• The history of Nigeria by Toyin Falola
  • This is a great book to dive into to explore Nigeria’s history! It covers the pre-colonial past, colonial, nigeria’s independence as well as the country’s journey to statehood. This is a must read to get a deeper understanding of the resilinces, creativity, and societies of Nigeria.

• Culture and customs of Nigeria – by Toyin Falola
  • Are you interested in exploring the rich customs and cultures of Nigeria? Then this book is for you! It explores the diverse ways of life that exist in Nigeria focusing on uplifting indigenous as well as modern cultures of Nigeria. Written by leading Nigerian Scholar Toyin Falola, this book covers religion, economics, politics, art, food, history, and more of the over 250 ethnic groups that live in Nigeria.

• The African trilogy : Things fall apart, No longer at ease, Arrow of God by Chinua Achebe
  • This trilogy includes Chinua Achebe’s first novel Things Fall Apart, and the sequel, No Longer at Ease has won Nigerian national trophy! Chinua Achebe is a prominent Nigerian novelist and poet who was born in Ogidi. He is passionate about representing the Nigeria that he knows, drawing on Igbo culture, and dispelling the harmful ways that western literature depicts Nigeria. Chinua Achebe was a professor of Africana Studies at Brown University

• Aké : the years of childhood by Wole Soyinka
  • Wole Soyinka is a prolific Nigerian writer, playwright, and poet. His works have ranged from defending nigerian literacy, exploring experiences of migration, and political critiques of his time. Akè is his memoir that explores his childhood in western Nigeria and his Yoruba and christian upbringing before and during World War II.

• The joys of motherhood by Buchi Emecheta
  • Buchi Emecheta was a Nigerian author who wrote novels, children books, and plays. She was born in Lagos and her writings focus on experiences of Nigerian women, child labor, and immigrant life in Great Britain. The Joys of Motherhood is a novel that explores gender roles and cultural expectations of a Nigerian mother during a time of shifting cultural norms influenced by the rise of colonial influence.

• Purple hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
  • Purple Hibiscus is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s debut novel that explores post colonial Nigeria during a military coup through the story of a Nigerian teenager. This novel has been required reading as part of Nigeria’s school curriculum. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie writes in english and Igbo + english translations and is also known for her novel Half of a Yellow Sun.

• My sister, the serial killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
  • Do you love thrilling mysteries with plot twists? Then Nigerian Author and illustrator Oyinkan Braithwaite is a great author to check out! She writes great thrillers accented with humor and satire set against the background of vibrant Nigerian cities and landscapes.

• Efuru by Ben Okri
  • Sir Ben Okri is the youngest winner of the Booker prize for his novel the Famished Road. This novel follows an abiku (child spirit) as it lives in a city. It explores african traditional spiritual realism and the relationship between physical and spiritual realms. Ben Okri was knighted in 2023 for his service to literature!

• The Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi
  • Helen Oyeyemi is an Nigerian novelist and writer of short stories. The Icarus Girl is her first book (of many) and is a mixture of Nigerian legends and London suburban life. She wrote it while still in university in just 7 months! Helen has also written books that draw on cuban culture and society.

• How you grow wings by Rimma Onoseta
  • Author and screenwriter, Rimma Onoseta’s writings focus on familial connections as well as colonial corruptions of traditional Nigerian spirituallity. She is strives to write about chaotic and fierce young girls. How you Grow Wings follows the parrell lives of 2 nigerian sisters and their escape from a troubled family home.

You can check out these books and more by visiting the African American Cultural Center Library in person in Witherspoon Student Center or by clicking on their call numbers and requesting them online through the catalog!

WD

Wynter Douglas

Librarian and Library Coordinator

[email protected]