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By DIANA NGILA, dngila@ke.nationmedia.com
In Summary
Americanah is Chimamanda Adichie’s third novel. The
title, gleaned from a colloquial Nigerian word, “Americanah” is used to
describe someone who has lived abroad for years that they no longer
understand the nuances of what it means to be Nigerian.
Set in Lagos, Americanah is the story of Ifemelu and Obinze,
high school lovers and friends who were “raised well fed and watered
but mired in dissatisfaction.”
The restlessness of youth and ambition drive them
abroad. Ifelemu jumps at the chance for post-graduate studies in America
and Obinze, endures an unnarrated stint in Britain.
Both immigrants experience what it means to be an
outsider in a culture invested in maintaining status quo through
legislation and experiences of direct racist comments, bitterly cold
winters and the introspectiveness brought about by being away from home.
What does it mean to be black? Being black in
America and Britain? What does it mean to be in an interracial
relationship? Does race matter? Recently we saw the rise in murders of
blacks in America by white police officers, Charleston shootings and
other isolated cases that led to the social media uprising with the hash
tag “Black Lives Matter”, proving that it indeed does.
Taken over Nairobi
So what is it about kinky African hair?
Nappy hair revolution has taken over Nairobi. I’m sure you’ve seen endless posts and hashtags about the same.
Adichie’s main antagonist explores the subject of
hair and what it means through her blog which becomes mildly successful
as a result. I found the blog posts uninspiring although they did add to
the intensity of the body of work the writer was going for.
At some point Chimamanda seems to use various
conversations to inject topics she is most interested in and would like
to explore for general conversation away from her pages.
Her writing is alive to current affairs, the
nuances of language, impressions of Africans in the West and recent
diaspora returnees to their mother countries.
Americanah will leave you laughing as it creates
vibrant discussions on African hair, whether natural, chemically
straightened or weaved. Her book brings to mind matter of opportunity,
economic and political governance and patronage.
Chimanda is a writer praised for her effortless
delivery of substance and Americanah, which is her third title, ensures
that you will be thoroughly entertained.
dngila@ke.nationmedia.com
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