Masobe Books
{{short description|Nigerian publishing company}}
{{Cleanup-PR|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox magazine|title=Masobe Books|image_file=|image_size=200px|image_caption=|language=English|category=literature, Art, culture, interviews|founded=2018|founder=Othuke Ominiabohs|country=Nigeria|website=[https://www.masobebooks.com/ www.masobebooks.com]}}
Masobe Books is an independent Nigerian publishing company. It was founded in 2018 by Nigerian author Othuke Ominiabohs and has since become one of the leading publishers of contemporary African writing on the continent.[http://masobebooks.com/about-us/ "About Us"], Masobe Books, 22 July 2020.{{cite web|title=Masobe Books promises new era of publishing|url=https://guardian.ng/art/masobe-books-promises-new-era-of-publishing|work=The Guardian|accessdate=22 July 2020|author=The Guardian Art Editor|date=26 June 2019}}
Masobe is a word derived from the Isoko Language of the Isoko people who hail from the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. It means 'Let Us Read'. The first book published under Masobe Books was Othuke Ominiabohs's debut novel, Odufa. Other imprints of Masobe Books include Makere and Oremaha {{cite web |url=https://masobebooks.com/our-imprints/ |title=Our Growing Brands |date=22 July 2020}}
Background
Masobe Books was founded in April 2018 by Nigerian author, Othuke Ominiabohs, citing a dream to support writers, significantly improve readership, and possibly revolutionize publishing in the Nigerian environment.
Masobe Books tackles the typical challenges in Nigerian literature, which include poor distribution and marketing; mediocre production, especially for self-published books; readers' apathy and skepticism; and writers' disillusionment with securing commensurate publication, reward, and exposure for their work.{{cite web|title=Masobe Books joins Nigeria's publishing industry, calls for submissions|url=https://www.sunnewsonline.com/masobe-books-joins-nigerias-publishing-industry-calls-for-submissions|publisher=Daily Sun|accessdate=22 July 2020|author=Simeon Mpamugoh|date=15 June 2019}}
Masobe Books is the publisher of Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani's debut novel, I Do Not Come To You By Chance, in Nigeria.{{cite web|title=Masobe books list new authors, books|url=https://guardian.ng/art/masobe-books-list-new-authors-books|work=The Guardian|accessdate=22 July 2020|author=The Guardian Art Editor|date=13 October 2019}} The novel set in the world of Nigerian email scams, tells the story of a young man, Kingsley, who turns to his Uncle Boniface for help in bailing his family out of poverty.
Further notable authors published under Masobe Books includes Ukamaka Olisakwe, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, T. J. Benson, Othuke Ominiabohs, Chimeka Garricks, and Michael Afenfia.{{cite web|title=Abubakar Adam Ibrahim & Ukamaka Olisakwe Join Masobe Books|url=https://brittlepaper.com/2020/03/abubakar-adam-ibrahim-ukamaka-olisakwe-join-masobe-books|publisher=Brittle Paper|accessdate=22 July 2020|author=Chukwuebuka Ibeh|date=13 October 2019}}
Imprints
=Masobe=
This is the brands traditional publishing imprint for literary fiction, popular fiction and short-story collections. Masobe is a word derived from the Isoko Language of the Isoko people who hail from the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. It means 'Let Us Read'.{{cite web |url=http://www.masobebooks.com/about-us |title=About Us |date=22 July 2020}}
=Makere=
=Oremaha=
Masobe Book Titles
- I Do Not Come To You By Chance and Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani (December, 2019);{{cite web|title=Reintroducing Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani's "I Do Not Come to You by Chance.|url=https://thelagosreview.ng/reintroducing-adaobi-tricia-nwaubanis-i-do-not-come-to-you-by-chance-jasper-ugbaa|publisher=The Lagos Review|accessdate=22 July 2020|author=Ugbaa, Jasper|date=8 March 2020}}
- A Broken People’s Playlist by Chimeka Garricks (June 8, 2020);{{cite web|title=News feed: masobe release two new books during the Lockdown.|url=https://www.pressreader.com/nigeria/sunday-trust/20200621/281921660302313|via=PressReader|accessdate=22 July 2020|author=Bivan, Nathaniel|date=21 June 2020}}
- The Mechanics of Yenagoa by Michael Afenfia (June 15, 2020);
- Ogadinma, or Everything Will Be All Right by Ukamaka Olisakwe (October 19, 2020);{{cite web|title=Masobe Books Introduces New Members to the Family.|url=https://thelagosreview.ng/masobe-books-introduces-new-members-to-the-family|publisher=The Lagos Review|accessdate=22 July 2020|author=Babatunde, Olamide|date=3 March 2020}}
- Dreams and Assorted Nightmares by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim (October 24, 2020);
- Odufa and Aviara by Othuke Ominiabohs (August 2020);{{cite web|title=Nwaubani, Garricks, others sign up with Masobe Books|url=https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nwaubani-garricks-others-sign-up-with-masobe-books.html|publisher=Daily Trust|accessdate=22 July 2020|author=Bivan, Nathaniel|date=28 September 2019}}{{cite web|title=Literary review: Masobe press unveils 6 new writers.|url=https://www.sunnewsonline.com/masobe-press-unveils-6-new-writers|publisher=Daily Sun|accessdate=22 July 2020|author=Babatunde, Olamide|date=5 October 2019}}
- The Madhouse by T. J. Benson (2021);{{cite web|title=Masobe books joins the publishing fray: announces forthcoming authors and books.|url=https://thelagosreview.ng/masobe-books-joins-the-publishing-fray-announces-forthcoming-authors-and-books|publisher=The Lagos Review|accessdate=22 July 2020|author=The Guardian Art Editor|date=29 September 2019}}
- The days of silence by Angel Patricks Amegbe (2021).
- Nearly All the Men in Lagos are Mad by Damilare Kuku (2021) {{Cite web |last=Akpoghene |first=Melony |date=December 24, 2021 |title=Lagos of the Mad: Review of Damilare Kuku's Nearly all the Men in Lagos are Mad |url=https://brittlepaper.com/2021/12/lagos-of-the-mad-review-of-damilare-kukus-nearly-all-the-men-in-lagos-are-mad-melony-akpoghene/}}{{Cite web |last=Yishau |first=Olukorode |date=November 26, 2021 |title=On Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad |url=https://www.thenationonlineng.net/on-nearly-all-the-men-in-lagos-are-mad/ |website=The Nation}}
References
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