From two-time Caine Prize finalist Elnathan John, a dynamic young voice from Nigeria, Born on a Tuesday is a stirring, starkly rendered first novel about a young boy struggling to find his place in a society that is fracturing along religious and political lines. In far northwestern Nigeria, Dantala lives among a gang of street boys who sleep under a kuka tree. During the election, the boys are paid by the Small Party to cause trouble. When their attempt to burn down the opposition's local headquarters ends in disaster, Dantala must run for his life, leaving his best friend behind. He makes his way to a mosque that provides him with food, shelter, and guidance. With his quick aptitude and modest nature, Dantala becomes a favored apprentice to the mosque's sheikh. Before long, he is faced with a terrible conflict of loyalties, as one of the sheikh's closest advisors begins to raise his own radical movement. When bloodshed erupts in the city around him, Dantala must decide what kind of Muslim-and what kind of man-he wants to be. Told in Dantala's naive, searching voice, this astonishing debut explores the ways in which young men are seduced by religious fundamentalism and violence.
In Be(com)ing Nigerian: A Guide, Elnathan John provides an affecting, unrestrained and satirical guide to the
Nigerians you will meet at home and abroad, or on your way to hell and to heaven. It is a searing look at how power
is performed, negotiated and abused in private and in public; in politics, business, religious institutions and in homes.
From the exploration of religious hypocrisy to inequality in matters of the heart, the collection is a jab at Nigerian
society and what it means to be a Nigerian. Beyond poking fun at the holders of power, it is also a summons, a
provocation and a call for introspection among all levels of society. As is often said in Nigeria, when you point with
one finger, there are four others pointing back at you.
This engrossing read is a must-have for Nigerians on how to move beyond shame and arrogance, and for nonNigerians, a uniquely informative guide on how to accept their awe and envy of Nigerians. It is an invitation for
everyone to embrace and rejoice in their inner Nigerian.
Here is your definitive guide to Be(com)ing Nigerian.
From two-time Caine Prize finalist Elnathan John, a dynamic young voice from Nigeria, Born on a Tuesday is a stirring, starkly rendered first novel about a young boy struggling to find his place in a society that is fracturing along religious and political lines. In far northwestern Nigeria, Dantala lives among a gang of street boys who sleep under a kuka tree. During the election, the boys are paid by the Small Party to cause trouble. When their attempt to burn down the opposition's local headquarters ends in disaster, Dantala must run for his life, leaving his best friend behind. He makes his way to a mosque that provides him with food, shelter, and guidance. With his quick aptitude and modest nature, Dantala becomes a favored apprentice to the mosque's sheikh. Before long, he is faced with a terrible conflict of loyalties, as one of the sheikh's closest advisors begins to raise his own radical movement. When bloodshed erupts in the city around him, Dantala must decide what kind of Muslim-and what kind of man-he wants to be. Told in Dantala's naive, searching voice, this astonishing debut explores the ways in which young men are seduced by religious fundamentalism and violence.
