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The story revolves around Mbaka as well as his encounter with his immediate environment. The eponymous character in the novel was born in a remote village of Aja Community. His parents Onochie and Muanya waited so long for a male child. His birth in Onochie´s family was welcomed with mixed feelings as his father abandoned his mother thinking that it was another baby girl coming into a family that already had three girls without a male. The poor boy never knew his father Onochie who died on the day he was named Mbakaogu. Raised by his poor mother (Muanya), Mbaka did not have the luxury of attending the best of schools in the village. At some point, his mother (Muanya) could not pay Mbaka´s school fees. Dr. Nicholas Chiakwa, (A man of the widows) a philanthropist, and a politician, comes into the picture when all hopes seemed to have gone. Dr. Chiakwa´s quest to train Mbaka in the University was cut short by his untimely death. Dr. Chiakwa and his wife defiled Aja people´s tradition and the action resulted in Rose (Dr. Chiakwa´s Wife) becoming pregnant through her house help (Mbaka)...

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Nkemakonam Aniukwu was born on the 22nd of October, 1984 in Emene-Owo, Nkanu East Local Government Area, Enugu State, Nigeria.He is the author of a play titled The Professionals and has written some other unpublished plays. He has BA (Hons) and MA, in Theatre and Film Studies Department of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Anambra State, Nigeria.

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