9 OCTOBER 1971, Page 29

Sir: How percipient of Tony Palmer (September 25) to discover

that black Africa is not like Hampstead Garden Suburb. How kind of him to let us know.

It doesn't matter that the public executions in Nigeria are stale news to readers of Drum. ParisMatch, and even the recherché publication, the Observer Colour Magazine. If it's all a revelation to Tony Palmer, tireless on-the-spot student of the Lagos press, then it must be news to us.

Do, however, give him a word of warning before he gets to CongoKinshasa: all undergraduates are compulsorily enlisted into the army; the death penalty has been introduced for causing fatal road accidents; the form of French spoken isn't exactly Brussels sprouts; and, worse of all, nobody has heard of Oz — either the old Hollywood or Old Bailey version.

Donald Lehmkuhl 26 Coniston Court, Kendal Street, London W2