A Redefinition of Woman, Voice and Development: New Nigerian Novels and the Burden of Being

Speaking with one voice at the face of anti-woman tyranny has always been a tough nut to crack in African / Nigerian novel. This could have been as a result of the tradition that allows the woman to be seen but denies her the opportunity to be heard. This has however become history as the new Nigerian novels are succeeding not just in discovering the voice of the woman but actually amplifying same. Lola Shoneyin in The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives narratives signposts the comity of women who beat the man at his games. The stereotype woman who waits for providence appears dated giving way to the woman to whom providence is a design - the pencil of which she places of the canvass by herself. The discovery of the voice has led to such brazenness, boldness, assertiveness and expressiveness alien to traditional African writings.

This study engages relevant aspect of postmodernism to examine the potpourri of voices being unearthed in the new novels in Africa especially in Nigeria. Of note is Adichie’s Americanah, Nwaubani’s I Do Not Come to You by Chance and Adeniran’s Imagine This as postmodern novels creating the needed platforms to amplify the liberty of the woman.

This study attempts to answer the questions how best the woman can realize her voice and contribute more meaningfully to advance her society? What is the impact of her personal development on her society?