Ikenga

by Nnedi Okorafor

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I STARTED WRITING Ikenga back in 2010, so this novel was a long time coming. Ikenga was born from decades of visits to Imo State, Nigeria. Particularly the towns and villages of Owerri, Arondizuogu (where my father is from), and Isiekenesi (where my mother is from). These places had a different rhythm and soul than Nigeria’s most known mega-city, Lagos. And in these places, there were ikenga.

  I’d like to thank Nollywood director Tchidi Chikere, with whom I worked closely on the early versions of this book. Tchidi helped me find Nnamdi’s voice and drive and the heart of Kaleria. Many thanks to Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, co-founder and publishing director of one of Africa’s leading publishing houses, Cassava Republic, and the Cassava Republic team for all the polishing and polishing and POLISHING. It was all so worth it. To my editor Regina Hayes for her keen eye. And many thanks to my daughter Anyango, who was the first reader of this manuscript so many years ago. She loved it and that meant the world to me.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Nnedi Okorafor is the daughter of Nigerian-born (Igbo) parents. She grew up in the Chicago area, with frequent trips back to Nigeria. There she absorbed the history and mythology that infuse her works of science fiction and fantasy. She has received the Hugo, the Nebula, the World Fantasy Award, and the Locus Award for her work, and her fans include Neil Gaiman, Rick Riordan, John Green, and Ursula Le Guin. Ms. Okorafor holds a PhD in English. She lives with her daughter in the suburbs of Chicago.

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