Nigerian filmmaker, Daisy Madu-Chikwendu, has made her literary debut with the unveiling of two novels, “My Father Is Not My Husband” and “Beyond the Beauty, A Broken Path”.
The books, which were unveiled recently in Lagos, explores themes of survival, identity, womanhood, and the consequences of public judgment.
Mrs. Chikwendu is the National President, Guild of Elite Motion Picture Creators, who has spent over two decades as a film producer and screenwriter. She’s the Chief Executive Officer of CloutMedia Ltd and Founder of the Reel Women International Film Festival and Women in Media Projects – initiatives aimed at amplifying women’s voices in the media.
Speaking at the unveiling, Madu-Chikwendu said both books were inspired by the real-life experiences of women she had encountered over the years. “All my books are true life stories of people that I know,” she said.
My Father Is Not My Husband tells the story of Grace, a woman whose marriage collapsed because of her difficult relationship with her husband’s family in spite of being devoted to her husband. “She was a very good wife but she was not a good in-law and that broke her marriage.
“The man listened to his family, against all odds, ‘because you are a good wife to me but you are not a good wife to my family,” Madu-Chikwendu said.
Beyond the Beauty, A Broken Path followed the life of a beautiful but vulnerable woman whose appearance repeatedly exposed her to exploitation and abuse, she said.
“In ten years, she had children from four men. “Not because she was a bad person. Not because she was loose. She was beautiful, all right, but she was not loose. “Men were using her because of her beauty,” she stated.
Madu-Chikwendu said the experiences of the two women raised broader questions about marriage, expectations and the pressures placed on women.
“One woman was not good, so to say, at what her husband wanted. The marriage still got broken up. “The second woman was very docile. The marriage still got broken up. So men, my question is, what do men want?” she asked.
One of the novels, Beyond the Beauty, A Broken Path, follows Adaora, a woman whose beauty becomes both an asset and a burden as she confronts tragedy, stigma and the weight of societal expectations.
Alex Eyengho, a writer, in a review presented at the launch, described the book as a story that looked like glamour on the surface and bleeds underneath. It challenged readers to look beyond appearances and social labels, Eyengho said.
The novel’s portrayal of everyday Nigerian life gave it a strong sense of authenticity. “The prose is direct and doesn’t waste words. No flowery detours, he noted.
“Daisy writes like she’s sitting across from you, telling Adaora’s story because silence would be worse. “The dialogue feels Nigerian. It feels like market conversations, church whispers and family rooms where secrets rot,” he said.
According to Eyengho, the book offers a different perspective on beauty and womanhood. “Here, beauty is not praise. It’s risk. It’s attention that brings danger. “It’s a mask Adaora wears because the alternative is worse,” he noted.
The broken path reflected the experiences of women whose stories were often shaped by public assumptions rather than truth. The reviewer rated the novel nine out of 10, describing it as raw, uncomfortable and necessary and recommending it to readers interested in stories about motherhood, resilience and survival, he added.
The Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, said books remain essential for preserving professional knowledge and shaping future generations.
Fadolapo, who was represented by the Director, Regulation, Monitoring and Enforcement at ARCON, Mrs Emme Akande, said: “We execute campaigns daily, but it is books like this that codify our experiences, preserve our standards and prepare the next generation.
“You have joined the ranks of professionals who are not just doing the work, but teaching the work,” he said.
“We must document our journey in our own voice.”He commended, Madu-Chikwendu for extending her storytelling beyond the screen, adding that the effort reflected a commitment to knowledge sharing and industry development.
