Façade - Lavonne Ebiye Garmel-Urumedji

Nigeria is nicknamed “the giant of Africa” because of her large population. Without a doubt, her dense population results in cultural diversity with customs and traditions spread throughout her landscape. Despite the revolution sweeping the globe, certain customs and traditions still persist and are practiced even by the educated of her citizens. 

In Façade, author Ebiye Lavonne Botu offers fifteen unique stories of women who are currently passing and have passed through painful challenges brought about by these long-standing customs and traditions. The selections tell of child marriage, female circumcision, emotional and physical abuse, polygamy, Abiku phenomenon, and more. The collection provides insight into the lives of these women who have learned from a tender age to hide their pain and keep their lives private. 

Told from the heart, Façade shares how some of them overcame their challenges, while other tales narrate how some women wallowed in their misery and allowed their sorrow to swallow them up. Meant to instill positivity into the lives of Nigerian women, this collection offers insight into challenges many face in today’s world.