The Termite Colony

Set in Abuja, Nigeria’s new capital city, The Termite Colony is the story of three friends – Uche Okonji, a committed democrat, Itohan Osagie, a Marxist, and Kanayo Uzondu, a passionate Pan-Africanist.

Soon after democracy returns to the country, Uche and his two friends are sent to investigate a cholera outbreak in Araba, a community some distance from Abuja. There, they learn of the nearby Golden Valley, a sugar plantation whose managers recruit soldiers to massacre the Araba people with the intent of taking over more Araba land.

In the search for the rogue officers who ordered the genocide, Uche, Itohan and Kanayo meet Colonel Idris Abubakar, a brave and honest military officer who has been working for reforms in the corrupt Nigerian Army. Kanayo convinces Colonel Abubakar to mount a coup d’etat to displace the Nigeria Peoples Congress. Uche is opposed to another round of military rule. Itohan is in two minds. The coup is foiled, but there are tragic consequences.

Ike Okonta studied Sociology, Anthropology and Journalism at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, before going to the University of Oxford where he earned a doctorate in Politics. He was until recently a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in the Department Politics in Oxford. Ike Okonta's collection of short stories, The Fate of Yala Street, won the Association of Nigerian Authors Prose Prize. He has also been shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing.