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Be(com)ing Nigerian: A Guide is a satirical commentary on the different Nigerians you are likely to meet at home and abroad, on your way to heaven or to hell.
Be(com)ing Nigerian is an outrageously funny and acerbic guide to how to be a Nigerian; from how to attain the much-maligned, but heady rank of politician to achieving the status of the silver-tongued, private jet-flying religious leader.
It is a searing and darkly entertaining look at how power operates in private and in public; in politics, business, religious institutions and in homes. From the exploration of religious hypocrisy to the cautionary travel advice for Nigerians going to the United States, the collection is a jab at Nigerian society and its relation tot he world. Beyond poking fun at the holders of power, it is 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.
Be(com)ing Nigerian: A Guide, moves between the sublime and the ridiculous, and deftly captures both the hilarity and the horror of Nigeria.
List of contents
INTRODUCTION
IN THE BEGINNING...
SPIRITUAL
HOW TO WORSHIP THE NIGERIAN GOD
HOW TO BE A PASTOR
HOW TO FLY PRIVATE TO THE GLORY OF GOD
IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH
HOW TO BE SICK
HOW TO DIE
TEMPORAL
HOW TO SHOW LOVE
HOW TO OWN A SLAVE
HOW TO COMMUNICATE IN TIMES OF CRISES
HOW TO CONDUCT A MEETING
HOW TO BE A CAR OWNER
WORKING CLASS, WORKING HARD
HOW TO USE A BUSINESS CARD
HOW TO IDENTIFY A MIDDLE CLASS NIGERIAN
HOW TO BE A MECHANIC
HOW TO BE A NIGERIAN WRITER
HOW TO BE A JOURNALIST
HOW TO BE A KIDNAPPER
LAW AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
HOW TO BE A LAWYER
HOW TO BE A POLICE OFFICER
POLITRICKING
HOW TO BE A POLITICIAN
HOW TO BE FIRST LADY
HOW TO BE AN OPPOSITION POLITICIAN
INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS
HOW TO GET FOREIGN FRIENDS
HOW TO BE A GOOD AFRICAN
SAVIOURS LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL
HOW TO RUN A NIGERIAN NGO
HOW TO BE A BLACK SAVIOUR
WHEN IN NIGERIA...
NOTES FOR THE FOREIGNER IN NIGERIA
HOW TO BE AN EXPATRIATE IN NIGERIA
TIPS FOR THE FOREIGN JOURNALIST COVERING NIGERIAN ELECTIONS
APPENDIX AND TRAVEL ADVICE
TRAVEL WARNING FOR NIGERIAN CITIZENS GOING TO THE U.S
TRAVEL ADVICE FOR NIGERIANS GOING TO THE UK
COMMON NIGERIAN PHRASES AND EXPRESSIONS
About the author
Elnathan John is a Nigerian writer and one of Nigeria's most well-known contemporary satirists. He has twice been shortlisted for the prestigious Caine Prize for African Writing (2013 & 2015). His writing has been published in Per Contra, Evergreen Review and Chimurenga's The Chronic. His debut novel, Born on a Tuesday, won a Betty Trask Award in 2017. He is a judge for the 2019 Man Booker International Prize.
Summary
A satirical collection that takes a searing look at how different forms of power are abused, negotiated and performed in Nigeria, both in the private and public realm.
Additional text
“A humorous and whimsical take on modern Nigeria... darkly funny and deliciously vicious." – Financial Times
Report
"Elnathan John is a writer to watch." - The New York Times
