IN WRITING THIS BOOK, I benefited from the kindness, encouragement and goodwill of numerous friends, relatives, colleagues, students, publishers, and acquaintances. Many simply listened to my incessant stories. Their attentiveness made the solitude bearable and lightened the occasional sense of lonesomeness.
My deepest affection belongs to Sheri. I still marvel at my incredible luck, how I crashed your birthday party and stole you away! To my siblings John, J.C., Ifeoma, and Ogii: How extraordinary to be the children of “C” and “E.” Fond regards to Doris Fafunwa and her late husband, Aliu Babatunde Fafunwa, for the gift of a magnificent wife; and also to Lola Jackson (sister-in-law), Tunde Fafunwa and Tani Fafunwa (brothers-in-law). I’m in awe of Huguette Njemanze-Fafunwa’s insatiable appetite for books, and by Ifeoma Obianwu-Fafunwa’s amazing creative flair.
The best thing that happened to this novel was its landing in the lap of Soho Press. I’m indebted to E.C. Osondu, a fine writer and genial spirit, for pointing me in Soho’s direction. My editor, Mark Doten, proved a writer’s dream. His grace, persistence, and attuned instincts guided me through the maze of revisions. Paul Oliver and his publicity/marketing team exude such palpable passion. And to Bronwen Hruska, the publisher at Soho, I say—Daalu! Kudos to the marketing staff at Random House for getting this book in the hands of readers.
I celebrate Wole Soyinka for his peerless generosity. Chinua Achebe, John Edgar Wideman, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Ekwueme Michael Thelwell, and Kofi Awoonor have taught me much about life and literature. I hail Stephen Clingman, a patient guide. Michael Archer and Joel Whitney published an early excerpt on guernicamag.com. Several readers enriched this novel with their incisive critiques: Ma Phebean Ogundipe (whose textbook sparked my fascination with the English language), Karen Fritsche, Olu Oguibe, Kitty Axelson, Paul Nnodim, Nina Ryan, Nitor Egbarin, Holly Williams, Scott Myers, Rudolf Okonkwo, and Willie Nwokoye (a co-explorer of language and rites).
I salute Okey and Hadiza Anueyiagu, for their love for my family and me; Ikhide Ikheloa, for all the hell he raises because he believes that literature matters; Okezie Nwoka, for his bristling intelligence; Obiora Udechukwu, Odogwu nwoke! I’ve been sustained by many friends and relatives: Ian Mayo-Smith and Krishna Sondhi, Vijay Prashad, Nana Becky Clarke, Greg and Deirdre Falla and my Greene family, David and Chinwe Iloanya, Victor Manfredi, Sowore Omoyele, Okwy Okeke, Chenjerai Hove, Chika Okeke-Agulu, Cyril Obi, Abioseh Porter, Chuks Odikpo, William Wallis, Michael Peel, Kaye Whiteman, C. Don Adinuba, Bayo Okelana, Niyi Osundare, Victor Ehikhamenor, Chika Ezeanya, Bankole Olayebi, E.C. Ejiogu, Okwui Enwezor, Obiwu Iwuanyanwu, Nduka Otiono, Ndaeyo Uko, Mukoma Ngugi, Richard Dowden, Chika Unigwe, James Nagenda, Onyekachi Wambu, Maik Nwosu, and Paul Ezigbo.
I thank Reverends Damian Eze, Richard Fineo, and Efeturi Ojakaminor for the constancy of their prayers. I’m grateful to my former colleagues at Simon’s Rock College and Trinity College and my colleagues in Africana Studies at Brown—for making me feel at home.