Ages since i read this. I remember it took a while to get into it and then took me ages to read.
...Azaro is a spirit child who is born only to live for a short while but he decides to stay on earth instead of going back to his mates in the spirit world...
I don't know much African literature but its a bit like South American magic realism.
I've since seen an African film called Maangmizi about Ancestors and ghosts in African culture.
I think it would make more sense to me now but it took so long to read last time, I'll put it on my bookshelf if any one else wants to have a look at it before i read it again.
...I did love it though.