Nigeria, often nicknamed the Giant of Africa, is blessed with world-renowned authors that include the likes of Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, and many other exceptional storytellers.
In this segment eduvision will take you into a journey of 10 most read Nigerian books by Nigerian authors that will keep you and your family entertained in this festive season.
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Purple Hibiscus is a coming-of-age novel by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche which tells the story of Kambili Achike and her family. It addresses the issues of identity, gender, and violence in post-colonial Nigeria. Kambili’s life changes when her brother Jaja defies their devout and abusive father Eugene.
‘Things Fall Apart’ by Chinua Achebe
Written by the late Professor Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart is referred to as the “most widely acclaimed book in African literature”. Though published back in 1958, it remains a revered global treasure. The book centers around the life and challenges of a fierce man from the eastern part of Nigeria amidst oppositions from missionaries and the colonial government.
It is a beautifully crafted, unique, and indigenous story of a “strong man” whose life is dominated by fear and anger, as he tries to hold on to his much-loved Igbo heritage. Achebe’s subtle use of irony to shed light on the various innate qualities common to all men is reflected throughout the novel.
‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Half of a Yellow Sun is an emotional story of love and war. The novel unravels the experiences of five characters during the Nigerian Civil War that took place between 1967-1970. The book is a wonderful piece of art that showcases love triumphing in the midst of chaos, betrayals, and conflict.
This remarkable piece of writing highlights the powerful influence of our roots, and displays the human need to live freely. Once you’ve put this one down, you can watch the 2013 film adaptation of the same title, which features award-winning British-Nigerian actor Chiwetel Ejiofor.
‘The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives’ by Lola Shoneyin
Lola Shoneyin is a Nigerian poet and author known for her audacious, humorous, and forthright pieces of poetry. Shoneyin’s novel, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, tells a fascinating story that seeks to align the modern and traditional ways we live our lives in society.
It explores what life looks like within a polygamous family, and how this relationship dynamic impacts the children and women of the family. This novel will take you on a fascinating ride that includes a tale of men and women, mothers and children, and subjection and self-rule, within the family setting.
‘Welcome to Lagos’ by Chibundu Onuzo
Welcome to Lagos, published in 2017, is a book filled with humor, entertainment, and excitement from the first line to the very last. The novel tells a story of an army officer who becomes the leader of a band of runaways looking to create a life better than what they had always been used to.
The novel is made up of engaging characters with unique personalities, whose lives and circumstances will remain stuck in your mind long after you finish reading. The book also has the applaudable ability to critically depict the hustle-and-buzzle nature of Lagos, making for a fast-paced and lively read.
‘Aké: The Years of Childhood’ by Wole Soyinka
Written by Africa’s first-ever Black Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, this book was published in 1981 andtakes us on a journey back in time to the early upbringing of the author. The novel amplifies the beauty and adoration of the Yoruba culture found in Western Nigeria, further exploring the typical childhood of children raised across Africa.
‘Stay With Me’ by Ayobami Adebayo
Published in 2017, Stay With Me is a college love story of a young couple who are unable to have children of their own, four years into their marriage. Things start going south for them as the husband welcomes a second wife into their family, which further leads to an unpredictable chain of events.
The central take-home from this novel is that we need to realistically accept that as humans, many times, we don’t always have the facts or see the bigger picture of most situations we are confronted with. Let this exciting novel take you on an alluring journey of love during the holidays, making you speechless while following the tale every step of the way.
‘Boy, Snow, Bird’ by Helen Oyeyemi
Last but not least is Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi, a British-Nigerian writer. As a revered author, Oyeyemi is well known for her impeccable storytelling. She can reinvent something ordinary into a new, intuitive, and amazing body of work. Boy, Snow, Bird, is a stunning retelling of the popular fairytale Snow White and explores the tale of Boy, a woman who never imagined herself becoming a wicked maternal figure but who, though white, gives birth to a dark-skinned daughter, Bird.
Through its exploration of colorism, this book will ignite your imagination as well as shine a light on the very real discrimination against skin tone within the Black community.
The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma.
Published in 2015. The novel follows four brothers in a quiet neighborhood of a Nigerian town, who were given a violent prophecy that shakes their family to the core. It is set in the 1990s, during the rule of Sani Abacha.
The Famished Road by Ben Okri.
The first book in a trilogy that continues with Songs of Enchantment (1993) and Infinite Riches (1998). Published in London in 1991 by Jonathan Cape, the Famished Road follows Azaro, an abiku, or spirit child, living in an unnamed African (most likely Nigerian) city. The novel employs a unique narrative style, incorporating the spirit world with the “real” world in what some have classified as animist realism. Others have labeled the book African traditional religion realism, while still, others choose simply to call the novel fantasy literature book exploits the belief in the coexistence of the spiritual and material worlds that is a defining aspect of traditional African life.