Lifestyle Sunday: 5 Books By Nigerian Female Authors You Must Read if You Consider Yourself An Avid Reader

 Do you consider yourself a bibliophile? The literary world is filled with so many authors and myriad of books. As a book lover, here are 5 books by Nigerian female authors you must read before you consider yourself a bona fide bibliophile.

1 Half of a Yellow Sun:

Written by award winning Nigerian writer and the unofficial "Queen mother of Feminists" Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun tells the story of the Nigerian Civil War, especially in relation to Biafrans. The novel tells the story of the Biafran War through the individual perspective of characters: Olanna, Ugwu, and Richard.  The book was adapted into a film of the same name which was directed by award winning deceased director, Biyi Bandele.

2 The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives:

Written by Lola Shoneyin, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives is a captivating novel that details the daily nuances of a polygamous home. The book details the unique experience of Bolanle Alao, the youngest and only educated wife of illiterate polygamist, Ishola Alao (Baba Segi) in a hitherto unfamiliar polyamorous setting. Bolanle's unexpected infertility in the midst of her fecund co-wives, leads her husband to uncover a secret that forces him to realise that the control he assumed he  had over his large family, was an illusion. The book was adapted into a stage play by Rotimi Babatunde.

3 Everything Good Will Come :

Everything Good Will Come is a coming-of-age novel by Nigerian author Sefi Atta about a girl, Enitan Taiwo, growing into womanhood in postcolonial Nigeria and England.  It also details  Enitan's defiant childhood friendship with next-door neighbour and Muslim, Sheri Bakare. Throughout the novel, the main character, Enitan, is faced with various personal entanglements connected with family troubles, rape, cheating boyfriends, and imprisonment. The novel was published in 2005 and won the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa.

4 OGADINMA:

An eponymous novel written by Ukamaka Olisakwe, OGADINMA is the story a young girl who found the courage to leave her abusive much older husband despite the lack of support from relatives. The novel also talked about the ills a girl child has to face in a predominantly patriarchal society.

5 Daughters Who Walk This Path:

The novel by Yejide Kilanko explores what it means to be a growing woman in a typical Yoruba home. Daughters Who Walk This Path navigates the life altering rape and sexual molestation from the hands of her own cousin, that shatters Morayo's idyllic adolescence and creates an obvious dent in her family relationship. The book nagivates the psychological impact Morayo's experience has on her adult life while also emphasising the place of sisterhood and bond amongst African women who live through intertwined life experiences.