A Rainy Season is a work of historical fiction and the break-out novel of author Nnaziri Ihejirika. Set during the heady days of Nigeria’s transition from a martial state to one that embraces – or at least practices – western democracy, A Rainy Season tells the stories of eight fictional characters who share an address in the sprawling, fast-growing metropolis of Lagos. Lagos is more than just Nigeria’s largest city – it is the economic and social heartbeat of the country and has been since Lord Lugard amalgamated the former northern and southern protectorates of Nigeria in 1914.
Hamed, Ekei, Jude, Kurdi, Tamara, Elechi, Mutiu and Nonye share a desire to survive the harsh landscape of Lagos which cuts across their differences in gender, ethnicity, religion and social class. This desire, differentiated by varying levels of desperation, will see them make decisions that have far-reaching consequences.
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- Tamara is a divorcee in a land where divorce is taboo. Despite her personal success and attractive disposition, she is on the verge of losing everything she has worked for. Can she navigate the harsh landscape of the city while holding onto her sanity?
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- Nonye is the epitome of Nigerian girlhood. Beautiful, innocent and intelligent, she will have to overcome a pressing concern borne out of the government’s intolerance before her dreams can be realized.
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- Mutiu is a security guard whose childhood filled with suffering, abandonment and death has scarred him emotionally. Does the answer lie in a closer relationship with his God?
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- Kurdi is a pastor who desires to lead more than a congregation and sees a seat in the nation’s Senate as his destiny. The death of the dictator provides an opening but will a suspicious wife, a vengeful mistress and latent avarice derail his ambition?
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- Jude is a young professional who has found success spinning the wheels of the military’s propaganda. He tries to make up for this by covertly aiding pro-democracy groups. Is respite on the horizon or have his troubles just begun?
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- Hamed is a middle-aged government contractor whose vices include womanizing and corrupt dealings. Will his larger-than-life persona survive the advent of democracy?
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- Elechi is a teenager trying to cope with the high expectations of his family. An uncontrollable desire to peek into windows coupled with new and decidedly adult desires nearly gets him into trouble, but could it all be worth it if he helps save a friend?
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- Ekei is an unemployed graduate whose lack of focus leaves her in danger of being preyed upon by lustful men with deep pockets. Can she recognize true love despite her fractured background?
Book cover art by Nicole Miles
A Rainy Season 