Postcolonialism in Selected Nigerian Migration Novels

Abstract

The fast-growing trend in transnational migration has become one of the major subjects of postcolonial African literature. This surge in migration may be traced to the prevalent leadership flaws in various regions of the continent. In the Nigerian context, myriads of 
dissatisfying events arouse individuals with the daily desire to relocate to places with seemingly better chances for survival, especially outside Africa. Expectedly, Europe and America are usually the target locations. The irony is that the harsh outcomes of such 
relocation outweigh the envisaged benefits as majority of these migrants experience diverse forms of trauma and displacement. Based on this, they are left to either choose to remain there; accept and endure substandard living conditions or return home. Using the postcolonial theory, this work explores the intricate experiences of postcolonial migrants in the European and American societies as depicted in three Nigerian novels; Chika Unigwe’s On Black Sisters’ Street, Chimamanda Adichie’s Americanah and Micheal 
Afenfia’s Leave My Bones in Saskatoon. The work concludes that some African notions about the rosy life in the Western world are just mythical and that devising better means of alleviating life’s difficulties in one’s homeland is a good alternative to emigration.