One Boy! - (Biography and Memoirs) by Benjamin Maiangwa (Paperback)

About the Book

One Boy by Benjamin Maiangwa is a raw memoir of life in a Catholic boarding school, where he navigates sectarian divides, personal conflict, and the contradictions of faith, identity, and friendship in a world that felt both sacred and deeply hostile.

Book Synopsis

One Boy! is an emotionally charged--at times even humorous--coming-of-age narrative. In this debut work of creative non-fiction, Benjamin Maiangwa draws readers into the intimate interior of a boy navigating the delicate space between youthful innocence and the harsh realities of a Catholic boarding school.

The story traces a young man's journey through the tangled terrain of love, loss, and self-discovery. Set against the backdrop of cultural expectations and religious doctrine, the protagonist endures betrayal, bullying, and the fragile beauty of friendship. As he matures within the strict confines of the boarding school and the religious hostilities of the outside world, he arrives at a moral crossroads: should he uphold the Judeo-Christian values of forgiveness instilled in him--or yield to the seductive pull of revenge?

One Boy! is more than a story of survival; it is a meditation on what it means to remain whole in a world that so often insists you break. In the end, the question isn't just what the boy will choose--but what we would choose in his place.

Review Quotes

Benjamin Maiangwa's memoir of youth and Catholic schooling in Zaria, Nigeria, is a passionate account of childhood and religious education. The story is told with humor and sensitivity--of friendships made and lost, and the occasional triumphs of growing up in the frequently harsh environment of St Joseph's Minor Seminary. The memoir radiates life and hope and is told with great commitment and love.--Leo Zeilig, author of Eddie the Kid, An Ounce of Practice, and The World Turned Upside Down

About the Author

Benjamin Maiangwa is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Lakehead University and a 2021 Teaching Fellow at Durham University. He received the 2020 University of Manitoba Distinguished Dissertation Award. He is the author of The Crisis of Belonging and Ethnographies of Peacebuilding and editor of The Paradox(es) of Diasporic Identity, Race, and Belonging. One Boy! is his first work of creative non-fiction.