Nigerian journalist Adeola Ogunrinde has entered into a publishing agreement with Fairlight Books UK. Ogunrinde, who serves as the Lagos State Government House Correspondent for Western Post, has officially become an author under the Fairlight Books UK banner.
This achievement marks a significant milestone as Adeola Ogunrinde becomes the first Nigerian author to collaborate with Fairlight Books, a publishing house that boasts a roster of distinguished writers, including Ola Mustapha, the British-Egyptian author known for her 2022 short story “A Woman Cries in a Swimming Pool,” which was also published by Fairlight Books.
In July 2023, Ola Mustapha’s novel “Other Names, Other Places” found its place among Fairlight Books’ publications. Adeola Ogunrinde’s own short story, “My Mother’s Voice,” was published on the Fairlight Books website on November 2.
Assistant Editor Sarah Shaw of Fairlight Books UK expressed her anticipation of reading more of Adeola Ogunrinde’s works in the upcoming months.
Adeola’s journey began in February 2014 when she joined Western Post Newspaper as a reporter assigned to cover Lagos State House in Alausa, Ikeja. Her exceptional performance led to her promotion to Correspondent within two years, a role she continued even as the newspaper transitioned into an online platform in 2015.
Fairlight Books has a track record of publishing award-winning novels, including “Bottled Goods” by Sophie van Liewyn, which earned a spot on the longlist for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2019 in the UK.