John is a satirist who has twice been shortlisted for the prestigious Caine Prize for African Writing. IMAGE/CASSAVA REPUBLIC

Contemporary Nigerian author, Elnathan John is billed to release his debut novel, ‘Born on a Tuesday’ on November 12, 2015, his publisher, Cassava Republic Press has announced in a statement.

John is a satirist who has twice been shortlisted for the prestigious Caine Prize for African Writing (2013 & 2015). His writing has been published in Per Contra, Evergreen Review and Chimurenga’s The Chronic. He is a 2015 Civitella Ranieri Fellow and lives in Abuja, Nigeria.

According to Cassava Republic, ‘Born on a Tuesday’ has already been gathering comments from other African authors like Taiye Selasi, the celebrated author of best-seller ‘Ghana Must Go’. “Anyone seeking to peer beyond the media’s portrayals of Boko Haram must read this book, not because it offers a hopeful account but because it offers a human one,” said Selasi.

Uzodinma Iweala, whose book Beasts of No Nation has just been released as a major Hollywood movie, said of the new novel: “Elnathan John’s first novel is an ambitious book that tackles modern Nigeria’s extremely complex religious landscape with great insight, passion and humour by taking us deep into the mental and emotional space of the country’s most neglected.”

Publisher, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf explained that ‘Born on a Tuesday’ tells the beguiling story of a young almajari boy, Dantala, who runs away from home and takes up residence in a mosque. “Dantala slowly embraces the Salafism preached by his new benefactor, and become increasingly involved in the extremist politics of the northwest. It is a stunning read, told from the deceptively simple perspective of the young boy. We’re incredibly excited to be publishing this unique and refreshing tale, which provides a fascinating perspective on life in the northwest of Nigeria, giving voice to an often disregarded aspect of Nigerian society. I hope this will open up writing from the North to other Nigerians and to the world,” she said.

John said he hopes writing the novel will add colour to the monochrome that northern Nigeria seems to be in the media. “To start a conversation and open a door to spaces, some dark, some uncomfortable. And it means a lot to me that this book will first be available in Nigeria, ” he said

Elnathan will be discussing his book on two public panels at the Lagos Book and Art Festival on Saturday 14th November: “What’s Eating the North: politics, culture and relationships in writing from Northern Nigeria” at 1pm at the Goethe-Institut, moderated by Kadaria Ahmed; and “Writing a New Nigeria: Representations of Nigeria in contemporary fiction and poetry at 4pm at Freedom Park.”

Born on a Tuesday’ tells the beguiling story of a young almajari boy, Dantala. IMAGE/CASSAVA REPUBLIC

Already, the new novel has been trending on social media, following an informal pre-launch reading in Abuja organised by the author, using the hastag #elnathansBOAT, with members of the Nigerian twitterati such as Omojuwa and Chioma Chuka in attendance.

‘Born on a Tuesday’ (N2000) will be available from www.cassavarepublic.biz and at retail stores throughout Nigeria from 12th November 2015. International editions will follow in 2016, from Cassava Republic (UK) in April; Grove Atlantic Press (USA) in May, and a French translation from Galaade Éditions (Paris) in August 2016.