BLACK TAX

Set against the bustling backdrop of an electrical supply warehouse in Lagos, Nigeria, Black Tax: The First Son’s Money delves into the intense cultural, financial, and emotional pressure borne by firstborn children in African families.

As the oldest son, the protagonist finds himself caught between building his own independent life and bearing the weighty financial obligations imposed by family expectations and tradition. The cover captures a tense family confrontation amidst rows of industrial equipment, illustrating the friction between filial duty, cultural duty (the “black tax”), and individual autonomy. It is a poignant exploration of duty, sacrifice, identity, and the heavy price of success in a close-knit community.

Among the villagers was Zen, a farmer devoted to his wife Yongwei and their children. When disaster struck and his harvest was swept away by the flood, he discovered his wife’s prudent foresight. She had saved grain for survival. But their reprieve was short lived. Hongkai’s men seized what little remained for them, and when Zen fought to protect his family, it cost him his life.