Ofhani, the debut novel by Emmanuel Sadiki, has been nominated for The Book Behind Awards (TBBA) in the Best Tshivenda Book category.

The news of the nomination came as a surprise to the new author. “This is great. I did not expect this to come so soon. The mere nomination means a lot to me. It feels like I have already won the competition. Being nominated for such prestigious awards is a testament to my work and a clear indication that I am doing something right. Being among the best is a morale booster and will motivate me to continue writing,” Sadiki said.

Sadiki, who was born in Matsa village in Nzhelele and now resides in Tswinga outside Thohoyandou, noted that the outcome of the award depends on the readers. The competition takes into account votes received via SMS. The award ceremony will take place in Pietermaritzburg on 9 November this year.

Sadiki views the awards as a platform to showcase his talent and skill to a wider audience. He urged readers to vote for Ofhani by sending an SMS to 34877 with the phrase “TBBA BTB102.”

The novel was inspired by Sadiki’s observations and experiences, particularly how people, especially the youth, can end up in trouble by associating with the wrong crowd. Ofhani, the main character, turns to a life of crime after his father's death. He becomes involved in drug dealing and escalates to violent crimes such as car hijacking. His syndicate collaborates with a corrupt senior police officer who provides weapons and police uniforms to aid in smuggling cars to neighbouring countries. Ultimately, Ofhani and his gang are arrested, and he is sentenced to life in prison. The pain of his conviction proves too much for his grandfather, who collapses in court.