Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie tells the story of two characters, Ifemelu and Obinze Maduewesi, the protagonists. The story mainly revolves around the lives of the two protagonists, with their journey giving utmost significance to being true to oneself and appreciating one’s culture. Emphasis is also placed on the prevalence of racism in America, England, and not forgetting Nigeria.
This essay will, however, focus on one of the protagonists, Obinze. A Nigerian raised in Nsukka, Obinze is seen to harbor great qualities. He is both thoughtful and intelligent and hopes for a better life. He convinces the woman he loves to go to America and study; this shows us that he is also selfless, as any other man in his shoes would have probably not done the same. Obinze eventually migrates to England and tries to become a citizen in the said country but is deported.
How, then, is Obinze as a character significant in the novel Americanah? This essay will discuss Obinze’s significance by using the following four areas as foal points; Obinze’s experiences as an immigrant in the United Kingdom, Obinze’s return to Nigeria, Obinze’s role in Ifemelu’s life, and lastly, Obinze’s significance in the novel’s themes.
One of the most significant aspects of Obinze as a character is his experiences as an immigrant in the United Kingdom. Obinze’s journey and stay in the UK point the reader towards some of the challenges immigrants face when trying to learn a new culture and the racism, discrimination, and exploitation that immigrants encounter.
After Ifemelu, Obinze’s girlfriend travels to the United States for her studies, Obinze promises to follow suit, and unfortunately, he is denied a visa to the US; despite being disheartened by this occurrence, Obinze opts for another alternative and therefore travels to the United Kingdom where he resides illegally and works as an undocumented immigrant.
Obinze, after ending up in Vincent’s (an unruly Nigerian immigrant who extorts money from Obinze by lending him his insurance card) bad books for not conforming to his demands of a raise, is informed that someone called to report him as an illegal immigrant and is therefore requested to hand in his passport the following day. Obinze, having run out of options, decides to marry a UK resident in order to earn his citizenship; however, on the day of his wedding, two policemen arrive at the courthouse and arrest him. Obinze’s arrest shows us the challenges undocumented immigrants face, including fear of being deported.
Obinze’s experiences in the United Kingdom go hand in hand with the discrimination he faces at work and being racially profiled by the police. At his workplace, Obinze faces discrimination from his boss and colleagues. They all refuse to promote him despite the fact he is dedicated and hardworking. Chimamanda describes Mr. Shaw, Obinze’s boss, as possessing a “thin-lipped smile” and a “condescending tone” when speaking to Obinze. A fellow workmate of Obinze who goes by Nigel is described in the novel as being openly racist towards Obinze. He is seen to make derogatory comments about Obinze’s accent and his country of origin. Some of Nigel’s derogatory comments include him addressing Obinze, saying, “What kind of accent is that? I can hardly understand you.” “I didn’t know that had universities in Africa. Do you guys have computers there?” Nigel’s comments reflect some of the white people’s ignorance and prejudice toward people of different cultures and backgrounds.
Obinze also faces racial profiling by the police in the United Kingdom. In one instance, during a routine traffic stop, Obinze, based solely on the color of his skin, race, and ethnicity, is subjected to an invasive search and questioning by the police, who ignorantly assume that he is involved in criminal activity. Obinze describes the police officers as being “suspicious and hostile” towards him and consequently just looking for an excuse to put him behind bars. This experience is a clear indication of the systemic racism and discrimination that exists in law enforcement systems. The highlighted experiences further show the significance of Obinze as a character in the novel Americanah.
Obinze’s return to Nigeria marks a crucial turning point in the story; it represents a break from the immigrant experience and a return to his roots. Obinze’s return to his homeland shows that immigrants always have the desire to return home, back to a place where they feel that they belong, away from racial discrimination and segregation.
Obinze’s return to Nigeria is also significant as it presents some of the changes that have occurred in Nigeria since he left. Obinze is confronted with a Nigeria immensely different from the one he left and therefore struggles to understand the changes that have taken place. Obinze struggles to understand the Afropolitan generation and their way of life. He ultimately finds their obsession with social media and pop culture shallow and superficial; he also finds himself disconnected from their experiences and struggles. This struggle can be associated with the fact that Obinze left Nigeria when political instability and economic hardship were the order of the day. He, therefore, finds it difficult to reconcile that Nigeria with vibrant Nigeria he encounters on his return.
Obinze’s role in Ifemelu’s life is essential to the novel. This role is evident in the decisions that she makes. For instance, Ifemelu decides to return to Nigeria partly because she wants to reconnect with Obinze. Despite having it at the back of her mind that there are risks and uncertainties associated with returning to a land that has changed immensely since her departure, Ifemelu still feels drawn to the idea of rebuilding her life with her lover Obinze.
Ifemelu also decides to start a blog about race in America because of her conversations with Obinze about his experiences with racism and prejudice in London. Because of Obinze’s experiences, she gets inspired to share her own experiences on these issues. Her blog eventually becomes a platform for exploring race, culture, and identity in America. Obinze’s role in Ifemelu’s life is significant because it illustrates the importance of relationships and connections in shaping our identities and experiences. Obinze, as a character, represents a connection to Nigeria and Ifemelu’s past; his sole presence in her life is seen to shape her decisions and experiences, as illustrated.
Obinze’s character is also significant in the novel’s identity, race, and belonging themes. Obinze’s experiences as an immigrant in London and his eventual return to Nigeria highlight the challenges of navigating different cultural contexts and struggling with the sense of identity in the face of changing circumstances.
One of the key ways in which Obinze explores the theme of identity in the novel is through his contrasting relationship with Nigeria. When he first arrives in London, he is seen to have a deep attachment to his native country. However, as he tries to overcome the challenges of residing in a new country, he consequently begins to question his idea of being a Nigerian. The contrasting relationship is further stressed upon Obinze’s return to Nigeria; he discovers that the country he left behind has significantly changed and therefore struggles to reconcile his memories of Nigeria with the present reality.
As a Nigerian immigrant, Obinze experiences racism and discrimination firsthand; from the moment he arrives in London, Obinze is made aware of his status as an outsider and is forced to maneuver a society that is often hostile to people of color. His experiences in British society are significant as they show us how race is a factor regarding privileges and opportunities. Some of the instances in which Obinze experiences racism include; Obinze’s struggles to find work in London despite his education and qualifications; he is often passed over for jobs in favor of less qualified white candidates, this ends up forcing him to turn to illegal work to make ends meet.
Obinze is also subjected to racism at the hands of the police; he is frequently stopped, searched, and accused of being involved in criminal activities simply because he is a black man. In his interactions with white people, Obinze is subjected to subtle forms of racism; for example, he is asked if he speaks English despite being fluent in the said language. He struggles to form relationships with white women as they view him as an exotic object rather than a complete human being. Obinze’s experience with racism highlights the need for awareness of the ways in which racism operates in society.
Obinze is, without doubt, a significant character in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel’ Americanah. His experiences as an immigrant in the United Kingdom demonstrate the complexities of the immigrant experience; his role in Ifemelu’s life is significant because it demonstrates the importance of relationships in shaping our identities; lastly, his character is significant in the exploration of the themes of identity, race, and belonging.
WORKS CITED
Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. Americanah. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2013.
Adesanmi, Pius. “Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah and the Fiction of Integration.” Journal of Commonwealth Literature, vol. 52, no. 1, 2017, pp. 24-39
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