“First there was a rumbling sound then thunder, followed by silence. Than came the storm. But it was not the rainy one. It was a dusty type. The kind that fills the sky and blurs visibility. It was the kind that fills up your nose and congests your heart. The type that engulfs your nostrils and deafens your ears. Then there were men, then women. Some walked. Some rode. Some drove…”

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In this debut novel, Ohaga Ohaga a literary powerhouse of contemporary literature, blends satire, wisdom, and humor with the stylishness of a seasoned Italian tailor to deliver a witty book in an easy manner. The story follows a man caught up in the middle of a coup in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Thousands are dead. Millions displaced and the lives shattered. Zebedi, 21 years old survives the coup. He does what he must do to stay alive. Feeds on wild animals, insects, and rock waters. He risks being shot in the head but eventually arrives at the Moyale Refugee Camp. After several years as a refugee, he acquires citizenship in the new country. Marries a local woman. Life is good until he loses his first child. Then the second. Then his wife. But that is not all in March,2020 at 67 years old, he faces the biggest test of his life. Surviving a mysterious and dreaded virus that has infected millions across the world and killed thousands.

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This book is both fictional and non-fictional. It’s a hybrid. Its about the reality-bending world of autobiographical fiction and depicts the experience of every man fighting to stay afloat amidst various life challenges. The book covers several sub-themes such as civil wars and coup d’etat on Africa, the plights of political refugees across the continent, concerns of the elderly, mysterious diseases, aeroplane crashes, love, affection, romamce, comedy, tragedy, family life, surviving Covid-19, and death.