Born on a Tuesday by Elnathan John - Cassava Republic Press

Born on a Tuesday

by Elnathan John

Book Description

WINNER – BETTY TRASK AWARD 2017
SHORTLISTED – NLNG NIGERIA PRIZE FOR LITERATURE 2016
SHORTLISTED – REPUBLIC OF CONSCIOUSNESS PRIZE 2016
LONGLISTED – ETISALAT PRIZE FOR LITERATURE 2016

This novel explores life, love, friendship, loss and the effects of extremist politics and religion on everyday life in Northern Nigeria.

Dantala lives in Bayan Layi, Nigeria and studies in a Sufi Quranic school. By chance he meets gang leader Banda, a nominal Muslim. Dantala is thrust into a world with fluid rules and casual violence. In the aftermath of presidential elections he runs away and ends up living in a Salafi mosque. Slowly and through the hurdles of adolescence, he embraces Salafism as preached by his new benefactor, Sheikh Jamal. Dantala falls in love with Sheikh’s daughter, Aisha, and tries to court her within the acceptable limits of a conservative setting. All the while, Sheikh struggles to deal with growing jihadist extremism within his own ranks.

Description

Elnathan John is a Nigerian novelist and writer, and one of Nigeria’s most well-known satirists. He has twice been shortlisted for the prestigious Caine Prize for African Writing (2013 & 2015).

His writing has been published in Per Contra, Evergreen Review and Chimurenga’s The Chronic. He is a 2015 Civitella Ranieri Fellow and lives in Abuja, Nigeria.

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Elnathan John @elnathan_john

I have found the perfect wine. I had taken a gamble and ordered this expensive (for a writer) bottle. So, in case you hear I am unable to pay my rent, this will be the reason why. Why do I have to have a taste for things I cannot afford? Why do bad things happen to good people?

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Elnathan John @elnathan_john

These guys seem pretty sure god won’t mind the mockery. Because I remember those days when gods used to like strike people dead for lesser acts of mockery than this. https://t.co/RfihIgcADf

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Daily Trust @daily_trust
KANO: 1000 Clerics convene to pray for Buhari, Nigeria.

Photo credit: Mohammed Bashir https://t.co/uNqcWF1Nrc

Elnathan John @elnathan_john

Oh god. I just remember that when I left Berlin last week, I forgot to put some food I cooked into the fridge. My flat will smell great when I return. Also I forgot my phone in a city which is now five hours away from me. They are going to have to courier it to me. Phone free. https://t.co/q3XTWivkR9

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