya Angelou’s work in the letter but later observed only the titles were similar, the words were his.
The letter began with ‘How time flies’ and each page was for each year of her life. These gifts by her dad were given to her through her principal.
*Sweet Sixteen Summary of Chapter 2 – The Drive*
In her blue jeans and Chelsea Football Jersey which her dad bought for her from London with the nickname first lady printed at the back, she was set for outing to air boredom and her mom was on duty that morning. Mr. Bello decided to take his daughter for a ride round town.
Things got her attention during the drive, she saw girls of her age running round selling wares which made her feel they had freedom since they had opportunities to go anywhere and meet anyone, unlike her who lived behind fence which her grandma called prison.
Stopping by Aunty Gigi’s they bought vanilla chocolate ice cream and fresh orange juice for Daddy. The ice cream helped Daddy to break the silence and ask her if she knew ice cream affected women’s menstruation, which Aliya replied NO.
Mr Bello has always wanted to have such discussion with her since she’s gradually becoming matured. Seeing the ice cream as an opportunity, he went further to ask her what she knew about menstruation.
Her response “Mum and Aunt taught me how to menstruate” got her father laughing. He corrected her daughter by saying “you are not taught how to menstruate but what to do during such period”.
Aliya remembered her mum telling her that boys touching her could get her pregnant, but she knew that was not possible as she knew about sex and had also read Aunty Molara’s magazine (cosmopolitan).
She could also remember her dad telling her that her mind was a beautiful room and should not allow things like bad language, violence, vulgarity to be properties in the room. In addition she should avoid bad friends and sternly he told her that she should not allow anyone to check her private.
Aliya read her 16th birthday letter again and again, loved the letter, it made her cry without knowing, had pure love for her father, and purposed in her mind to keep the letter for her children. Aliya is still so much interested in making good grades in her Chemistry.
[ *Sweet Sixteen Chapter three]
Aliya’s return to the house after their examination, actualises her desire to gain more explanation from her father on the contents of the letter.
After making and serving tea for breakfast, recalling several attempts and processes of coaching by her mother, in order to perfect tea-making that will suit her father, she begins her discussion with her dad.
She informs him about her intention to switch from her initial career choice of medicine to law, because she does not like the sight of blood. He has thought she is actually trying to run from Chemistry, however, she is able to prove to him that it is not the case. Producing her result for the just concluded term, She got an A in Chemistry. She is a bit surprised at his non imposing attitude towards her choice of course to study, even to let her know that her heart desire is most important.
She tells her dad about her classmate who she catches in the exam hall cheating. He seriously cautions and dissuades her from ever indulging in such a shameful act. He explains to her that nothing pays like hard work and one could learn some positive lessons from failure which is a seemingly a negative experience.
He uses the poem, Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson to teach her lessons on hard work, and a book by Kahlil Gibran, titled The Prophet, to tell her the importance of uniqueness in children and why they should be given equal attention and care, unlike the attitude of parents of the girl who Aliya said was cheating in the Physics exam.
He further admonishes her on the wealth of wisdom that is gotten from books, and laments the unwillingness of the present generation to uncover the boundless wealth of knowledge and wisdom hidden in books. Aliya decides to go through the book on her own for better understanding, because she really likes some of the things her dad says about the book.
The quote – That which we are, we are; one equal temper of heroic heart, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. is a poem titled ‘ULYSSES’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson
While the quote – For the souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, whit you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. is by Kahlil Gibran
Also note that Stephanie Meyer is an American novelist and film producer, who is best known for her vampire romance series Twilight. and John Ray Grisham Jr is an American novelist, attorney, politician, and activist, best known for his popular legal thrillers (HIS BOOKS MADE ALIYA TO THINK OF BECOMING A LAWYER).
*Sweet Sixteen CHAPTER FOUR Summary – THE GANDHI TEST*
Aliya’s family travels a lot, and when returning they always bring back mementos. Memento is an object one keeps as a reminder for something. Their living room is filled with mementos.
Some of the mementos include a young Arab boy riding a camel, statue of a maasal couple from Nairobi, Eiffel tower from Paris, Ijambulo, the lion cub from South-Africa, two hand-painted ostrich egg shells from Tanzania, the Tower Bridge and the bright -red television booth from London, the statue of liberty from New York, the pyramid and the sphinx from Egypt, a crystal Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is the tallest building in the world, and several other items.
Aliya and her mum had thier own mementos. Her mum has decorated plates from China, while: Aliya has a camel with jingle bells that she brought from Dubai. All these are contained in a huge mahogany cabinet decorated with glass doors. Two bright orange sofas and two green single chairs made up the living room.
Aliya still has some lingering questions in mind from the letter she has read, so she decides to gist with her father after breakfast. The family breakfast that morning comprises of bread, okraw and coke. Then she goes on to enquire from her dad, about the Gandhi test which is named after the great Indian activist Mahatma Gandhi,.
Her dad explains that the importance of the test is that people always hide their acts from others when they know that what they are doing is immoral or wrong. However if one is sure that what one does is right and acceptable to other members of the society they will not need to hide or be afraid of getting caught by others.
On the biography of Mahatma Gandhi, he corrects her notions saying that he fights for his country to gain independence from Great Britain and he is just an activist who is not interested in political power. As such, he is never a president.
He summarises his points on the need of ethics and morals in society which makes it organized and humans different from animals. It may not be spelt out as the same in every society but every society bears the same unit elements. Stealing and cheating are both negative elements in every society.
Also note that ALBERT EINSTEIN was a German – born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics. His work is also known for its influence on the philosophy of science. He died in 18th April 1955.
*Sweet Sixteen CHAPTER FIVE Summary – DATING*
Aliya wants to know if it is okay with her father if she goes into a dating relationship, especially now that she has turned 16. At first she is quite shy to say it out to him, but since it is a pressing issue on her mind she has to open up and talk about it with him.
She meets her father in the living room trying to put on the television with a remote control. But the batteries are bad so the TV does not come on. She describes the television as “No testing” like her aunty would say.
The television is looking dead and black. She thinks of how to start the conversation. Finally she begins by saying: “Daddy you know I am 16 “Her dad didn’t seem to pay much attention to what she is saying and this gets her a bit annoyed. He is a devout fan of the English football club Chelsea and they have a match that afternoon.
She asks her father if it is okay for her to date. He pretends he does not know what she means. Then he said, after listening to her, that he quite does not have a problem with people dating, but the challenge is whether they have what it takes to sustain such an affair. He tells her about the risk of indulging in amorous activities of any kind and its consequences on her academics.
He is definitely sure she is not mature enough to handle the pressure of a dating relationship and he makes her realize that people pay a huge sacrifice whenever they go into such activities and that in the end it may not be worth it after all.
He tells her that before she does anything it is important for her to weigh the pros and cons, and most times, according to him, the cons outweighs the pros because one is paying a serious sacrifice for something which could have waited to a more appropriate time.
She thinks about Bobo, her classmate who has bought her a teddy bear on her birthday. She has been crushing on him secretly and unconsciously without openly admitting.
However, her father uses this to teach her important lessons on how to checkmate her emotions.
In the end she really appreciates having a man like him for a father. He told her about the 5-why test. He says that by asking ‘WHY’ five times any issue could be clarified and seen for what it really is. She also tells her father some of the slangs they use on social media, and their meanings, slangs like: HAK, KOTL, 53X & KPC which respectively mean: Hugs and kisses, Kisses on the lips, Sex and keep parents clueless. She tells her dad about Zak.
He is her schoolmate. He is also in the school football team. One day, he hands a note after assembly which says: “Do you know any cardiologists, because my heart skips a beat every time I think of you”. After their conversation, her father replaces the dead remote battery with new AA batteries and then the TV comes alive.
They converse for some time more. Then he promises her they shall continue the discussion after the football game. She hopes Chelsea win as her dad may not be in the mood to talk if they do not.
*Sweet Sixteen CHAPTER SIX Summary STEREOTYPE*
This chapter captures further explanations, different from the letter content but based on generally confusing issues about society going on, on Aliya’s mind. Their conversation of the previous day does not continue, not minding that Chelsea has won the match.
Mr. Bello has to attend to other important issue. Aliya reads Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet. Ironically, it makes her fall asleep much faster. By the time she wakes up the next morning, the sun is already up. Now her father is seriously frowning at anyone who does not say their morning prayers before sunrise and she is well aware of that. She has a pair of rabbit-like slippers which is given to her by Auntie Molara.
The family settles for yam and fried eggs as breakfast. Aliya and her dad has expected to finish their conversation when her mum leaves but were a bit disappointed when she informes both of them that she is off duty for the day. Her parents loves each other very much and thus live in peace and harmony. They seldom fight and even when they did they would make sure she does not get to know about it. However, she will manage to find out usually from her mom’s actions.
Her morn will put up a repulsive and irritable attitude, and such occasions Aliya will be cautious and scared to go close to he But her dad will just act all cool and normal. Aliya mentions to her dad about Rebecca. They stay in the same hostel but not the same room, she is in SS3 while Aliya is in SS2 The girl has said that all muslims are killers and that they will all go to hell. He cautions her not to give into stereotypes by behaving how she has been mirrored by the person.
He reminds her of what Muhammed Ali said that “hating people because of their color or religion is wrong” He explains to her what stereotype means. He makes her understand that it is a way of making general statements or assumptions, that is, using the action of a few members of a group or class of persons to represent or categorize everyone from that group or class.
He makes her aware of statements like ‘every Muslim is a killer’, etc. He reprimads her against the foolishness and illogicality of such statements and urges her never to make such utterances to others. He encourages her not to bother fighting people who do that as it is just a sign of their lack of understanding.
Speaking of stereotypes, she tells her dad about how people are making fun of her because of her body size and how they call her all sorts of insulting names like Fatima and Latifat. She recounts an experience of how a teacher has humiliated her during a class in front of everyone and even drew mockery images on the board representing her. Mr. Bello is genuinely alarmed that a teacher could behave in that crude manner.
He reminds her about a quote from Gandhi…which states that no one can hurt you without your consent, and promised to promptly take up the matter with the Principal whom he has a cordial relationship with. He advises her to rise above personal feelings and sentiments so as to see another way of looking at the world.
He ends with a short story of a white slave trader and one of the enslaved black men. They both survive a shipwreck and finds themselves on a deserted island. Instead of the black slave to take revenge on his white captor who has treated him with great contempt he rather helps him recover from his injuries.
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