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Nigerian novelist and storyteller, Paul Omeje, will release his debut long-form fiction, Apata Boys: Syndicate Rising, on November 3, 2026.
Set in Apata and Ibadan in the 1980s, the crime novel explores brotherhood, betrayal, ambition, survival and the struggle for power within a distinctly Nigerian social setting.
At the heart of the story are relationships tested by competing interests and the pursuit of influence, with brotherhood portrayed both as a source of loyalty and protection and as a bond threatened by ambition and the instinct for survival.
Omeje, whose creative career began in screenwriting, said the novel uses crime as a backdrop to examine human behaviour and the choices people make under pressure.
“Crime creates the pressure, but people are what interest me.
“I wanted to explore what happens when loyalty, ambition and survival begin pulling people in different directions. Those choices reveal character, and those choices sit at the heart of Apata Boys,” he said.
Omeje studied Mass Communication at Auchi Polytechnic before venturing into screenwriting. His film scripts are registered with the Writers Guild of America West, an experience he said helped shape his approach to fiction through visual storytelling, scene construction, tension and character-driven conflict.
According to the author, Apata and the wider Ibadan setting are central to the novel, influencing the characters, their ambitions and the conflicts that propel the story.
He said more than two decades of work, travel and encounters across different cultures also deepened his understanding of human behaviour and the difficult choices people make in challenging circumstances.
Apata Boys: Syndicate Rising marks Omeje’s transition to long-form fiction while retaining the visual and cinematic storytelling techniques developed during his years as a screenwriter.
The book will be available in paperback and e-book formats through Paul Omeje’s website and selected book retailers from November 3.
