Chioma Okereke: Law, Poetry And Literature, A Creative Metamorphosis

The Conversation with Nadine Matheson

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Ever wrestled with the decision to switch lanes mid-career, or felt the tug of a creative calling that defies expectations? Chioma Okereke is a poet and author who transitioned from the structured world of law to the fluid realm of literature. We take you through the peaks and valleys of releasing a novel, and the realities of authorship in our digital age—yes, including that tricky dance of social media for writers. Chioma and I talk about the resilience needed to navigate the unpredictable tides of the publishing world, her new novel, Water Baby, which is a coming-of-age story set in the real settlement of Makoko in Lagos. Nigeria and her charity Makoko Pearls.
Water Baby
She's the Pearl of Makoko and the world is her oyster.
In Makoko, the floating slum off mainland Lagos, Nigeria, nineteen-year-old Baby yearns for an existence where she can escape the future her father has planned for her.
With opportunities scarce, Baby jumps at the chance to join a newly launched drone-mapping project, aimed at broadening the visibility of her community.
Then a video of her at work goes viral and Baby finds herself with options she could never have imagined - including the possibility of leaving her birthplace to represent Makoko on the world stage.
But will life beyond the lagoon be everything she's dreamed of? Or has everything she wants been in front of her all along?
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