01/10/2024
I just completed the manuscript of my new psychological thriller titled âBeyond the Sunshine.â Below is the front matter of the book. I need advice on what to add and subtract before the book finally goes to print.
DEDICATION
In many African societies, the reality of abusive marriages remains overlooked, still shrouded in silence and denial. Traditional structures continue to uphold the belief that men hold dominance over their households, treating their wives as possessions rather than partners. Women are expected to be seen but not heard, forced to endure the torment of their marriages rather than risk the stigma of being labeled a divorcee.
Even with organizations fighting to protect womenâs rights, shielding them from violent husbands, the battle is far from won. Too many wives are still trapped, suffering silentlyâsome even losing their lives to men who, in their cowardice, tear down their spirits to build up their fragile egos.
This book is dedicated to every woman who refuses to endure the nightmare of an abusive marriage. You challenge the labels society imposes. Your resilience, your survival, speaks louder than any stigma. You are the embodiment of true strength, and your courage is a force that cannot be silenced.
FOREWORD
By Jibola Jeremiah Oluti
âBeyond The Sunshineâ is more than a work of fictionâit is a powerful and timely story inspired by the quiet suffering and eventual uprising of countless individuals who endure cycles of abuse behind closed doors. While the novel is a thrilling blend of suspense, supernatural intrigue, and crime drama, at its heart, it explores the darkness that can linger in domestic relationships and the resilience that can emerge when one decides that enough is enough.
This story is partly about a lady introduced to me by an intimate friend who is aware I am passionate about writing stories that dwell on women going through abusive marriages. The lady who inspired this story lived under the oppressive control of an abusive husband for many years. Her harrowing experience reminded me of the silent battles many face daily, feeling powerless, trapped, and unsure of how to reclaim their strength. Like the protagonist of this novel, the lady eventually reached a breaking point where she decided to reclaim her powerâthough not through supernatural abilities, but through the incredible courage it took to stand up and say âno more.â
In Beyond The Sunshine, the character of Anita represents the intersection of personal survival and a larger, mythical battle. Abused and underestimated, she is not simply a victimâshe is a force waiting to awaken. Anitaâs journey, while fictional and embedded in a rich tapestry of mystical and fantastical elements, reflects a more profound truth about the endurance of the human spirit. In many ways, the magic and power she unleashes symbolize the hidden potential within us, the power to confront and rise above the forces that seek to diminish us.
However, this novel also asks essential questions about purpose and identity. Anitaâs story is not just about personal revenge or liberation from her abuserâit delves into the struggle of reconciling who we are with the roles we are expected to play. Her dual mission, to free her imprisoned lover and confront the crime syndicate terrorizing her city, reflects the complexity of human purpose. Sometimes, we lose sight of our original goals as new challenges arise. This intricate blend of personal and collective responsibility adds layers to the narrative, making it more than a conventional thriller.
Through a tapestry of rich characters like Michael Salvage, the abusive husband whose own dark associations and corrupt alliances expand the story into a broader, dangerous world, and Skiddo Hammer, the crime boss who personifies the lawlessness of Lagos Island, Beyond The Sunshine takes readers on a journey that questions where true power liesâin magic, in vengeance, or in the resolve of an individual to break free from the chains that bind them.
I believe this novel will resonate with those who enjoy psychological thrillers, stories of supernatural intrigue, and anyone who understands the courage required to stand up to oppression. It invites readers to question the lines between victim and hero, fate and choice, and the ordinary and the extraordinary.
As you turn the pages of this novel, I encourage you to reflect on the power within yourself, just as Anita eventually does. Her journey, though fantastical in its elements, represents an authentic truth: that, ultimately, no matter how long we remain in the shadows, there is always a moment when the sun breaks through, and we see beyond the darkness into the light of a new day.
PREFACE
I am deeply passionate about shedding light on the silent suffering of women trapped in abusive marriages, forced to endure torment because of the stigma attached to single parenthood. This issue weighs heavily on my heart, as I believe society continues to overlook the urgency it deserves.
When news breaks of a popular Nigerian musicianâs death, allegedly at the hands of her husband after years of abuse, it becomes clear to me that I can no longer remain silent. I realize how grave the problem has becomeâso much so that many African men no longer view it as an aberration but as a normal aspect of marriage. Through interviews with men, I discovered a disturbing reality: many donât see abuse as a serious problem. Some even blame the wives, suggesting that a woman deserves to be beaten if she dares to âtalk backâ to her husband. Itâs shockingâand infuriatingâthat such a mindset persists.
Just as I believe rapists should face the severest of punishments, I firmly believe that wife-beaters belong in jail, where they can reflect on their actions and reset their twisted perceptions.
Not long after, a friend of mine brought another woman into my lifeâa woman who has been silently enduring abuse for years for the sake of her children. Her family, bound by tradition and driven by the benefits they reap from her marriage, refuses to support her decision to leave. At this moment, I know I need to act.
Though a work of fiction, this book is my way of confronting this menace head-on and calling society to attention.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Writing this story feels like living the same hellish life endured by the person who inspired it. When a family friend introduced her to me one June dayâcoincidentally, my birthdayâall she wanted was to share her story in a newspaper. However, I quickly realized her experiences deserved more; they needed to be documented in book form for posterity, even if through the lens of fiction.
Though I choose not to reveal her name out of respect for her privacy, I dedicate this book to her.
I am deeply grateful to my dear friend, Chinenye Ugoala, who first brought her story to my attention. Without her, this story would never have been written. Above all, I extend my heartfelt thanks to my Maker, who grants me the life and strength to bring this story into existence.
INTRODUCTION
Itâs her!
The same face that haunted him for weeks, the woman responsible for the hell heâs been living in. The same woman who left eight of their crew in the mortuary and him with a shattered leg, broken arm, and two cracked ribs. Itâs impossible to forget the face of the woman who moved like death itself through their ranks, swift and brutal.
But how? How can this womanâa banker, a top-level managerâbe the same person who unleashed that kind of destruction? His pulse quickens, disbelief clashing with the growing certainty in his gut. It doesnât make sense. A bank manager couldnât have done what she did that day. He remembers it all too well: the blood, the screams, the smell of gunpowder lingering in the air. He shouldnât be alive. None of them should. But here he is, hobbling through each day with just enough breath in his lungs to remember the nightmare.
The woman who tore apart everythingânow in a pristine suit, painted by the media as just another corrupt banker. The image on the TV changes, and the anchor moves on to the next piece of news.
Michael Salvage has been abusing his wife, Anita, for years, oblivious to the fact that she is no ordinary woman. Anita, the cherished daughter of the Queen Motherâthe formidable ruler of the Kukuyika marine kingdomâis on a mission in the human world. Though Anita has forgotten her true identity, her mission remains clear: rescue her lover, Sakatula, imprisoned by the malevolent Professor Salvage, the Grand Master of the Ogbohi confraternity, and erase the entire Salvage family from existence.
But then, a moment arrives, âBeyond The Sunshine,â when Michael finally encounters Anitaâs dormant powers, and the hunter becomes the hunted. Suddenly, Anita transforms into the new sheriff in town, determined to liberate Lagos Island from the ruthless grip of crime boss Skiddo Hammer and his gang of untouchable killers. As Anita embraces her new mission, the question looms: will she remember her original purpose, or will her newfound quest overshadow her true reason for being in the human world? Only time will tell.
