Last Leg of the of the Online Book Tour of 'The Domestication Of Munachi' by Ifesinachi Okoli-Okpagu

This is a first for this blog, and I am really excited to announce that after a four day tour at eight other blogs - including openbooknigeria.com and BooksLiveSA - today I host Nigerian author, Ifesinachi Okoli-Okpagu, on the last day of her week long tour. Okoli-Okpagu will be on hand to answer any questions you might have (just head over to the comments section) - I know I have tons! Before we get to that, a bit about the author and her novel, The Domestication of Munachi. Also copies of the book can be purchased at the Magunga bookstore for readers in East Africa.

So what's The Domestication of Munachi all about:

On a hot Sunday afternoon years ago… 

…Two sisters walk in on their father’s sexual liaison with the family’s hired help which leaves them both scarred in different ways. 

Years later… 

Unable to bear the thought of marriage to a man she barely knows, the younger and more adventurous one, Munachi, runs away from home on the eve of her traditional marriage, unwittingly resurrecting a long buried feud between her religious mother and eccentric aunty. This conflict leaves a door open for the family’s destruction. 

The Domestication of Munachi (DOM) is a novel about the unnecessary pressure on women to take on life partners, regardless of who these partners are and the psychological impacts seen through the stories of two sets of sisters

According to Okoli-Okpagu, the novel addresses a number of themes: 

The three main themes that stand out are - One, the untoward pressure on young women to marry young regardless of their physical and psychological readiness. Two, physical abuse of women, especially married women and the society’s penchant to suddenly become blind to this until an irreversible damage is caused. Three, the deception of religion in our society today.

There are, of course, other sub themes such as family, the relationship between mother and child, adultery, long distance marriage, and so on. 

... as for her favorite character: 

Hmm… Despite Munachi’s eccentricities, I do love her. She could easily be my younger sister; the kind that can be so annoying. I think she would be my favorite.

For some reason I also like Aunty Ngo. She featured on few occasions, but every appearance came with drama and a reveal of a slice of the life she is struggling so hard to manage. Then again I chuckled throughout writing her bits. 

If that's not enough to whet your appetite, head over here for excerpts from the book, including readings from Ifesinachi Okoli-Okpagu herself. Also, here's a bit about the author: Aside wishing she could travel more often and she could stop answering questions nobody ever asks, Ifesinachi is a creative mom with the superhuman abilities to get bored when she’s working on a single project at a time. The Domestication of Munachi is her first novel. In her regular life, Ifesinachi .O. Okpagu is a Lagos-based marketing communications executive with over seven years’ experience, including being an Associate Producer of a pan-African TV show and heading the marketing communications team of an insurance company. She also serves as the chief custodian of the Lexiton brand with intellectual property in the media and entertainment industry. Her first book, a novella, was published when she was fourteen and was adopted as a secondary school recommended text in Delta and Ebonyi states. She was educated at Queens College, Lagos, and at the University of Benin where she obtained a BA in Fine and Applied Arts. Ifesinachi also holds a Masters degree from the Pan-African University where she graduated top of her class. She has written several stories, some of which have been published in Sentinel Nigeria, the African Roar Anthology and Saraba Magazine. She has written/produced several screenplays for the big screen and for television.  Now you know a bit about the author, and her debut novel - here's your chance to ask questions about the novel, her writing process, getting published and more. Can't wait!!! 

PS. There's a chance to win a copy of the book. Good luck!!! a Rafflecopter giveaway.