Mordi, Commonwealth short stories winner, releases new book

Frederick Mordi, a Nigerian author, who won the Commonwealth Award for Short Stories in 2004, has  released a collection of short stories.

Mordi’s debut anthology, entitled: The Familiar Stranger and Other Stories, is a collection of eight short stories that reveal his versatility as a writer.

‘The Senator’s Car,’ one of the short stories in the collection, was one of the highly commended stories in the 2004 Commonwealth Short Stories Competition, for the Africa region.

The locations of his stories oscillate largely between serene rustic dwellings and bustling cities.

The author offers the reader an insight into what life is like in the two settings, weaving the stories around a tapestry of memorable characters and contemporary themes such as morality, integrity and romance in its pristine form.

Though the author presents the stories in lucid language, they do not lose their essence. Each plot is simple with logical lessons. His use of proverbs and dialogue is also quite commendable.

This makes some of the stories viable texts for stage performances.

Never lapsing into tediousness, he spices the stories with a liberal measure of wit that will hold the attention of readers to the end.

Mordi holds a first degree in Microbiology from the University of Ibadan. He also has an MSc in media and communication from the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, and a diploma in public relations from the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).