Author – Emmanuel C. Nwamah

About the author

Emmanuel C. Nwamah

As a young boy, I grew up in the village with my mother, following the death of my father at the age of two. I was ten years old when the Nigerian civil war broke out. The war caused us to be evacuated from our hometown and became refugees for the duration of the war which lasted for three years. During this period, I lived in eleven different refugee camps in different parts of Eastern part of Nigeria. It was in one of the refugee camps that my mother lost her life due to heartbreak as a result of the war couple’s lack of medical attention. Nothing knowing about the fate of her four elder sons made her health condition worse. I was left alone to take care of her at that point in her life. I was 13 years old when my mother passed away. It was the darkest moment of my life without my parents and my siblings. I ended up living with my auntie, Christinia, for a while after the death of my mother.

Reason that inspired me to come up with the book:

My inspiration to write stemmed initially from my In-law’s family, particularly Paula Castro, as well as from Dr. Carl Branker, a pastor, and finally from my own family—Jenny and our son, Jeremy. Our son’s curiosity about what life was like in the village before, during, and after the war sparked a deep desire to share these stories. It became clear that this was the best way to inspire others. Through the pages of this book, I aim to offer readers a fresh perspective on how to transform challenges into motivation, encouraging them to overcome their own obstacles and rise above adversity.

Emmanuel Nwamah

As a young boy, I grew up in the village with my mother, following the death of my father at the age of two. I was ten years old when the Nigerian civil war broke out. The war caused us to be evacuated from our hometown and became refugees for the duration of the war which lasted for three years. During this period, I lived in eleven different refugee camps in different parts of Africa. It was in one of the refugee camps that my mother lost her life due to heartbreak as a result of the war couple’s lack of medical attention. Nothing knowing about the fate of her four elder sons made her health condition worse. I was left alone to take care of her at that point in her life. I was 13 years old when my mother passed away. It was the darkest moment of my life without my parents and my siblings. I ended up living with my auntie, Christinia, for a while after the death of my mother.

I returned to our hometown when the war ended on January 1. 1970. It was a scene that was difficult to describe. The town was completely destroyed, and families that survived the war came home to face the reality of the war. Our town was leveled to the ground, with a few families lucky enough to have a structure still standing in their compound. Lives were very hard, but there was a sense of hope and optimism to rebuild. Schools resumed in August 1970 after the war in East Central State. I started school and was in 4th grade when I completed elementary, middle, and high education in July 1977. I worked for 3 years with Nigerian Railway Corporation {NRC} before I started applying for university admission in the United States of America in July 1980 and was accepted. I left Nigeria on August 16, 1980, for my university education.

I graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a minor in Accounting and Management. Upon my graduation, I moved to Miami, Florida, where I secured employment with the Florida State Department of Children and Families in low-management positions supervising workers and assisting residents of South Florida for thirty-two {32} years. one month and two weeks before retiring on October 31, 2023. I am finally able to spend quality time with my family. I am very blessed and appreciative of their support during my years of employment.