Literary Fiction Novel Commemorates Nigeria's Independence Day and Black History Month

An inspirational albeit heart-wrenching literary fiction novel which chronicles Nigeria’s turbulent history and Independence from British rule has been published in commemoration of Nigeria’s 49th Independence Day Anniversary and Black History Month 2009 and it's still relevant for 2010.

Despite the diversity and dynamism of African literature, there has been a need for a literary novel that would commemorate the love, courage, creativity and entrepreneurial instincts of the African woman while celebrating the hope, culture and tenacity that people of all races have in common. Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman is that novel. Rather than merely showcasing chaos and leaving its readers wondering what to make of it, this ambitious debut novel, in a style and language that is universally accessible, tells the story of two remarkable personalities who vivaciously defy the odds:

Nkiru: a privileged young girl forced to learn the art of survival after mysterious circumstances befall her family…
Nigeria: Africa’s most populous and controversial country – starting from its pre-infancy days to its present state of flux.


Set in the politically charged colonial and post-independence Nigeria (as well as the vibrant capitals of Uganda, Sierra Leone and Britain), Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman is a novel that fearlessly chronicles the history of Africa’s most populous and complex country whilst tackling big themes such as ethnic identity, racial discrimination, domestic violence, gender equality, endemic corruption, entrepreneurship and self actualisation, as well as universal themes such as love, mother-daughter relationships, betrayal and forgiveness.

Through a language of passion, poetry and deceptive simplicity, we see sisters and daughters, mothers and wives who metamorphose over time, juxtaposed with a nation’s fight for freedom, fall from grace and pursuit of an elusive destiny.

********************Ogo answers some key questions *******************

How did you come up with the amazing title?
I’ve wanted to write a novel titled Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman for donkey years, to be honest. I have always been very intrigued by the metamorphosis process butterflies undergo, so my curious observations inspired the title which then slowly, slowly, birthed the story – perhaps subconsciously over a number of years.

What excites you most about your book’s topic? Why did you choose it?
The theme of this story is very exciting to me. Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman is an inspirational, albeit heart-wrenching tale, of a remarkable young woman who dares to defy the odds (economically, emotionally and socially) in order to become who she is destined to be, juxtaposed with the struggles of her motherland – Nigeria/Africa (also striving to rise above her past and achieve greatness). Do they have what it takes to succeed? Well, you’ll have to read the book to find out. I love stories about strong characters who are hungry to achieve and this book has that in abundance. The ‘survival’ theme is a topical choice because we live in challenging times and people want to be inspired and empowered to achieve their goals no matter the odds.

What do you hope your readers will gain from reading?
I hope my readers will be inspired to defy the odds in their own lives – economically, emotionally and socially. Although the essential theme that cuts through the story is ‘defying all odds’ several topical issues are explored in Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman: love and loss, mother-daughter relationships, sister-sister conflict, domestic violence, child labor, gender equality, political corruption and entrepreneurship. So I believe that people from all strata of society will find a topic or two that will resonate with them and be inspired to create the change they want to see.