HALF LIVES

Half Lives is about an autistic boy Efosa Obasuyi, his mother, the one he calls Iye, his Policeman Father, a man with a past as chilling as his chaotic present, and his half-brother Uyi, a dreamer and a gambler. Set against the boisterous backdrop of Agege, these characters lead lives that mirror the experiences of typical Nigerians residing in the mainland of Lagos. Beyond Efosa and his family, the narrative introduces other intriguing characters like the sex maniac Trixie. This young adult fiction blends realism and fantasy, aiming to delve into the challenges of seeking survival in a Nigerian society that often overlooks socio-medical conditions such as autism, bipolar disorder, sex addiction, manic pixie dreaminess, and more.

Mòó (Second Cantos)

Is there anything so undoing as a daughter? – Silco in Arcane

Abstract

I am a writer of woes. Biophilic woes. Woes that feed off our love for life, our love for love, our love to hate. In my love stories, nothing lovely ever happens. There are no pleasant happy endings, no main characters, no supporting roles, no hero, no villain, no show of affection, no drama, just young adults drowning in a drove of emotions that eventually kill everyone, both on stage and in the shadows. I have a host of love stories dedicated to people who will never be remembered except for the ways they could have made readers feel but never did. My characters thrive on the would-haves that constitute the lives of readers. But I don’t write love anymore. Try hard as I may, my hands have become a stranger to the runes with which love is encrypted. Instead, when I set my hands to paper, the first word that easily flows from my thoughts is Mòó.

Non-fiction piece nominated for a Pushcart Prize