Sinachi Ukpabi
Born to a catholic and education-loving family in the famous
Mbaise, Eastern Nigeria, Sinachi Adrian Ukpabi spent his early years
in the cosmopolitan City of Lagos before proceeding to the
renowned Government College Umuahia where he was a school
athlete and debater, edited the Eagle Magazine and graduated
in 1986, behind his ‘Umuahian’ literary forebears like Chinua
Achebe, Christopher Okigbo, Chukwuemeka Ike, Elechi Amadi,
Alexander Madiebo, Ken Saro Wiwa and Obi Nwakanma.
He later attended Institute of Management and
Technology, Enugu; Enugu State University; the University
of Lagos and the University of Greenwich, London and holds
undergraduate degrees in Building and Civil Engineering as
well as Masters degrees in Construction Management and
Facilities Management.
He developed a passion for writing very early and was at
various times, Editor, Deputy Editor and Editorial Page Editor
of college Magazines during which he wrote and published
several articles and papers notably his article in the acclaimed
Guardian (Nigeria) newspaper at the age of nineteen.
Ukpabi is a Facilities Management professional; his
interests include creative and professional writing, networking,
culture, Spanish Language, photography and sports. He lives
with his family in Durham, North Carolina and The Heritage
is his first novel.
“I cannot choose for you,” he said, “for choosing a bride is like making a bowl of akamu. If someone makes it poorly, you will blame him for the rest of your life; but if you makeit yourself, you will drink it without complaining, whatever the outcome.”
“Nnaka my son, our elders say, when a kid washes his hands clean, he becomes fit to dine with the elders. Our hearts are filled with indescribable joy and we can rub our belly with delight, so much so that we should give you the largest farmland and the most beautiful bride in the community but alas, we can only do so much. Nonetheless, the crack on the buttocks has not diminished its functions and we shall not disappoint you.”
“Some people refer to a ‘just war’ or a ‘war of necessity’ andothers posit that it is simply an illusion to dignify war, no matterthe circumstance. Having said that, the necessity or otherwise ofwar can be seen in the Igbo of Nigeria concept of ‘akwa aja ahụọgụ’. A man is thus bound to defend his ‘ama’ or territory andhis manhood against any intruder, oppressor or aggressor or beregarded as a ‘woman’ by his people.”