Award-winning writer and civil engineer, Obinna Udenwe, has expressed sadness over the lack of corporate support and sponsorship for literary and artistic endeavours in Nigeria, as is easily seen in some countries of the world.
Udenwe, author of ‘Colours of Hatred’ and ‘Satans & Shaitans’, disclosed this in Minna, the Niger State capital, as part of his nationwide tour for his new novel ‘Years of Shame’.
Expressing gratitude to Esthington Group, a real estate firm, for supporting & funding his book tour, the author stressed that gestures like this foster creative innovation and encourage writers to produce works that would impact society. He wished other Nigerian companies could copy from the Esthington Group and support creatives.
He thanked the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Esthington Group, Engr. Darlington Ugota, for the support — for believing in his work, for helping to put his books in the hands of people, and for his passion for arts and creativity.
The publisher of the book — Purple Shelf Publishers — Amara Chimeka, who was also part of the tour, said over 2,000 copies of ‘Years of Shame’ have been sold, even as readers continue to demand more copies across the country.
The novel was presented in Abakaliki and Lagos before the commencement of the northern tour, which was kick-started in Jos, Plateau State, followed by Abuja and Minna, respectively.
Although the tour is billed to continue in the south, Udenwe is expected to attend another reading in Kano in the coming months.
Set in southern Nigeria, ‘Years of Shame’ tells the haunting tale of Patrice Ikebe, a man whose defiance and misplaced pride lead him to take the ukpa ji-ukpa nwa, a feared ritual oath of loss of wealth and children.
The novel unravels the devastating ripple effects of this decision, spanning generations and culminating in a heart-wrenching reckoning for his descendants.
Obinna Udenwe was the inaugural winner of the Chinua Achebe Prize for Literature in 2021 for his novel Colours of Hatred, which was also shortlisted for the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature. His other works include ‘The Widow Who Died with Flowers in Her Mouth’.
