The Nigerian dream has long evolved into a paradox; yearning for the country’s brighter future while seeking it beyond the nation’s borders. As economic challenges persist, many Nigerians contemplate life abroad, and with good reason. Yet, the complexities of immigrant life often hide under the allure of foreign shores.
For those considering this journey, literature offers a window into the experiences that await. The following book recommendations feature protagonists who have navigated life in distant lands, and provide you with perspectives on the immigrant experience. These novels highlight both the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, offering valuable insights for those standing at the crossroads of home and a new beginning.
1. Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s prize-winning 2013 novel tells the story of Ifemelu, a determined young woman. She leaves Nigeria, which is under strict military rule, saying goodbye to her boyfriend Obinze. In America, Ifemelu faces new challenges. For the first time, she grapples with the sociocultural implications of being black in a Western context, an experience that reshapes her worldview and sense of self.
Years later, fate reunites Ifemelu and Obinze in a Nigeria transitioning to democracy. Their reunion is colored by their divergent experiences: Ifemelu’s time in America and Obinze’s own complex path through immigration. Through their eyes, Adichie masterfully explores themes of love, identity, race, and the often challenging process of returning to a home that has changed in one’s absence. Americanah earned Adichie the prestigious National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction in 2013.
2. We Were Girls Once – Aiwanose Odafen
Bound by a friendship that spans generations, three companions find their paths diverging due to life’s currents. Among them, Nwakaego becomes a high-powered lawyer in one of London’s most affluent districts. Yet, she yearns for the familiarity of home and the warmth of her first love, while grappling with the subtle condescension of her white colleagues. Meanwhile, Ego’s mother confronts her own battles with racial prejudice in America.
Through the intertwining narratives of these three friends, We Were Girls Once paints a vivid portrait of the Nigerian diaspora. The novel delves into the complex realities of leaving one’s homeland, exploring the political and emotional landscape of immigration.
3. A Bit of Difference – Sefi Atta
At 39, Deola Bello finds herself at a crossroads. Her career as a financial reviewer in London, once a source of pride, now feels hollow, and she’s left with loneliness and a growing sense of displacement.
Fate intervenes when work brings her back to Nigeria, coinciding with her father’s five-year memorial service. As she navigates the streets of her homeland, Deola is struck by the evolution of her family dynamics and the urban landscape. The Nigeria of her youth has transformed, mirroring her changes. Her story explores cultural identity, the weight of familial expectations, and the challenge of finding one’s place in a rapidly changing society.
4. Open City – Teju Cole
In his acclaimed 2011 novel, Nigerian author Teju Cole continues his tradition of writing characters who observe urban life. The story centers on Julius, a Nigerian immigrant whose solitary walks through New York City become a lens through which we view the complexities of modern life.
As Julius traverses the city’s neighborhoods, he encounters different cultures. These wanderings provide an escape from the rigid structure of his work life and offer him a form of moving meditation. Julius processes his relationships, his place in the world, and the nuances of his immigrant experience. Through Julius’s observant eyes, Cole paints a vivid portrait of New York City as a living, breathing entity.
5. An Orchestra of Minorities – Chigozie Obioma
In this 2019 novel, shortlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize, the story unfolds through an unusual narrator—the guardian spirit chi of the protagonist, Chinonso Olisa. At its heart, the novel is a love story. Chinonso, driven by deep affection, embarks on a journey to win the approval of his beloved’s family. His quest leads him to pursue education in Cyprus, a decision that sets in motion a series of life-altering events.
However, Chinonso’s dreams of self-improvement and romantic success quickly unravel in the face of harsh realities. His experiences in Cyprus paint a stark picture of the challenges faced by African immigrants in Europe. Fate takes a cruel turn when Chinonso finds himself wrongly accused and imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit.
6. Second Class Citizen – Buchi Emecheta
Buchi Emecheta’s novel Second Class Citizen shows the journey of Adah, a Nigerian woman who dares to dream beyond the confines of her homeland. Driven by aspirations of a brighter future, Adah travels to London, only to find that the promise of a better life comes with its setbacks.
In the unforgiving streets of 1960s London, Adah confronts a harsh reality far removed from her expectations. She grapples with the dual burdens of cultural displacement and systemic discrimination, finding herself relegated to the fringes of society as a “second-class citizen.
