The Miseducation of Obi Ifeanyi by Chinedu Achebe was named the winner of the Independent Press Award in the category of African American Fiction. Experts from the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, book cover designers, and professional copywriters, assess the competition. The IPA Award Winners and Distinguished Favorites are chosen for their overall quality.
Obi Ifeanyi’s life is going at breakneck speed. He is currently married and a father. So, while President Obama faces a difficult reelection campaign, Obi Ifeanyi is dealing with the pressures of married life and raising a son. Obi’s issues are exacerbated when his previous love interest, Sade Olufemi, returns into his life and seeks to launch her political campaign with the support of his wife, Nkechi, because Sade is a secret Nkechi would rather not know about. While he deals with the agony of Sade’s return, the imminent wedding of his best buddy from law school will reveal a secret that will forever alter the dynamics of the Ifeanyi family.
The Independent Press Award received entries from all over the world in 2023. Participants included authors and publishers from Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Norway, Scotland, and South Africa. Books were submitted by writers from Atlanta to Los Angeles, London to Nova Scotia, Cape Town to Mumbai, Albuquerque to New York City, and elsewhere.
“We are proud to announce the winners and distinguished favorites in our annual 2023 Independent Press Award. This year included an array of quality and diverse independent books,” Olczak said. “Independent publishing is pushing on every corner of the earth with great content. We are thrilled to be highlighting key titles representing global independent publishing.” said awards sponsor Gabrielle Olczak.
Chinedu Achebe is a Nigerian American who was born in Richmond, Virginia. He graduated from the University of Houston with his Bachelor’s degree in Economics. He published his first book, Blunted on Reality in 2012. Chinedu also has written articles for The Huffington Post, Medium, and Bella Naija. He currently lives in Houston, Texas with his wife and two children.