This magnificent books starts of in America where a young Nigerian Woman, Ifemelu decides to go back to Nigeria after living ten years in America. She describes her stay there “ it’s wonderful but it’s not heaven”.

 Ifemelu in her stay in America, realizes that there are indeed racial issues and they do affect her because of the color of her skin color. It was hard for her to get a job though she had graduated from university. For instance, a restaurant tells her that they’ve decided to hire “‘a more qualified person’” for their hostess position or a babysitting job is given to someone else without any explanation.

Racism is not something she never had to deal with back in Nigeria. As she explains to someone at a dinner party,“I came from a country where race was not an issue; I did not think of myself as black and I only became black when I came to America.”

  The author addresses on issues concerning race in America with the character of Ifemelu and her blog addressing the “onyinbos”(white people) on how to treat black people.  For instance “ Dear American Non-Black, if an American Black person is telling you about an experience about being black, please do not eagerly bring up examples from your own life. Don’t say “It’s just like when I …”

 

Ifemelu grew up in Lagos, Nigeria where she met her highschool sweetheart Obinze. The two went to university together, however due to the political issues in that era, there were strikes and the university shut down. Ifemelu got an opportunity to apply for a scholarship in a university in Philadelphia, America and she manages to get the scholarship and visa while Obinze remained in Nigeria. This is the other side of Americanah where the author tells the story of the persevering love between the two characters across three continents

 In America, Ifemelu is introduced to the American culture and its racial politics. Since Ifemelu couldn’t find a job,She later accepts a job helping a tennis coach “relax.” He touches her sexually and gives her $100. Ifemelu goes home and feels guilty and depressed. She breaks off contact with Obinze. This is were the lovers relationship starts to drift away.

 Obinze is hurt by Ifemelu’s sudden silence. He graduates and moves to England. He stays with friends but can’t find a good job. Obinze borrows money from Emenike, an old friend who has gotten rich in England, and pays for a green-card marriage with a girl named Cleotilde. On the day of his wedding, though, Obinze is arrested and sent back to Nigeria.

 Meanwhile, Ifemelu in America, starts dating a rich, handsome white man. He  takes Ifemelu on many trips and helps her get a good job and a green card. However Ifemelu, feeling the pressure of her interracial relationship, cheats on Curt and he breaks up with her. She gets depressed again. Ifemelu starts her race blog and it gets very popular.

 For more gripping suspense, I suggest you get yourself the book and read. As a reader, I loved the book very much. I loved how Ifemelu and Obinze’s story begun and ended. To the moment where Ifemelu is back in Nigeria in the car with Obinze listening to “Yori yori” by bracket, the reader cannot help but fall in love and see the true meaning of “what’s meant for you will come back to you”

By Vanessa Mwingira