Godwin Chukwu is born at a tumultuous juncture in Nigerian history - he is barely old enough to walk when a blood-drenched civil war breaks out in his country, causing his family - mother, father and five siblings, with three more to follow - to flee, as is the inevitable plight of all families who are caught in the crossfire. Life screeches to a standstill and all they can do is survive as best they can, holding on dearly to what remains of the fragile structures we call civilisation and human decency. Godwin's parents defiantly buttress the values of family, community, kinship and faith, even as the political ideologies of nationhood disintegrate around them. His is the story of many who were forced to live through the social unrest, violence, famine and disease - the ravages - caused by three years of war. But it is also a testimony to how the strength of family and community, built upon the foundations of respect, generosity and consideration towards one another, ultimately allows for the survival of the human race.