And Then He Sang a Lullaby

By: Ani Kayode Somtochukwu

Narrated by: Michael Obiora

August is a God-fearing track star who leaves Enugu City to attend university and escape his overbearing sisters. He carries the weight of their lofty expectations, the shame of facing himself, and the haunting memory of a mother he never knew. It's his first semester and pressures aside, August is making friends and doing well in his classes. He even almost has a girlfriend. There's only one problem: he can't stop thinking about Segun, an openly gay student who works at a local cybercafé. Segun carries his own burdens and has been wounded in too many ways. When he meets August, their connection is undeniable, but Segun is reluctant to open himself up to August. He wants to love and be loved by a man who is comfortable in his own skin, who will see and hold and love Segun, exactly as he is.

Despite their differences, August and Segun forge a tender intimacy that defies the violence around them. But there is only so long Segun can stand being loved behind closed doors, while August lives a life beyond the world they've created together. And when a sweeping new anti-gay law is passed, August and Segun must find a way for their love to survive in a Nigeria that was always determined to eradicate them.

©2023 Ani Kayode Somtochukwu (P)2023 Random House Audio

Heart-wrenching but necessary story to tell

As heart-wrenching as this story was, I am happy it existed. It is the first time I read a story about queerness and queer love in a Nigerian context, by a Nigerian author. I fell in love with Segun and how he owned himself.

Regarding the performance, I think a better pronunciation effort in the names and places could be made.