The draft of this novel was written many years ago during a one-week retreat sponsored by my friend, S.B. Rogo. Jauro, I appreciate your support, immensely. My good friend Wale Okediran and his Ebedi International Writers" Residence afforded me the opportunity to rewrite and edit the work. It was a great moment of discoveries about the writing process. To both, I am most grateful.The management of Bingham University has been magnanimous to me, giving me time off, now and again, to go into hiding to be able to write. To them, I remain ever grateful. My 200 level Creative Writing cla.s.s of 2015 has been very inspiring. Many of them read the ma.n.u.script and made useful comments that have led to the improvement the story.
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In the course of writing, I have had to rely on a number of people for information of various kinds and for correct terminologies, registers or words. These include Col. Benson B. Bonglap (rtd), WII Andrew Chigero (rtd), Brig Gen. Nuhu Adeh (rtd) and Barr Chuks Okoronkwo, Prisca G.o.dspower Ochulor, and Benjamin Fadare. You plugged the holes that my research shortcomings would have created. I am to blame for any that slipped through.
Chalya Dul and Rosemary Ajibogwu were those who labored through the first drafts that emerged from my tired and often foggy head. They made comments that gave shape and direction to the story. My son, Nimcwat Dul, read the final drafts and threw up questions and suggestions that spun the story into a new direction and t.i.tle.
I have enjoyed enormous support and encouragement towards my creative endeavours from my friend and brother, Hon. (Dr.) Hitler F. Dadi for many years. You, too, deserve a book from me!
My group of indispensable friends, Emman Shehu, Friday Ejilogo, David DCosta Shodeinde, and David Okenyi were the surgeons who read the finished drafts and cut open, excised malignant parts, washed and st.i.tched up the entrails of the book, like a patient. If it can be read without gadagada, the credit should go to them. I thank my publisher, Su"eddie Vershima Agema and his team for all the good work and to Eugene Odogwu for the lovely cover.
My family, both the nuclear and the extended, as always, has been my backbone: I love you all!
Thank you all, my army of proofreaders! We can lay the blame for any typo squarely on the devil"s door.