The World Was in Our Hands Format: Hardback

The World Was in Our Hands is a powerful collection of first-hand accounts from people whose lives have been shaped by the Boko Haram conflict. Through 47 deeply personal interviews spanning generations, genders and religious backgrounds, it moves beyond the headlines to reveal the everyday realities, resilience and humanity of those living through one of the world's most devastating humanitarian crises.

Drawing on years of reporting across north-east Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad region, journalist Chitra Nagarajan explores the conflict through the voices of those who have experienced it firsthand. These moving testimonies examine the impact of violence alongside issues of patriarchy, climate change, corruption and economic hardship, offering a nuanced and deeply human portrait of the region.

An essential work of oral history, The World Was in Our Hands is a vital record of lives too often overlooked, and a compelling read for anyone interested in conflict, contemporary history and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

Chitra Nagarajan is a journalist and writer whose work focuses on climate change, conflict, feminism, migration, Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad region. Her reporting and commentary have appeared in The Guardian, New Humanist, New Internationalist, This Is Africa and Ventures Africa, and she has contributed to Sky News and the BBC World Service.

She is the co-editor of She Called Me Woman: Nigeria's Queer Women Speak, published by Cassava Republic Press. The World Was in Our Hands draws on her extensive experience reporting from communities affected by the Boko Haram conflict.