EDUCATION- Acclaimed Nigerian author Chioma Okereke, resident in the United Kingdom, has launched her latest literary work, ‘Water Baby’, following the success of her first novel, ‘Bitter Leaf’.

The Novel ‘Water baby’ is a captivating collection of stories that delve into the intricacies of the Makoko people in relation to their environment.

Speaking on the sidelines of the reading session organised for the public presentation and unveiling of the book in Lagos, the author said the novel is a coming-of-age tale portraying the societal pressures on a young woman trying to escape the confines of her community and explores wider issues including climate change, digitisation, gentrification, and resettlement.

Speaking on the crux of the book, Okereke explained that it’s centred around a “19-year-old baby yearning for a different existence in Makoko (the floating slum off mainland Lagos, Nigeria), where she can escape the future her father has planned for her.

“With opportunities scarce, Baby jumps at the chance to join a newly launched drone-mapping project, aimed at broadening the visibility of the informal settlement and her community against her father’s wishes.

“When a video of her at work goes viral, Baby finds herself with options she could never have imagined – including the possibility of leaving her birthplace to represent Makoko on the world stage. With the new opportunities presented, she must now determine her true place in the world and where her future lies.”

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