A Moving Reflection on Love, Loss and Childhood

In his debut novel, Loss is an Aftertaste of Memories, Michael Chièdoziém Chúkwúderà offers a deeply moving portrait of a narrator ahead of his time, contemplating childhood through the lens of memory.

Written by Azubuike Obi

Aug 18, 2024

Aftertaste of Memories. Illustration by Charles Owen (blvninjv) / THE REPUBLIC.

To look through the lens of memory is like watching people from a distance; sometimes two things may merge to become one. One event may merge into another, and so we remember it as a single occurrence. As we age, we filter out, and sometimes even fabricate, memories. Through the lens of memory, we look at the lives we have led. We ponder and ascertain when and how something became what it is. Childhood is the foundation of who we become and the way we remember it largely shapes what we become. Every trait we display in adulthood has its roots in childhood. Through memory, we look back on our childhood, reminisce, and discover the things that shape us. This is the foundation upon which Michael Chièdoziém Chúkwúderà has built his poignant debut novel.

THE PROTAGONIST

In Loss is an Aftertaste of Memories we meet our narrator, Nọsike, who is living ahead of his time. We tread the murky waters of childhood and adolescence, sibling relationship, hopes and dreams, loss, and most importantly, love. Set in Benin City, in Edo State, Nọsike fondly remembers the early days of his childhood and beyond. We learn lessons alongside Nọsike as he shares how he views events that have shaped him, now through the lens of memory. Accompanied by startlingly vivid imagery, Chúkwúderà paints a beautiful portrait of a boy’s journey from childhood to adolescence. Nọsike recalls his kindergarten years and romanticizes being the child who consoled others, rather than being the consoled. This tendency to be a protector rather than the protected perhaps stems from Nọsike being the firstborn son, a trait that manifests in his relationship with Adaọra, his immediate younger sibling.

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About the Author

Azubuike Obi

is a storyteller currently living in Asaba, in Delta State, Nigeria.

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A Moving Reflection on Love, Loss and Childhood

THE PROTAGONIST

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