Monday, May 4, 2020

Ajo Enyi: SYNW Book of the Month – April 2020



AJO ENYI: SYNW BOOK OF THE MONTH – April 2020


BOOK TITLE: AJO ENYI

AUTHOR: Izunna Okafor

GENRE: Prose

LANGUAGE: Igbo

NO. OF PAGES: 117

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2015

ISBN: 978-978-485-455-6

PUBLISHER: Poner Printing Press, Nnewi.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Ajo Enyi is a fictional Igbo novel, which was partially set in a core Igbo village of Umuezike and a developed city of Lagos.

It portrays the quintessential image of the African Literature, and as the name implies, narratively describes the cultivation, germination, crops and harvest of unhealthy friendship.

Two local boys —Ifeanyi and Ifenna, —a genius and a dunce (respectively) —grew up to become accidental friends. They influenced each other, and ended up dropping pen and paper, after which they switched over to Lagos in search of quicker money.

Not only did they shift to Lagos unprepared and unannounced, their parents' savings also felt their departure.
The journey was an interesting one, but their stay in Lagos was full of adventures.

They met and roamed with like-minded folks, caused nuisance, harassed and terrorized Lagos.

Sighting his mother from a far (upon his return to the village to see his people for the last time before his execution), Ifeanyi (handcuffed and surrounded by armed policemen) ran out with tears to embrace her. 

But one of the policemen, thinking Ifeanyi wanted to escape, unprofessionally pulled the trigger and released some bullets towards him.

And expectedly, Ifeanyi fell at the feet of his beloved mother, and the people of Umuezike trooped out in response to the uncommon gunshots.

What adventurous happened to the two friends in the city? What were the crops and the harvest of their friendship like? 

Ifeanyi —caught in the city and killed in the village, what was the fate of his corpse, as his people trooped out to the sounds of the gunshot?

Ajo Enyi tells the story....

AWARDS, NOMINATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS SO FAR RECEIVED BY THE BOOK (AJO ENYI)

1. SYNW/Pita Nwana Prize for Igbo Literature (2015) —won
2. Nigerian Writers Award/Indigenous Writer of the Year (2015) —won
3. Nigeria Heritage Icon Award (2016) —won
4. LiteraNation Indigenous Book of the Month (December, 2016)
5. Nigerian Writers Award (2017) nominated

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Izunna Okafor is an award-winning Nigerian novelist, poet, journalist, essayist, editor, translator, publicist, Igbo language activist and administrator who hails from Ebenator in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. 

He writes perfectly in English and Igbo languages, and has published several books in both languages.
Izunna has received over 25 awards, and has over 2000 articles published online, both nationally and internationally. 

He can be reached via: izunnaokafor70@mail.com

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