July 8, 2024
In Ibeh’s engrossing debut, a gay Nigerian man is ostracized by his family and society as he struggles to be himself. As a boy, Obiefuna is close with his mother, Uzoamaka, but feels distant from his father, Anozie, who invites another young boy to live with their family and work in his building supply store. Obiefuna develops a crush on the boy, and when Anozie witnesses them acting on their shared feelings, he sends Obiefuna away to a religious boarding school, much to Uzoamaka’s dismay. Anozie continues to isolate Obiefuna from the family, banning him from returning for holidays, prompting Uzoamaka to vigorously object. As the years go by at school, Obiefuna carries on various sexual relationships despite the country’s prohibition of homosexuality, while his mother continues to protest his father’s choice to send him away (“It’s one thing to love a child, but it’s an entirely different thing for the same child to feel loved”). When Uzoamaka is diagnosed with cancer, she hides the news from Obiefuna, fearful of how he’ll be affected and hopeful she’ll be cured before they see each other again. Ibeh incisively portrays the family members’ conflicting emotions and strife, and offers a bracing depiction of queer life in Nigeria. Readers won’t want to miss this. Agent: Emma Leong, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc.
September 13, 2024
Ibeh's searing debut, a coming-of-age story set in Nigeria, follows Obiefuna and his mother, Uzoamaka, who peel back layers of silence with narratives focused on gender and sexuality, politics, and family. When Obiefuna's volatile father, Anozie, finds him in the arms of another boy, he banishes him to a Christian boarding school. There, Obiefuna keeps his sexuality a secret rather than fall prey to other boys; after graduation, he finds a more lasting love just as Nigeria's Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act of 2014 is enacted. Listeners will also learn about Uzoamaka's past and her unconditional love for her son. The story follows Obiefuna into adulthood as he finds a home with a "chosen" family and his partner, Miebi. British Nigerian narrators Fejiro Emasiobi and Tariye Peterside narrate, with primary narrator Emasiobi expressively capturing Obiefuna's growth from a curious yet bewildered youth to a young man who comes into his own. Peterside's narration of Uzoamaka resonates with warmth and compassion. VERDICT Ibeh's sobering tale sensitively traces a young gay man's journey, shielded by his mother's prayers and bolstered by his own convictions and the knowledge that healing is possible even in the face of adversity.--Sharon Sherman
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.