#16 - Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi

  Just The Basics

    Published: May 9, 2023

    Genre: Realistic fiction, Coming of Age 

    Pages: 384 pages

    Acknowledgements:  2024 Coretta Scott King Author Award winner

        "But none of that matters now because I don't want to be a part of anyone's movement. I want to be my own liberation and break down these walls, tear down this house, kick down the front door, and just walk out and never come back. Like Mama. But I am not abandoning Freedom." 

    "Nigeria Jones" is a coming-of-age novel written by Ibi Zoboi. The title character, Nigeria, is the daughter of a famous Black nationalist and revolutionary. In the wake of her mother's absence, the birth of her little brother Freedom, Nigeria struggles to find a place for herself, outside of her father's controlled world of radical liberation, as she attends the Philly Friends School in Philadelphia. Nigeria Jones is a powerful analysis of what Black liberation might look like in an oppressive White world. Zoboi's work takes an unflinching look at Black Power while personalizing the struggle between whether it is better for Black youth to strive for radicalization or exist in the racist systems of America, while questioning how kids like Nigeria may find an individual path to liberation, all wrapped up in a heartfelt narrative about a sixteen-year-old girl finding her way. This novel is as much about personal liberation and individual freedom as it is about how grief and generational trauma challenge Black youth to unpack their identities as they venture outside of the world their parents might create for them. 

    Why "Nigeria Jones"?

    I found this novel when looking through the winners of the Coretta Scott King awards from the last few years. Honestly, I had no clue what to expect. From the first chapter of Zoboi's work, I felt as if I was venturing into a space not intended for me in the slightest; I was a stranger in a strange land as I read about Nigeria's life and the Black Power Party her father cultivates. As a White man, I felt that I was stepping into an all-Black world that was completely alien, and I was a bit shocked by how humbling this read was. The references to African-American tradition, emphasis on important Black voices, and the traditions of Nigeria's Haitian-American heritage were almost like reading a novel from another country. As I read, I felt honored to be in this space and grateful for this book's creation of a conduit between my lived experience and those of these characters. As I consider myself a progressive person, Nigeria Jones exposed how different the life of Black Americans really is, while also exposing how limited my knowledge of Black American life is. However, through the exploration of this novel, I was given a small view into a world not meant for me to step into, but still able to come to appreciate it through this extremely raw and powerful narrative. Just like when I read The Unboxing of a Black Girl, I learned quickly to contemplate this book, enjoy the emotionality of the story, and simply acknowledge the perspective this story was lending me. 

    Teaching Considerations

     I have been scratching my head about how I would teach this book. Nigeria's life and struggles in both her father's world and her life in White spaces brought up many important questions about liberation, reparation, the role of family and culture, all while supplying almost endless critiques of systemic oppression. This makes this novel a powerful read in a classroom; however, I'm not sure I'm the right educator to help answer these questions. I think this novel would be a powerful book club addition, possibly in a unit on racism, the Black experience, freedom, or oppression. This book is almost brutal in its honesty and candor in critiquing the world of a post-Black Lives Matter America, so I don't think Zoboi's work would be pragmatic in the hands of younger high schoolers. For seniors or juniors, I think this novel can be explored. The level of language used and the intelligence of this work's analysis would need time and care in its dissection. There is a risk of alienating young White students in the teaching of this book to a whole class. I think that's the point. I would love to get this book in the hands of those Black students who desire to expand their critical consciousness. This is one of the first YA books I have read that has seemed difficult for me to teach. I think if I were to use this novel in a classroom, I would simply allow the work to speak for itself. There are moments of sex, marijuana use, and some language. However, these are not things to shy away from, as Nigeria smartly explains why seemingly problematic aspects of her life are criminalized and made to seem inappropriate only in the White-majority context. To teach this novel would be to invite students into a discourse where there are no clear answers and would encourage many difficult conversations. This book is smart, and would need a smart class to begin to understand the complexity of the role of Black Power in America. 

      Sections to Read Aloud  & Reasoning

1. Grievance 5

• "Makai? Aren't you tired of all of this? of having to read my father's books? Of listening to all those live streams and podcasts? It's the same thing every single day. Over and over again. I get it by now. We're oppressed. Racism is fucked up. Black People are messed up because of it. White people are evil because of it." (Ebook page 235)

    This work is full of moments in which Nigeria unpacks what her father has conditioned her to believe while also understanding her need to find her own path. Moments like the one above abound, where Nigeria understands that her entire life is surrounded by critical critique, while almost getting tired of always needing to be as conscious as she is. Sections like these would make for an important class discussion. Is it really "all about race" when real people's lives are affected? Does it ever get tiring searching for revolution everywhere one looks? 

        2. Article II, Section 3

• ''Yes, Baba," I say, and the first step I take after my father's commands is the one where I almost step into that Mama-sized hole and almost, almost fall." (Ebook page 115)

    A lot of Nigeria's journey in finding herself comes as she follows her mom's footsteps. Her mom functions as a foil to her father's radicalism, still as critical of the world around her, however, without many of the isolationist tendencies that separate Nigeria from the White world around her. Sections like this clearly express the role Nigeria feels her father forces her into, a role her mom held when she was with the Movement. Reading aloud moments like these shows that even though Nigeria is brilliant, she is still a young girl searching for a place in the world that is truly hers. In terms of characterization, sections like these illustrate that Nigeria is ultimately very hurt by her mother's absence and how this abandonment is made even more difficult by her father's expectations. 

    Overall Thoughts

        Nigeria Jones is an impressive meditation on Black American life in a modern world. This novel was exceptionally sharp, both in its construction as a story and in its commentary. I actually struggle encapsulating this book in my writing, as it is such a large and detailed look at Black oppression, systematic racism, finding one's place, and overall grief, that I think it is impossible to boil down for quick simplicity. There is a ton of power in this story and in Zoboi's writing style. I enjoyed this book very much, even though I cannot pretend this work was written for me. I think Nigeria Jones would change the life of a young Black girl when she reads it. For a book about intersectionality, this book is an impressive expression of both Black joy and disgust at an oppressive world. I don't think I have read a YA book so smart, ever. This book blew the doors off what I thought I knew about being Black in America, and yet still wrapped me up in a story full of love and the transcendent power of revolution. 

    Future Explorations

     Ibi Zoboi is just impressive. I would love to read more of her work, because I was so challenged with this one. Reading is meant to offer people windows into the lives of others, and this book has been one of the most impactful windows I have had into a life very, very far away from my own. While I do think this work would be difficult for younger students who cannot see outside of their own lives, I enjoyed what Zoboi had to offer and her grit in presenting it in a young adult narrative.