Book Blog

Author: Okotete Aghogho Joel

Publication Date: Coming Soon

ISBN: 978-978-694-521-7

Category: Fiction

Language: English

Copyright: All Rights Reserved Standard Copyright License

Set in the turbulent aftermath of the Civil War, The Ashes That Remained After unfolds in a mosaic narrative that tells the story of Sunday Azinna, a determined young man from the Igbo heartland who ventures North in search of fortune and identity. Leaving his mother and his bride-to-be, Asampete, he flees a war-torn homeland. Sunny embarks on a transformative journey from the lush village of Anambra to the arid plains of Maiduguri. Through vivid poetic storytelling, The Ashes That Remained After captures Sunny's struggle to adapt to a new land marked by ethnic tension, economic hardship, and cultural dualities of a post-Civil War Nigeria. Alongside Uncle Uche and his co-worker Chidi, Sunny navigates the complex social fabric of Northern Nigeria. His memory of love, loss and war blends with his encounter in the North. Through biting satire and sharp commentary, the book reveals the absurdities of a nation that is rich yet flawed by contentious cultural divisions. The characters drawn from various ethnic and religious backgrounds illuminate a society fractured by mistrust, historical grievances, and political manipulation. Written primarily in English, the book also weaves in Nigerian Pidgin, indigenous expressions and nostalgic music references. The Ashes That Remained After presents a lyrical meditation on resilience, identity, and belonging. It exposes how one's roots and scars shape destiny, how migration reshapes the soul, and how even amid conflict and displacement, love and hope are The Ashes That Remained After the ruins.