Boukari Laouali Chaibou, born on September 28, 2002, is a Nigerien writer, public figure, and entrepreneur. He is the founder of BK Digital, a company that assists businesses, political figures, and government organizations in digital marketing and social media security.

Following a review of his translated novel, “Supremacy,” we were able to clarify a few points that may guide readers during this pandemic period.

“Supremacy” is presented as a psychological thriller that immerses its readers in a disturbing atmosphere. The novel begins with the return of Sara Abdoul, a young woman haunted by a complex family past, to the isolated island where she grew up. Her father, Moha Abdoul, the lighthouse keeper for decades, has mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind a series of questions that Sara is determined to answer. This return, far from being a simple quest for truth, quickly becomes an introspective journey and a confrontation with the shadows of the past.

In a narrative style, the author takes us through the winding paths of the island, a place filled with mysteries where the sea and wind seem to whisper long-buried secrets. At the heart of this untamed nature, the lighthouse stands as a character in its own right, a silent witness to tragic events and a keeper of troubling revelations. As Sara explores the area, she discovers clues suggesting that her father led a double life, torn between his devotion to his role as a lighthouse keeper and an obsession with occult research.

The story skillfully alternates between Sara’s present and flashbacks that gradually unveil family fractures, unspoken truths, and mysterious events that marked her childhood. The tension builds as Sara begins to doubt her own perception of reality. Strange phenomena occur: objects are moved, voices seem to call out to her, and above all, she constantly feels as if she is being watched. The boundaries between reality and the supernatural blur, plunging Sara into a spiral of paranoia and terror.

The novel’s distinctiveness lies in its ability to maintain constant suspense while exploring deep themes such as guilt, memory, and the quest for identity. Sara is not only searching for her missing father but also seeking answers about herself, about why she left the island years earlier, and about the traumas she has repressed. The island, in turn, proves to be a place of trials where each step brings Sara closer to truths she may not be ready to face.

In “Supremacy,” the main characters are the true drivers of the plot, each adding depth and complexity that enriches the narrative.

Sara Abdoul: The Troubled Heroine

Sara Abdoul is at the center of this novel, a thirty-five-year-old woman marked by a tumultuous inner life. The only daughter of Moha Abdoul, she left the island twenty years ago to escape the oppressive atmosphere of her childhood home and a toxic relationship with her father. As an interior designer, she has built an independent life, but her professional successes fail to conceal the emotional scars that plague her. Her return to the island, prompted by her father’s mysterious disappearance, stirs up painful memories and repressed traumas.

Far from being a classic heroine, Sara is a complex character, torn between her desire for truth and her fear of what she might uncover. Her rational mind is constantly tested by the supernatural events that multiply around her, and her journey becomes a true psychological descent into hell. What is striking about Sara is her vulnerability, hidden beneath a determined facade. Her struggle against her inner demons, symbolized by the shadows of the lighthouse, is at the heart of the novel. As the pages turn, she reveals herself to be a deeply human character, with her contradictions, fears, and a resilience that commands respect.

Moha Abdoul: The Enigmatic Father

Moha Abdoul, although physically absent for much of the novel, looms over the story like an omnipresent shadow. A lighthouse keeper for more than three decades, Moha is described as a taciturn man, often lost in thought, whose behavior has always been a source of discomfort for his daughter. His prolonged absences, obsessive research into unexplained phenomena, and increasingly distant attitude before his disappearance paint the portrait of a man haunted by something greater than himself.

Sara’s memories reveal a father who was loving at times, but also terribly demanding and manipulative, a man who never knew how to express his love except through control and domination. As the story progresses, Moha becomes an increasingly ambiguous figure. Was he simply a protective father consumed by his own obsessions, or was he hiding a darker past? His notebooks, discovered by Sara, reveal a complex personality, a man in search of answers to existential questions that drove him to the brink of madness. Moha Abdoul embodies the mystery of the novel, a puzzle that Sara must solve in order to move forward.

Ben Majid: The Troubled Family Friend

Ben Majid, a neighbor and old friend of Moha, is a secondary character who nonetheless plays a crucial role in the development of the plot. A retired fisherman, Ben is a man with rough manners but a generous heart. He has always been a familiar figure to Sara, although she remembers him as a taciturn and enigmatic man, often at odds with her father.

Ben is the first to welcome Sara upon her return to the island, but his advice and warnings are filled with unspoken words and mysteries. He seems to know more than he is willing to admit about the events surrounding Moha’s disappearance. Through his dialogues with Sara, the author distills hints of a troubled past, a time when Ben and Moha shared unspeakable secrets related to the lighthouse and its legends. Ben appears as a man consumed by guilt, bearing the weight of his past mistakes, which makes him particularly endearing and human. His role, though discreet, is essential to the resolution of the plot.

The author, Boukari Laouali Chaibou, at the age of 18, released this work on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, published by “Les Nouvelles Éditions du Sahel,” a publishing house on publisher’s account, specializing in novels and scientific works.