These Words Expose Us

by 'Pemi Aguda

First published 2014

A mother tells her daughter never to leave their home. The warning carries weight that neither of them fully understands yet. In another story, someone asks a question that transforms a relationship beyond recognition. Elsewhere, silence communicates what spoken words cannot. These moments anchor an anthology that spans from Lagos to New York, collecting fiction from emerging Nigerian voices including Uche Okonkwo, Gbolahan Adeola, and Osemhen Akhibi. The writers explore the narratives people carry but rarely voice. They examine the private lives neighbors might be living behind closed doors. They reveal what friends and lovers keep hidden. Each story peels back layers of human experience, exposing the vulnerability that connects us all. The anthology invites readers into spaces of honesty and self-discovery, celebrating the complexity of relationships while acknowledging how words can strip away our protective barriers.

Genres: fiction, anthologies, african-literature, contemporary

Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking

Tropes: found-family, intimate

Setting: Lagos, New York

126 pages · Paperback · CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

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