The Lion of Apomu has a strong love theme spiced with honour and gallantry. Now a medical doctor and Creative artist, John Aina’s mother supported him when, as a five-year-old child, he expressed his desire to write to his beloved aunt studying in England. His passion for writing grew with John writing comics while in primary school. His bosom friend and classmate was a budding graphic artist who illustrated the characters.
Years later John won a prize for a short story titled Cocaine Vengeance and in 1992 contributed Rainbow to the first major anthology of Nigerian short stories titled Frontiers. This was followed by the books The A to Z of Crushing the Devil, Breaking Limitations in your Life and Turning Tears into Joy.
Married to Adetoro (Toro), a psychologist, who is passionate about helping children living in orphanages from a totalitarian point of view. The couple and their twin boys reside in South Africa.
The Lion Of Apomu addresses the issues of brave law enforcement officers in South Africa and Nigeria as well as the great Nigerian Yoruba hunters and warlords. In the Yoruba village of Apomu near Ile-Ife, the young farmer Akanni has witnessed a life-changing event between lions in an animal sanctuary and has interacted with the gods and goddesses of the unique Iroko tree.
Akanni’s sons Adebayo and Olusegun attend the University of Ife where they meet Ajibade, Chioma and Moses, the latter two of whom hail from the eastern part of Nigeria. Ajibade’s sister Wuraola is a law student and creative artist who won an award and travelled to South Africa.
Apart from the interesting drama that plays out in their classrooms and within student politics, the friends’ social lives are spiced up when they meet South African Thabo at the Shongololo pool party.
The book proudly features the African languages Yoruba, Igbo and isiZulu and predominantly brings to the fore themes within these cultures.