John’s first novel, Born on a Tuesday, explored Nigeria’s Islamic north through the eyes of a young fugitive. His second book, Becoming Nigerian, was a satirical guide to the country. This, his third, is a shift into the graphic novel form.
It’s a gossipy, Lagos-set morality tale about what happens behind closed doors, Ònájìn’s rich panels showing bedrooms, bus stations and backyards, and capturing tenderness and anger as the focus flits from one family drama to another.
John does not hold back: religious hypocrisy, rape, forbidden relationships, death, disgrace and feuds play out in a city where moral attitudes are shifting and public image is all important. There are vividly drawn setpieces, including full-blooded sermons and an action-packed wedding. But it delights in everyday interaction too, making time for sibling banter and neighbourhood meetings, while nice moments of humour (“This is Nigeria. Something more scandalous will happen”) leaven the rising tension.
The hubbub means John doesn’t have time to develop all his characters, some of whom slip by forgettably, but this soapy, spiky book is a compelling read, and a fine addition to a genre that all too rarely lifts its gaze beyond Europe and North America.
