Momah unveils three books at Rovingheights
At the cosy, book-lined hall of Rovingheights Bookstore in Lagos, the atmosphere was warm, reflective and deeply personal as author and parenting advocate Chioma Momah treated guests to readings from
At the cosy, book-lined hall of Rovingheights Bookstore in Lagos, the atmosphere was warm, reflective and deeply personal as author and parenting advocate Chioma Momah treated guests to readings from three of her latest works.
The event was more than a book presentation; it was an unveiling of the different dimensions of a writer who describes herself as a children’s author, parenting coach and woman of faith — all woven into one literary offering.
The three books — Not The Perfect Parents, Fun Day at the Zoo, and Wisdom from Women in the Bible — represent what Momah calls “every area of my life.”
“I’ve written more than three books,” she told the audience, “but last year I told myself I was going to launch three new ones — and each had to speak to a different part of who I am.”
Known largely for her children’s literature, Momah was clear that one of the trio had to cater to young readers. That became Fun Day at the Zoo, a story inspired by her frequent visits to the Abuja Zoo.
“It was very personal,” she said. “I go to the zoo a lot and I enjoy it. But I also wanted people to see that while we have these spaces and these animals, we need to do better.”
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The children’s book, written in simple, accessible language, encourages curiosity while subtly teaching responsibility and care — values she believes must be nurtured early.
Her second book, Not The Perfect Parents, flows naturally from her work as a parenting coach. For years, Momah has written and spoken extensively about family life, often drawing attention to what she describes as a gap in locally grounded parenting literature.
“Most of the parenting books I was reading were by foreigners,” she said. “I thought, we have our own voice. We have our own unique story. Why don’t I write something about parenting from our own context?”
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The third book, Wisdom from Women in the Bible, reflects her faith. An astute lover of biblical narratives, Momah said she felt compelled to document the lessons she had drawn from women in scripture.
“I love reading about women in the Bible. I learn so much from them. I said to myself, if I’m learning from these women, why can’t I document these stories so others can learn too?”
Parenting and the Nation
During the interactive session, the conversation turned to parenting and its wider social implications. Momah did not mince words about the connection between the home and society.
“The family is the smallest unit but the most important unit of society,” she said. “If you see a good leader, most likely he was raised well. If you see a terrible leader, go back to the home.”
She argued that many of Nigeria’s moral challenges can be traced to failures at the family level. “A lot of the things going wrong today start from the home,” she insisted. “We must get it right at that stage — the values, the morals, the environment we raise our children in.”
Yet she dismissed the notion that today’s economic pressures and digital distractions make good parenting impossible.
“The economy and distractions are just that — distractions,” she said. “Technology is a tool. It has its bad side, but it also has its good side. We must take advantage of the good parts to help us parent better.”
From monitoring online activities responsibly to using organisational tools, Momah believes modern parents have more support systems than they sometimes acknowledge.
Notably, she emphasised that fathers must not be left out of the parenting conversation. “They are parents too,” she said. “This book is 100 per cent for fathers and mothers — especially the dads.”
Writing from Experience
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Momah revealed that she has authored about 12 books, including collaborative works. While Fun Day at the Zoo was written in a matter of weeks, the other two titles evolved over several years — written in stages, paused and revisited.
“I can write a book in a month,” she said with a smile, “but it depends on the inspiration and the targets I set.”
Her advice to aspiring writers was practical and disciplined: set deadlines, define word counts and eliminate distractions.
“Book writing is a project,” she said. “Have a target. If you don’t say you’ll finish by May, you might not finish at all.”
She shared how she often leaves social events early to focus on her goals. “I’ll greet people, eat what I came to eat, make my presence felt — and I leave. If I have a project, I protect it.”
Momah also encouraged writers to mine their existing content. With plans to publish another book drawn from her professional reflections on LinkedIn, she urged others to collate their thoughts, poems and essays into cohesive manuscripts.
“Start with what you have. Put it down chapter by chapter,” she advised.
A Legacy of Presence
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Much of Momah’s passion for parenting stems from her own upbringing. She described her late parents as “one in a billion” — present, loving and deeply intentional.
“My father has been gone 20 years, my mother 17 years,” she reflected. “But the words they spoke to me, the things they did for me as a child — that’s what you see today.”
In her own career journey, she made deliberate choices to prioritise her children, opting for less stressful roles even when higher salaries beckoned.
“I wanted to be there for my children,” she said. “Now that they’ve grown somewhat, I can do more career-wise. But I was intentional.”
As the session drew to a close, Momah expressed her hopes for the books: that children will see themselves represented in literature; that parents will become more intentional; and that readers will draw strength from biblical wisdom rather than “reinventing the wheel.”
“We’ll all be better for it,” she said.
For an author who insists that “the stories must be told,” the afternoon at Rovingheights was not just a reading — it was a reaffirmation of purpose. Through children’s tales, parenting reflections and faith-based insights, Chioma Momah continues to carve a distinctly Nigerian voice in contemporary literature — one page, one family, one story at a time.
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