• Reading age: 18

Seen through the eyes of Owoicho, a television presenter seeking a better life for himself and his family, Leave My Bones in Saskatoon spans two cultures and continents. It is honest, heartfelt and enlightening.

The story begins with Owoicho’s good news. He can’t wait to tell his family that their permanent residency application to Canada was successful. But while he was in Abuja, happy about this breakthrough, somewhere in the outskirts of Makurdi, a dark and troubling event threatens to torpedoe all the plans he and his wife, Ene had of moving their family to Saskatoon.

We also meet Ochanya, Owoicho’s teenage daughter who has to deal with the twin shock of losing close family and the unavoidable transition from girl to adolescence that pitches her against the people that love and care for her the most.

With everything Owoicho and Ochanya have to deal with, do they still make it out to Canada as planned and whose bones are in Saskatoon?

Michael Afenfia's profile page

Michael Afenfia was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria but now resides in Saskatoon, Canada. Two of his novels, Don’t Die on Wednesday and Rain Can Never Know made the shortlist for the Association of Nigerian Authors Prize for literature in 2015 and 2022 respectively. A born storyteller, Michael expresses himself through his novels, short stories, and performances. Since arriving Canada, Michael has learnt to cook. It hasn’t happened yet, but he hopes to one day find the confidence to share his recipes with the world.

Michael Afenfia has written a necessary book, not a strident one, that has at its core a powerful sense of his characters; courage and frailty. He charts their journey in sometimes searing detail, ignoring none of the tragedy, betrayals and compromises they encounter in leaving their native Nigeria as well as in adapting to their new country, Canada. This is a novel that has much to say not only to Canadians about people arriving from elsewhere, but also to newcomers and would-be newcomers about the multiple levels of adjustment they must contend with in finding a place for themselves in their new country.

- S.E Stewart, Author, Publisher and Award-winning Translator