Nkemdiche wins this year’s 50 Books | 50 Covers Competition
The cover of Nkemdiche - Why We Do Not Grow Beards has been selected by American Institute of Graphic Arts - AIGA as a winner of the highly coveted 50 Books | 50 Covers design award this year. Big thanks to Nick Adam & Bud Rodecker of Span for their submission and for their great work on the cover and particular typesetting of Nkemdiche. Another big thank you to the illustrator of Nkemdiche - Lucie Van der Elst for adapting her papercut techniques to enrich and bring to life the visual feast that grace the colorful pages of the book. Image courtesy of Span.
Thank you for continuing to support our work at Okpara House!
SlvrRm Book Talk - Okpara House With Obiora Nwazota & Alexandria Eregbu
Multidisciplinary artist, curator, educator, and storyteller Alexandria Eregbu joins architect, tastemaker, and creator of Okpara House, Obi Nwazota, in conversation about his new book, "Nkemdiche - Why We Do Not Grow Beards."
Eregbu and Nwazota will talk about setting new standards in storytelling and image work relevant to African cultural assets with this beautifully illustrated book created in partnership with Chicago design studio, SPAN. *Originally Recorded on June 10th, 2021.
Nkemdiche - Why We Do Not Grow Beards is Now Available!
We are thrilled to announce our first release from our in-house imprint for picture books based on Igbo folktales, targeted for all ages. Full product link here.
“It Was Really Informative For Igbo Kids And The World At Large.
I Really Learned A Lot About My Culture And History Just From Reading One Book…”
– From ChukwuEmeka, (a reader wanting more)
Stockists
The bookstores and collections below have acquired Nkemdiche - Why We Do Not Grow Beards. Ọkpara House is currently the distributor of Nkemdiche, if you are interested in getting this book into your bookstore, museum store, library, or class then email us at info@okparahouse.com
The Silver Room +
Little Peach Fuzz Chicago +
The Menil Collection Bookstore +
Author, Obiora Nwazota holding signed copies of Nkemdiche at The Silver Room in Chicago, IL - USA
Press & Media
Read our most recent Press Release. For any press inquiries contact us at info@okparahouse.
Design Museum of Chicago - April Newsletter
Meet the Author
Obiora Nwazota is an architect born into the Igbo tribe of Nigeria. Nwazota is a first time author inspired by becoming a father seeking to share his legacy and the enchanting stories from his motherland. Nkemdiche - Why We Do Not Grow Beards is written in dedication to leva, Ebelenna & Suenman.
For any book talks and engagements with the author, please contact us at info@okparahouse.
About ỌKPARA HOUSE©
ỌKPARA HOUSE is a producer of Igbo content. Through Art and design objects, prints, and various media, our mission is to harness the power of good design, dialogue, and academic research as powerful agents to stimulate, reactive, elevate, and reimagine Igbo culture. Through this, we are reclaiming and asserting the relevance of Igbo culture on contemporary lifestyles within and beyond the Igbo community.
What We're Doing
10th Annual International Igbo Conference
Our founder - Obi Nwazota made appearance in the annual conference with the lecture “Inspiring a Black renaissance: Why Igbo Cultural assets matter”.
The Igbo Conference, In partnership with The Centre for African studies, SOAS, University of London is a forum for discovering the Igbo culture, language and heritage.
The annual Igbo conference aims to promote the study of Igbo language and culture within the UK, and seeks to bring academics and members of the Igbo community together for the purpose of knowledge sharing and exchange.
Learn more Here
Future titles for Summer/ Autumn 2021
ỌKPARA HOUSE© Publishing - Future Releases
Ogolo: A story about a boy that became the first Igbo Ancestral Spirit Masquerade.
Why Anyanwu the Sun lives in the Sky: An Illustrated Igbo children’s folktale reimagined.
Coming Soon: Spring/Summer 2021
ỌKPARA HOUSE IKENGA™
Until the early 20th century in Igboland, Ikenga was found in every household. It was mostly maintained, kept, or owned by men and by women of high reputation and integrity in the society. Neither an idol, nor is it an iconoclastic symbol, we are proposing the ỌKPARA HOUSE IKENGA™ figure as the ‘next generation spirit force’. It has been redesigned and reimagined for a new generation of the diaspora and beyond. It is a beautiful and enigmatic design object whose meaning will strongly resonate with a new generation of the diaspora that seek to give meaning and anchor to their purpose of being.
