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Second Class Citizen is a 1974 novel by Nigerian female novelist Buchi Emecheta, first published in London by Allison and Busby, where her editor was Margaret Busby.

It was later published in the US by George Braziller in 1975. A poignant story of a resourceful Nigerian woman Adah who is belittled by everyone.

While growing up her parents especially her father did not want to send her off to school his thought was that a woman’s education is going to end up in her husband’s kitchen.

Unlike her younger brother boy who was sent to school at an early age, after an incident she was allowed to go to school well what did you know she was a bright student after all after her primary school education she then proceeded to go to her secondary school, she graduated from her secondary school she got married without a ring but she loved her husband Francis dearly she thinks she’s going to be treated well by her husband Francis.

He actually treats her right, but as soon as they get to London he changes towards her and her children Adah being a strong woman does not rely on her husband she overcomes strict tribal domination of women and countless setbacks to achieve an independent life for herself and her children, the novel is often described as semi-autobiographical.

The protagonist Adah’s journey from Nigeria to London – where despite unfavorable living conditions and violent marriage, she “finds refuge in her dream of becoming a writer” – follows closely Emecheta’s own trajectory as a novelist.

Bibliographic Information

Author: Buchi Emecheta

Country: Nigeria

Language: English

Genre: Literary fiction

Publisher: Allison & Busby

Publication date: 1974

Pages: 174 pp.

ISBN: 978-0-8076-1128-9

Preceded by: In the Ditch

Followed by: The Bride Price

Plot Summary

At the beginning of the novel, Adah is a child of an Ibo from Ibuza, Nigeria, residing in Lagos.

She goes to school on her own since no one cares about her. She dreams as a young girl of moving to the UK. After her father dies, Adah is sent to stay with her uncle’s family.

She goes to school in Nigeria and attains employment working for the American consulate as a library clerk. The compensation from this job is enough to make her a desirable wife to Francis (her now husband) and her in-laws.

Francis traveled to the United Kingdom for several years to pursue the study of law with the help of Adah. She was the breadwinner of her family and her husband’s family.

Adah convinces her husband’s family that she and the children also belong in the UK. Francis believes they are second-class citizens in the United Kingdom as they are not citizens of the country. Adah finds employment working for another library and pays for their expenses, while also providing primary care for their children.

Later, we see Francis become increasingly abusive and dismissive of Adah as she pursues becoming a writer.

Characters in the Novel

Here are some of the major characters in Buchi Emecheta’s novel “Second-Class Citizen”:

Adah: The protagonist of the novel, a young Nigerian woman who faces challenges and discrimination as she tries to navigate life in London.

Francis (Francis Nwajei): Adah’s husband, who initially marries her to obtain a British visa but later neglects her and their children.

Tayo: Adah’s first son, who faces struggles growing up in a foreign country and dealing with racism.

Paul: Adah’s second son, who also grapples with the difficulties of being a second-generation immigrant.

Adah’s Parents: Though not central characters, Adah’s parents play a role in her life and in shaping her experiences as a Nigerian immigrant.

Mrs. Bingham: Adah’s employer, who represents the challenges faced by immigrants in the workforce and highlights issues of class and racial discrimination.

These are some of the major characters who populate Adah’s world in “Second-Class Citizen,” each contributing to her story and reflecting different aspects of the immigrant experience.

Themes in the Novel

The novel explores several important themes:

Gender Inequality

The novel delves into the struggles faced by Adah, the protagonist, as a woman striving for independence and recognition in a patriarchal society.

Adah faces discrimination and limited opportunities solely based on her gender.

Racism and Colonialism

Emecheta addresses the racial discrimination experienced by Adah as a Nigerian immigrant living in London.

Adah’s encounters with racism and the challenges of adapting to a new culture highlight the enduring effects of colonialism and its impact on individuals’ lives.

Immigration and Identity

Adah’s experiences as an immigrant in the UK prompt her to grapple with questions of identity and belonging.

She navigates the complexities of assimilation while trying to preserve her Nigerian heritage, highlighting the tensions between cultural roots and the pressures to conform to Western norms.

Class Struggles

The title itself, “Second Class Citizen,” suggests the theme of social class.

Adah’s socioeconomic status influences her opportunities and experiences, and she faces barriers in her pursuit of education and career advancement due to her lower-class background.

Education and Empowerment

Despite facing numerous obstacles, Adah is determined to pursue her education and improve her circumstances.

The novel underscores the transformative power of education as a means of empowerment and self-determination.

Motherhood and Independence

Adah’s roles as a wife and mother intersect with her aspirations for independence and self-sufficiency.

She grapples with the challenges of balancing familial responsibilities with her own desires for personal and professional fulfillment.

Resilience and Determination

Throughout the novel, Adah demonstrates resilience in the face of adversity.

Despite facing discrimination, poverty, and domestic abuse, she perseveres in her efforts to create a better life for herself and her children.

These themes collectively contribute to the rich tapestry of “Second Class Citizen,” shedding light on the intersecting dynamics of race, gender, class, and migration in shaping individuals’ experiences and identities.

Critical Analysis of the Novel

Second Class Citizen is well regarded as a narrative of overcoming struggle and of contemporary African life.

On the novel’s publication in 1974, Hermione Harris asserted in Race & Class: “Of the scores of books about race and black communities in Britain that had appeared during the 1960s and early 1970s, the great majority are written by white academic ultimately concerned with the relationship between white society and black ‘immigrants’. Few accounts have emerged from those on the receiving end of British racism or liberalism of their own black experience. On the specific situation of black women there is almost nothing. Second Class Citizen is therefore something of a revelation.”

A new edition of the book was published for the Penguin Modern Classics series in October 2020, after many years of being out of print. John Self in The Guardian published that, despite being on Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists list in 1983, in subsequent years Emecheta “…didn’t get the column inches. So it is a late justice that she is one of the few Granta alumni, alongside Martin Amis and Shiva Naipaul, to be promoted to the Penguin Modern Classics list.”