Books from Nigeria

Nigeria, 1967. When Kunle Aromire discovers that his younger brother, Tunde, has disappeared into the breakaway territory of Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War, he sets out on a desperate mission to find him. Haunted by guilt over a childhood accident that left Tunde disabled, Kunle feels compelled to bring his brother home. But his search takes an unexpected turn when he crosses into Biafran territory and is forcibly conscripted into its army. Thrown into a conflict he barely understands, Kunle must navigate the brutal realities of warfare while forming unlikely friendships with fellow soldiers. He also encounters Agnes, a courageous woman whose presence challenges his understanding of love, sacrifice, and duty. Alongside the horrors of battle, mystical prophecies shape Kunle’s journey, blurring the boundaries between fate and free will. Blending historical realism with Igbo folklore and spirituality, The Road to the Country explores brotherhood, guilt, and the devastating human cost of civil war. Through one young man’s search for redemption, Obioma illuminates a pivotal and painful chapter of Nigerian history, asking how people preserve their humanity when their country is torn apart.

In 1939, in a village in southeastern Nigeria, young Obi dreams of building a better life for himself and his family. When a colonial army jeep passes through his village, the prospect of a uniform and a steady wage appeals to him—not least because he hopes to impress Rose, the woman he loves. But when Rose becomes pregnant by another man, Obi’s world collapses. Haunted by unanswered questions about her lover, he joins the British colonial army and is sent to fight in the brutal Burma Campaign of the Second World War. As Obi confronts the horrors of war, his heartbreak becomes entangled with a mystery that will have devastating consequences. Through his journey from rural Nigeria to the battlefields of Southeast Asia, Rosanna Amaka brings attention to the often-overlooked experiences of African soldiers who fought for a colonial power. Blending an intimate story of unrequited love with the wider injustices of empire, Rose and the Burma Sky explores sacrifice, racial inequality, and the lasting consequences of choices made in moments of despair.

Say You’re One of Them is a collection of five interconnected-in-spirit stories set in different African countries, exploring the lives of children caught in circumstances far beyond their control. Through the eyes of young narrators, Uwem Akpan portrays the devastating effects of poverty, religious conflict, human trafficking, and political violence on families and communities. Written with emotional intensity and compassion, the collection challenges readers to look beyond headlines and statistics to recognise the individual lives behind Africa’s social and political crises. Rather than reducing its characters to victims, Akpan gives them distinctive voices, relationships, and hopes, creating a powerful portrait of childhood under extreme circumstances.