‘Central Hotel’: Victor Ehikhamenor Connects Nigeria’s Past, Present & Diaspora In New Fiction Collection
‘Central Hotel’: Victor Ehikhamenor Blends Fiction & Visual Art in 11 Stories of Nigeria & the Diaspora
VICTOR Ehikhamenor, the internationally recognised Nigerian visual artist and writer, has published his first fiction collection, Central Hotel, a volume of 11 illustrated stories that explore the connections between Nigeria and the diaspora.
Released by Masobe Books on 30 October 2026, the collection examines the intersections of history, migration, family, religion, sexuality, power and survival. Through recurring characters and interconnected narratives, Ehikhamenor constructs a literary landscape in which personal experiences reveal the wider forces shaping society.
Rather than confining its stories to a single geographical setting, the book moves across borders and cultures. As a result, it examines the continuing connections between people, their histories and the places they call home.
Eleven stories, interconnected lives
At the heart of Central Hotel lies an exploration of people navigating difficult circumstances and changing social environments. Some confront the consequences of military rule and historical upheaval, while others grapple with migration, family pressures and the search for personal freedom.
Religion and intimate relationships also influence the characters’ experiences. Meanwhile, unequal power structures shape their opportunities, decisions and struggles for survival.
These themes combine to present survival as a complex human experience rather than mere endurance. Characters must make choices, accept compromises and negotiate the expectations society places upon them. In doing so, they reveal the difficult balance between personal aspirations and external pressures.
Women feature prominently in these narratives as well. Their stories illuminate questions surrounding desire, authority, social expectations and individual agency. Through their experiences, the collection expands its examination of how power operates within families, relationships and wider society.
Equally important is the relationship between Nigeria and the diaspora. Ehikhamenor does not treat migration as a complete separation from one’s origins. Instead, he traces the memories, relationships and historical experiences that continue to connect people across national boundaries.
When visual art becomes part of fiction
One of the collection’s distinctive features is its integration of illustrations into the structure of the stories. Ehikhamenor uses his visual-art background to create an experience in which images and written narratives work together.
Each story opens with a full-page pencil drawing and concludes with a smaller portrait of one of its characters. The illustrations adopt a recognisable black-and-white style, featuring elongated limbs, contorted bodies, recurring figures and spiralling patterns.
However, their significance extends beyond their immediate visual appeal. After reading each story, readers can return to its opening illustration and interpret the image through a fuller understanding of the characters and their experiences.
This relationship between text and image gives the collection an additional dimension. Rather than simply illustrating events, the drawings invite readers to reconsider the stories and discover meanings that may not have been immediately apparent.
The approach also reflects Ehikhamenor’s broader artistic practice, which moves between different creative forms without treating them as isolated disciplines.
A collection rooted in years of storytelling
Although Central Hotel marks Ehikhamenor’s first fiction collection, several stories in the volume have histories stretching back many years. Some received literary recognition or appeared in established publications long before the book’s release.
“The Supreme Command” received a Highly Commended Award from the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association in 2003. Subsequently, an earlier version of “Who Will Bury the Dead” appeared in Wasafiri in 2006.
The publication history continued with “Passport to Heaven”, which appeared in Farafina magazine in 2008, followed by “A Picture from Ireland” in AGNI in 2010.
Another significant milestone came in 2015, when “Madam” appeared as short fiction alongside the drawings Postcards from Italy at the German Pavilion during the 56th Venice Biennale. Okwui Enwezor curated the presentation.
By assembling these stories in one volume, Ehikhamenor creates an opportunity for readers to encounter their connections within a broader narrative framework. Their different publication histories now contribute to a collection that examines political history, displacement, identity and the complexities of human relationships.
Grandmothers, storytelling & creative freedom
Ehikhamenor identifies his childhood experiences with his grandmothers as a major influence on his approach to storytelling. Their nightly competition to tell stories introduced him to the imaginative possibilities of oral narratives.
“I had grandmothers who competed to tell stories every night. Those experiences shaped my understanding of storytelling and where it comes from,” he recalled.
According to the writer, those experiences taught him to surrender to a narrative and allow it to determine its own direction. Consequently, he does not believe that a predetermined form should restrict the demands of a story.
“The form must serve the narrative, and I write in the language and rhythm in which it comes to me,” he explained.
He also extends this philosophy to the representation of African experiences. For Ehikhamenor, storytelling should preserve the freedom of writers to express their realities without allowing outsiders to dictate how they interpret their own societies.
“I believe we must tell them on our own terms, without surrendering our perspectives or allowing others to prescribe how we see and understand our world,” he said.
That conviction informs the collection’s engagement with Nigerian history, cultural memory and the experiences of people living beyond the country’s borders. It also reinforces the importance of writing for the communities whose lives and experiences inspire the narratives.
An artist whose work crosses creative boundaries
Ehikhamenor has built an international reputation through a multidisciplinary practice encompassing painting, photography, sculpture, installation and literature. His work draws on Nigerian cultural histories, personal memories and contemporary African experiences to examine identity, spirituality, power and Africa’s relationship with the wider world.
His participation in the 57th Venice Biennale marked a significant moment in his artistic career. He was one of three artists who represented Nigeria at the country’s first national pavilion at the prestigious international exhibition.
Beyond the visual arts, his writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the BBC and CNN. His fiction has also featured in literary publications such as Wasafiri, Farafina and AGNI.
He maintains studios in Lagos and Maryland, United States, reflecting the international reach of his creative work.
From Lagos to the international literary stage
Published in hardback by Masobe Books, Central Hotel made its Lagos debut on 30 October 2026. International publication is expected in the first quarter of 2027.
The collection brings together years of literary development, visual experimentation and reflections on the human condition. Its interconnected stories examine how political upheaval, migration, family relationships and personal choices shape individual lives.
Ultimately, Central Hotel presents storytelling as both a creative expression and a means of preserving cultural perspectives. By combining fiction with visual art, Ehikhamenor invites readers to explore the experiences that connect Nigeria with its diaspora and the wider world.
