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Nigerians in Space #1
Nigerians in Space
1993. Houston. Dr. Wale Olufunmi, lunar rock geologist, has a life most Nigerian immigrants would kill for, but then most Nigerians aren’t Wale—-a great scientific mind in exile with galactic ambitions. Then comes an outlandish order: steal a piece of the moon. With both personal and national glory at stake, Wale manages to pull off the near impossible, setting out on a journey back to Nigeria that leads anywhere but home. Compelled by Wale’s impulsive act, Nigerians traces arcs in time and space from Houston to Stockholm, from Cape Town to Bulawayo, picking up on the intersecting lives of a South African abalone smuggler, a freedom fighter’s young daughter, and Wale’s own ambitious son. Deji Bryce Olukotun’s debut novel defies categorization—-a story of international intrigue that tackles deeper questions about exile, identity, and the need to answer an elusive question: what exactly is brain gain?
PRAISE FOR NIGERIANS IN SPACE
"Fast-paced, well-written and packed with insight and humor. Olukotun is a very talented storyteller. "
—-Charles Yu, National Book Award 5-Under-35 winner and author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe
"A deft mingling of satirical humor, Noirish twists…and a keen-eyed yet accessible take on cultural displacement in contemporary times. "
—-Olufemi Terry, winner of the Caine Prize for African Writing
"You can taste Cape Town, you can hear it in the dialogue, see its beauty in the descriptions. Deji Olukotun has my city's number: especially its nasty underbelly, the dangerous dealing of abalone poachers. "
—-Mike Nicol, author of the Revenge Trilogy
PRAISE FOR NIGERIANS IN SPACE
"Fast-paced, well-written and packed with insight and humor. Olukotun is a very talented storyteller. "
—-Charles Yu, National Book Award 5-Under-35 winner and author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe
"A deft mingling of satirical humor, Noirish twists…and a keen-eyed yet accessible take on cultural displacement in contemporary times. "
—-Olufemi Terry, winner of the Caine Prize for African Writing
"You can taste Cape Town, you can hear it in the dialogue, see its beauty in the descriptions. Deji Olukotun has my city's number: especially its nasty underbelly, the dangerous dealing of abalone poachers. "
—-Mike Nicol, author of the Revenge Trilogy
300 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 2013
34 people are currently reading
2502 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
February 21, 2017
I asked the library if they had this book after reading Olukotun's 'We Are The Olfanauts' (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) and they decided to buy it just for me! So, you should go request it from the NYPL so it doesn't turn out to just have been for me!
The novel is even better than the (unrelated) short story. It's in that interstitial literary arena where it's almost-but-not-quite science fiction, but is definitely fiction that will be appreciated by science fiction fans.
Dr. Wale Olufunmi is an accomplished lunar geologist. But he's been stymied in his enduring ambition: to become an astronaut and actually get out into space. In 1993, the US space program isn't going much of anywhere. But Wale has been approached by a countryman with seemingly impressive government credentials. He claims that Nigeria is working on a secret 'brain gain' program designed to lure scientists and intellectuals of Nigerian descent back to their homeland and usher in a new era of greatness for the country. All of Wale's dreams could come true - but first, he has to prove his commitment and loyalty...
What transpires next starts a roller-coaster ride of disastrous proportions, with brilliant writing mixing tension, humor and incisive social commentary in a book that's part international crime thriller, part murder mystery, and all vivid, fascinating details.
My one criticism is that I thought that the two main subplot threads (one following a young man who gets roped into a bizarre scheme involving illegal abalone smuggling and the other involving a reclusive young woman who unexpectedly becomes a celebrity model) could have been tied together a bit more tightly with Wale's story. But it's really hardly a flaw, and there are also two more books planned.
I'm not sure I can exactly put my finger on why (the style and feel of the writing...), but I think this book would appeal to fans of Ben H. Winters (Last Policeman trilogy/Underground Airlines).
Highly recommended.
The novel is even better than the (unrelated) short story. It's in that interstitial literary arena where it's almost-but-not-quite science fiction, but is definitely fiction that will be appreciated by science fiction fans.
Dr. Wale Olufunmi is an accomplished lunar geologist. But he's been stymied in his enduring ambition: to become an astronaut and actually get out into space. In 1993, the US space program isn't going much of anywhere. But Wale has been approached by a countryman with seemingly impressive government credentials. He claims that Nigeria is working on a secret 'brain gain' program designed to lure scientists and intellectuals of Nigerian descent back to their homeland and usher in a new era of greatness for the country. All of Wale's dreams could come true - but first, he has to prove his commitment and loyalty...
What transpires next starts a roller-coaster ride of disastrous proportions, with brilliant writing mixing tension, humor and incisive social commentary in a book that's part international crime thriller, part murder mystery, and all vivid, fascinating details.
My one criticism is that I thought that the two main subplot threads (one following a young man who gets roped into a bizarre scheme involving illegal abalone smuggling and the other involving a reclusive young woman who unexpectedly becomes a celebrity model) could have been tied together a bit more tightly with Wale's story. But it's really hardly a flaw, and there are also two more books planned.
I'm not sure I can exactly put my finger on why (the style and feel of the writing...), but I think this book would appeal to fans of Ben H. Winters (Last Policeman trilogy/Underground Airlines).
Highly recommended.
July 22, 2019
I loved it. A different kind of book for me. It was a suspense/thriller. I found this on goodreads giveaways. I didn't win, but I found myself intrigued and had to read it. It did not disappoint. The book was well written, action packed, odd (in a good way) and unpredictable. Most of the action does not take place in the US so it was an introduction to a world stage (though primarily in South Africa). The plot was *no spoilers* a Nigerian official was wooing Nigerian scientists back to Nigeria for a "Brain Gain". Things fall apart quickly and the reader is taken on a wild ride to figure out what happened via some odd and great characters. I loved the characters, I love the unconventional points of view, I loved the oddness and I loved the view of the world from a different vantage point. Definitely recommended. I hope this book gets widely read.
almost 4.5
almost 4.5
July 14, 2024
'A dissident who had escaped house arrest in Nigeria was now claiming on television that he could prove that officials at the highest levels of government had perpetrated shocking human rights abuses in the name of counterterrorism. He was calling for nothing less than to mark a new era of transparency with the launch of the country’s first home-grown rocket, one that could take a manned mission to the moon and plunge a Nigerian flag into the dusty regolith.'
Second read. Review to follow.
Second read. Review to follow.
April 14, 2016
For the first chapter I wasn't sure if this was fiction or a very entertainingly written history, a la The Devil in the White City. Turns out it's fiction, but my confusion stemmed from the fact that Olukotum's prose is incredibly authoritative. He thoroughly delivered me into the world of his novel without sacrificing tension or pacing.
The story revolves around an ill-fated attempt by a silver-tongued politico to reverse the brain drain in Nigeria and kickstart a "brain gain" by repatriating some the top Nigerian-born scientists living abroad, culminating in a manned trip to the moon—hence the title. As you might guess, things don't go quite according to plan. Before long, the members of Brain Gain are either dead or fleeing for their lives. Starting in 1993 and eventually flashing forward to the present day, the book weaves together three primary story lines: there's Wale, one of the Brain Gain scientists, Melissa, a young woman with a very bizarre skin condition, and Thurday, a hapless abalone smuggler. Most of the action takes place in South Africa, which was really interesting because I haven't had a huge amount of exposure to that country in literature.
Olukotum draws great characters and engaging scenarios, but for most of the novel I was wondering how the disparate parts were connected. I'm still not sure it all comes together in the end, but the read was interesting enough that I'm okay with it. I also enjoyed the way he played with fantasy elements while keeping the book firmly rooted in the real.
If you liked this, make sure to follow me on Goodreads for more reviews!
The story revolves around an ill-fated attempt by a silver-tongued politico to reverse the brain drain in Nigeria and kickstart a "brain gain" by repatriating some the top Nigerian-born scientists living abroad, culminating in a manned trip to the moon—hence the title. As you might guess, things don't go quite according to plan. Before long, the members of Brain Gain are either dead or fleeing for their lives. Starting in 1993 and eventually flashing forward to the present day, the book weaves together three primary story lines: there's Wale, one of the Brain Gain scientists, Melissa, a young woman with a very bizarre skin condition, and Thurday, a hapless abalone smuggler. Most of the action takes place in South Africa, which was really interesting because I haven't had a huge amount of exposure to that country in literature.
Olukotum draws great characters and engaging scenarios, but for most of the novel I was wondering how the disparate parts were connected. I'm still not sure it all comes together in the end, but the read was interesting enough that I'm okay with it. I also enjoyed the way he played with fantasy elements while keeping the book firmly rooted in the real.
If you liked this, make sure to follow me on Goodreads for more reviews!
February 13, 2018
I’ve recently read the 2014 book Nigerians in Space by Deji Bryce Olukotun, and I’ve come out the other side baffled and unsettled. I don’t understand why this book has received the praise it’s gotten. While the core premise around which Olukotun builds his narrative may be promising, that premise is hardly explored and is almost entirely obscured by unrelatable and unlikable characters and bad writing.
I don’t think there’s a lot of value in delving more deeply into the “bad writing” claim. I think it’s poorly written, and I encourage potential readers to seek out an excerpt (for a spoiler-free excerpt, readers may look to the chapter on the character named Thursday, around page 53). From there, they’ll easily see whether the writing style will turn them off or not.
I do think there’s value in looking at what I mean when I say characters are unlikable (since it is my main complaint), and also in acknowledging what I do think is laudable about this book.
When it comes to unlikable characters, Olukotun has done something incredible. I did not encounter a single character I found relatable in any way, or indeed encounter any characters written in such a way that the audience was even supposed to like them. They are uniformly without personality, not just in a dry sense but in their almost frantic lack of relatable motivation or worldview. This alone might be chalked up to where I stand on the topic of “show don’t tell”, but a lack of personality is not where this character issue ends.
This book is astonishingly anti-woman. Wale’s wife, for instance, remains nothing more than an essentially mute and sullen harpy, a foil for Wale’s drama to play against. Another character, when encountering the girlfriend of his partner-in-crime, says
“Fadanaz’s breasts pushed out when she was angry, and their presence made it hard for him to register her words.”
And the whole book reads like this. I can’t take a book with lines like this seriously, and I genuinely don’t think anyone should.
However, if I can’t talk you out of reading this book, I’d like to suggest a way to look past its significant problems. Read Nigerians in Space with an eye to the future: to the hope and potential living within Olukotun’s promising premise, and to how prophetic this book has already turned out to be.
In a Slate article, Olukotun describes an understandably (yet almost unimaginably) surreal experience. In a trip to Nigeria, years after writing Nigerians in Space, Olukotun visited Nigeria and the African University of Science and Technology and met Dr. Olufemi Agboola, the director of engineering and space systems at the National Space Research and Development Agency. He says
“There was something absolutely terrifying about meeting in real life a person whom I thought I made up. .. Before me sat an individual with agency and flaws and nuance. I was nearly silenced by the absurdity of our encounter. Since the program was founded in 2003, Agboola’s agency has launched five satellites into space.”
Dr. Agboola, it turns out, really is remarkably like Wale from his book – only real.
If you read Nigerians in Space, remember this part. It’s easy to see that both Olukotun’s book and the reality of scientific advances in Nigeria came from the same kernel of ambition that inspired Olukotun’s writing way back when. You might marvel at how beautiful it is that a man could be inspired to write this story, whose hopeful scifi future turns out not to be future at all – but Nigeria’s real present-day, full of the accomplishments and the ambition that Okulotun (and scientists like Dr. Agboola) dared to dream.
I don’t think there’s a lot of value in delving more deeply into the “bad writing” claim. I think it’s poorly written, and I encourage potential readers to seek out an excerpt (for a spoiler-free excerpt, readers may look to the chapter on the character named Thursday, around page 53). From there, they’ll easily see whether the writing style will turn them off or not.
I do think there’s value in looking at what I mean when I say characters are unlikable (since it is my main complaint), and also in acknowledging what I do think is laudable about this book.
When it comes to unlikable characters, Olukotun has done something incredible. I did not encounter a single character I found relatable in any way, or indeed encounter any characters written in such a way that the audience was even supposed to like them. They are uniformly without personality, not just in a dry sense but in their almost frantic lack of relatable motivation or worldview. This alone might be chalked up to where I stand on the topic of “show don’t tell”, but a lack of personality is not where this character issue ends.
This book is astonishingly anti-woman. Wale’s wife, for instance, remains nothing more than an essentially mute and sullen harpy, a foil for Wale’s drama to play against. Another character, when encountering the girlfriend of his partner-in-crime, says
“Fadanaz’s breasts pushed out when she was angry, and their presence made it hard for him to register her words.”
And the whole book reads like this. I can’t take a book with lines like this seriously, and I genuinely don’t think anyone should.
However, if I can’t talk you out of reading this book, I’d like to suggest a way to look past its significant problems. Read Nigerians in Space with an eye to the future: to the hope and potential living within Olukotun’s promising premise, and to how prophetic this book has already turned out to be.
In a Slate article, Olukotun describes an understandably (yet almost unimaginably) surreal experience. In a trip to Nigeria, years after writing Nigerians in Space, Olukotun visited Nigeria and the African University of Science and Technology and met Dr. Olufemi Agboola, the director of engineering and space systems at the National Space Research and Development Agency. He says
“There was something absolutely terrifying about meeting in real life a person whom I thought I made up. .. Before me sat an individual with agency and flaws and nuance. I was nearly silenced by the absurdity of our encounter. Since the program was founded in 2003, Agboola’s agency has launched five satellites into space.”
Dr. Agboola, it turns out, really is remarkably like Wale from his book – only real.
If you read Nigerians in Space, remember this part. It’s easy to see that both Olukotun’s book and the reality of scientific advances in Nigeria came from the same kernel of ambition that inspired Olukotun’s writing way back when. You might marvel at how beautiful it is that a man could be inspired to write this story, whose hopeful scifi future turns out not to be future at all – but Nigeria’s real present-day, full of the accomplishments and the ambition that Okulotun (and scientists like Dr. Agboola) dared to dream.
January 25, 2015
Scientists are lured back home in a ‘brain gain’ plan to start up Nigerian space program. But, things go awry. Is it legit, a scam, or something more sinister?
Well-told, interweaving stories that not only explore various issues including nationality, exile, political machinations, dreams vs. reality, aspirations, generational impact of actions, scams, criminal activity, national pride, etc..., but also move between 1993 and the present.
There are repeated references to the power & history of Yoruba riddles & storytelling, a gift of a golden tongue. Olukotun has added an intriguing & impressive piece to the canon with his unfolding tale that kept me firmly pulled in throughout the story. Definitely recommended.
P.S. The author has penned an interesting article called "Meeting My Protagonist": http://www.slate.com/articles/technol...
Well-told, interweaving stories that not only explore various issues including nationality, exile, political machinations, dreams vs. reality, aspirations, generational impact of actions, scams, criminal activity, national pride, etc..., but also move between 1993 and the present.
There are repeated references to the power & history of Yoruba riddles & storytelling, a gift of a golden tongue. Olukotun has added an intriguing & impressive piece to the canon with his unfolding tale that kept me firmly pulled in throughout the story. Definitely recommended.
P.S. The author has penned an interesting article called "Meeting My Protagonist": http://www.slate.com/articles/technol...
zzzzz-did-not-finish
December 23, 2019A very interesting sci-fi thriller. I think this simply switches between point of view more than I wanted.
January 18, 2021
I'm having a hard time writing my review of this book. I'm not sure what to think about it. At first because of the title I thought it would be science fiction but clearly it's not. Then while reading I thought it was more of a mystery but I don't think it's a mystery either...I guess it's just plain fiction. I did find it very interesting while reading and I flew through the pages. But I still feel very muddled about what the book is, how to classify it. I guess each person who reads it has to decide for themselves. A lot of the story is about life in South Africa, especially the power outages.
The story follows several different characters who get involved in a scheme to make Nigeria a better country through science. It's called Brain Gain. One of the scientist is Wale who works at NASA and is an expert on moon rocks. His dream is to go to space and become an astronaut. Brain Gain lures him and other scientists away from their current successful lives to go back to Nigeria, the country of their birth. But then things rapidly start falling apart. Some people die and others are left foundering on their own. Confusion and fear reigns. Where will they live? How will they survive?
The mystery itself is not really driving the plot. It seems to me it takes a backseat to the characters trying to just survive. Most of the story actually takes place in South Africa but many other countries are in here too including France, the USA, Switzerland. Anyway there is none of the typical snooping one has in a mystery and there really isn't any sense of suspense although people certainly die. And even though it didn't have those elements I certainly flew through the pages. I read the entire book in less than 12 hours. So yes the story is very engaging even though it's hard for me to classify it.
The ending does leave me feeling a bit confused. The revelation of what was actually going on (the murderer if you will) just was not satisfying. It was confusing and not what I had expected or even experienced in another book. That's one reason I'm rating this the way I am. I do think it reflects life in another country and how things are over there. I guess I'm just not familiar with life in other places.
Another one of the main characters is Thursday. I really liked him. He seemed more honest, even simple in a few ways, but I think why I liked him so much was because he loved caring for his abalones so much. His passion and love for them really touched me. And I think that is why I read the book so quickly. I must say I really was unsure what an abolone was so I had to go look it up on Google. If it weren't for Thursday I wouldn't have liked the book as much. Perhaps the author should try writing a story about sea life as I think that's where he shines. Anyway I could very easily imagine Thursday just simply keeping the abalones as pets and never wanting to give them up!
Another character I should mention is the girl Melissa. Towards the end I ended up not liking her at all really. She was too...rude and bossy.
I do love the cover of this book! It's very beautiful. And it's the cover that attracted me to it.
The story follows several different characters who get involved in a scheme to make Nigeria a better country through science. It's called Brain Gain. One of the scientist is Wale who works at NASA and is an expert on moon rocks. His dream is to go to space and become an astronaut. Brain Gain lures him and other scientists away from their current successful lives to go back to Nigeria, the country of their birth. But then things rapidly start falling apart. Some people die and others are left foundering on their own. Confusion and fear reigns. Where will they live? How will they survive?
The mystery itself is not really driving the plot. It seems to me it takes a backseat to the characters trying to just survive. Most of the story actually takes place in South Africa but many other countries are in here too including France, the USA, Switzerland. Anyway there is none of the typical snooping one has in a mystery and there really isn't any sense of suspense although people certainly die. And even though it didn't have those elements I certainly flew through the pages. I read the entire book in less than 12 hours. So yes the story is very engaging even though it's hard for me to classify it.
The ending does leave me feeling a bit confused. The revelation of what was actually going on (the murderer if you will) just was not satisfying. It was confusing and not what I had expected or even experienced in another book. That's one reason I'm rating this the way I am. I do think it reflects life in another country and how things are over there. I guess I'm just not familiar with life in other places.
Another one of the main characters is Thursday. I really liked him. He seemed more honest, even simple in a few ways, but I think why I liked him so much was because he loved caring for his abalones so much. His passion and love for them really touched me. And I think that is why I read the book so quickly. I must say I really was unsure what an abolone was so I had to go look it up on Google. If it weren't for Thursday I wouldn't have liked the book as much. Perhaps the author should try writing a story about sea life as I think that's where he shines. Anyway I could very easily imagine Thursday just simply keeping the abalones as pets and never wanting to give them up!
Another character I should mention is the girl Melissa. Towards the end I ended up not liking her at all really. She was too...rude and bossy.
I do love the cover of this book! It's very beautiful. And it's the cover that attracted me to it.
June 22, 2018
What is this book about?
It's easy to say what it's not about. It's not about a group of Nigerians on a spaceship. It's not even exactly about a Nigerian space program. It's about something else... but what?
The book concerns two generations of people, most of them emigrant Nigerians. Apparently, this is a thing. If, like me, you are not already aware of the Nigerian Brain Drain, then this might be a tricky book to comprehend. Apparently, the best and brightest in Nigeria have often had to go abroad in order to find countries with the research infrastructure that they need. Once in this countries, they discover that they are stereotyped (often as swindlers) and not given the opportunities that they deserve. This double-bind, lack of opportunity at home vs. discrimination abroad, is one of the themes of the book. There is more, though.
The two generations- 1990s and present day- seem to me to be different. They have different relationships with Nigeria and with their own skill sets. If I had to guess, I would say that the newer generation shows more autonomy and self-reliance than the older one. This is all tied to Nigerian politics in ways that I don't fully grasp, though.
The moon is a prominent symbol throughout the book. I think it represents dreams, especially unfulfilled dreams. I wonder if it has some cultural significance that I'm missing out on. Olukotun makes frequent references to Yoruba culture, and I wonder if this is one of them.
Recommended for: People who are interested in contemporary Africa, especially Nigeria and South Africa. Also, people who like international thrillers. Olukotun excels at building tension whenever the characters are in danger.
It's easy to say what it's not about. It's not about a group of Nigerians on a spaceship. It's not even exactly about a Nigerian space program. It's about something else... but what?
The book concerns two generations of people, most of them emigrant Nigerians. Apparently, this is a thing. If, like me, you are not already aware of the Nigerian Brain Drain, then this might be a tricky book to comprehend. Apparently, the best and brightest in Nigeria have often had to go abroad in order to find countries with the research infrastructure that they need. Once in this countries, they discover that they are stereotyped (often as swindlers) and not given the opportunities that they deserve. This double-bind, lack of opportunity at home vs. discrimination abroad, is one of the themes of the book. There is more, though.
The two generations- 1990s and present day- seem to me to be different. They have different relationships with Nigeria and with their own skill sets. If I had to guess, I would say that the newer generation shows more autonomy and self-reliance than the older one. This is all tied to Nigerian politics in ways that I don't fully grasp, though.
The moon is a prominent symbol throughout the book. I think it represents dreams, especially unfulfilled dreams. I wonder if it has some cultural significance that I'm missing out on. Olukotun makes frequent references to Yoruba culture, and I wonder if this is one of them.
Recommended for: People who are interested in contemporary Africa, especially Nigeria and South Africa. Also, people who like international thrillers. Olukotun excels at building tension whenever the characters are in danger.
April 29, 2014
Nigerians in Space may very well be the best fiction book I will have read in 2014. I find myself reading more non-fiction these days, afraid of the frequent disappointment with new fiction, but I am glad that I won Nigerians in Space in the Goodreads First Reads (thanks!) giveaway.
I could describe the book in terms of the plot (the events set off by a Nigerian official promising a scientific leap in the home country to successful Nigerian scientists who live abroad), story (the emotional struggle of characters to fend off the fear and alienation as they are forced to abandon their familiar lives and live in foreign and strange lands, creating false identities and new pasts with the hopes for a better, clearer, calmer, more peaceful features), or the structure (the story of three main characters and the loose connections between their chaotic and blurry pasts colliding in a surprising climax), but perhaps the best way to describe Olukotun’s novel is that it makes sense out of utter chaos. And he does it in an unapologetic manner, without stopping to explain the chaos, but simply telling the story as a lens that the reader can, if she chooses to, use to see the mess in a different way.
Nigerians in Space is a bold tour de force, a mystery full of thrill, and an adventure full of heartbreak. Highly recommended for those who like mollusks, telescopes, and moonlight.
I could describe the book in terms of the plot (the events set off by a Nigerian official promising a scientific leap in the home country to successful Nigerian scientists who live abroad), story (the emotional struggle of characters to fend off the fear and alienation as they are forced to abandon their familiar lives and live in foreign and strange lands, creating false identities and new pasts with the hopes for a better, clearer, calmer, more peaceful features), or the structure (the story of three main characters and the loose connections between their chaotic and blurry pasts colliding in a surprising climax), but perhaps the best way to describe Olukotun’s novel is that it makes sense out of utter chaos. And he does it in an unapologetic manner, without stopping to explain the chaos, but simply telling the story as a lens that the reader can, if she chooses to, use to see the mess in a different way.
Nigerians in Space is a bold tour de force, a mystery full of thrill, and an adventure full of heartbreak. Highly recommended for those who like mollusks, telescopes, and moonlight.
May 26, 2014
A funny, strange yet fascinating first novel (by an author whose family I know, I must admit.) The characters - from South Africa, Nigeria, USA - are very well drawn, some very amusing, some frightening. The story line begins with the premise that (contrary to our view of Nigerians being involved in scams - the infamous 419s) there are well-educated Nigerians, even or especially scientists. Dr Wale Olufunmi, who begins the novel as a respected geologist working at a university in Texas, ends the novel in South Africa giving tours of an observatory and hiding his past from his son. In between the story careems around characters around the world (very funny and sad airport scenes included.) I learned more about abalone farming than I would ever have thought I'd find interesting. Recommended.
March 24, 2015
This was a fun book to read immediately after coming back from a trip to Cape Town; I think I had a lot more context and understood the characters-- especially Thursday--on a level that I would not have even 2 months ago. I think the fact that the author later "met his protagonist" adds a level of authenticity, and I found the book compelling even if the last third was a bit far-fetched and, if I'm being blunt, sloppy.
I think if anything reading this just makes me increasingly excited about fiction set in Cape Town specifically and South Africa in general, and I'll be making a point to seek more of it out.
I think if anything reading this just makes me increasingly excited about fiction set in Cape Town specifically and South Africa in general, and I'll be making a point to seek more of it out.
May 14, 2014
Afro-centric, sci-fi, international espionage thriller? Yes, please.
November 4, 2025
We read this for my science fiction book group. I am not impressed. Every Nigerian in the book is characterized as a thief or a lowlife that can't be trusted. The science fiction element - when it FINALLY shows up - is minimal at best. Perhaps it is setting us up for the sequel, which I will NOT be reading.
One star is for DNF. Two stars is for dreadfully bad writing and story. The writing here is not dreadful, and there is a story, which I did not enjoy. Hence the 3 stars
One star is for DNF. Two stars is for dreadfully bad writing and story. The writing here is not dreadful, and there is a story, which I did not enjoy. Hence the 3 stars
July 9, 2013
When I said yes to a review copy of NIGERIANS IN SPACE, I will admit that it was partly the title. The opening line of the blurb didn't hurt either. Starting to read it, from about chapter 2 I was totally bamboozled, and firmly hooked. (Although I was mildly disappointed that the piece of the moon stolen was pilfered from a laboratory ... for a while I hoped....)
With a story that quickly moves from the early 90's to the present, this is a very smooth, slightly mad debut novel which bodes particularly well for future outings.
It could be that part of the story that really works is the idea that there would be a government official orchestrating a brain gain back to Nigeria. A call to arms for Nigerian scientists the world over. Return, use your knowledge and help the land of your birth become the rising technological power of Africa. There's just the minor inconvenience of a little pinched material as your "entrance fee" for want of a better description.
It's hard not to get well into this whole story without the words "Nigerian Scam" rolling in front of your eyes. And it is a very delicious idea, that the ultimate Nigerian Scam might actually be perpetrated by Bello, the Nigerian government official on some of the great Nigerian brains of our time. Especially as the ultimate plan seems to fall to pieces very quickly and the main character - lunar rock geologist Olufunmi, finds himself stranded, with family and a rapidly disappearing brain gain dream.
But the story is not just about Olufunmi. There's also amiable Thursday, who goes from abalone breeder to poacher, and Melissa another victim of Bello. All three storylines do eventually converge in a resolution steeped in African sensibility.
The action moves around a lot in this book, although once it hits South Africa it settles and whilst there is a strong sense of place, it's also the strong cultural setting and feel that really make this an interesting read. Slightly mad definitely, but good mad. In fact it was fascinating all round. Even if the first few chapters might have you wondering what on earth..
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
With a story that quickly moves from the early 90's to the present, this is a very smooth, slightly mad debut novel which bodes particularly well for future outings.
It could be that part of the story that really works is the idea that there would be a government official orchestrating a brain gain back to Nigeria. A call to arms for Nigerian scientists the world over. Return, use your knowledge and help the land of your birth become the rising technological power of Africa. There's just the minor inconvenience of a little pinched material as your "entrance fee" for want of a better description.
It's hard not to get well into this whole story without the words "Nigerian Scam" rolling in front of your eyes. And it is a very delicious idea, that the ultimate Nigerian Scam might actually be perpetrated by Bello, the Nigerian government official on some of the great Nigerian brains of our time. Especially as the ultimate plan seems to fall to pieces very quickly and the main character - lunar rock geologist Olufunmi, finds himself stranded, with family and a rapidly disappearing brain gain dream.
But the story is not just about Olufunmi. There's also amiable Thursday, who goes from abalone breeder to poacher, and Melissa another victim of Bello. All three storylines do eventually converge in a resolution steeped in African sensibility.
The action moves around a lot in this book, although once it hits South Africa it settles and whilst there is a strong sense of place, it's also the strong cultural setting and feel that really make this an interesting read. Slightly mad definitely, but good mad. In fact it was fascinating all round. Even if the first few chapters might have you wondering what on earth..
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August 5, 2013
I was not sure what to expect from this book, but I ended up really loving it. It had the pace and content of a crime thriller, but was unlike any other I've read. It's set in Africa, both Nigeria, but also more South Africa and the subjects, characters and scenes are completely unique. I found myself almost missing my subway stop on the way to work because I could not put it down. I can't wait until they make it into a movie...
August 14, 2016
I've been describing this book as a "spy" novel, but it's really just fantastic fun and perfectly weird read that I highly recommend.
April 6, 2013
Nigerians in Space is Olukotun's first novel and I hope he has another in the works because this one grabbed my interest from start to finish. The title sounds as if it might be science fiction but it is a crime thriller—with maybe a touch of mysticism—set primarily in Cape Town, South Africa. The story moves between 1993/94 and the present.
In 1993, a glib Nigerian government official named Bello makes an offer to Nigerian scientists working around the world. Come back to Nigeria, invest your knowledge in the country of your birth, and together we will make Nigeria the center of technology on the African continent. We will plant the Nigerian flag on the moon. He calls this plan the Brain Gain. He seems to have the money and resources and all he asks is for each scientist to steal a piece of their research to prove their commitment to the project.
But is Bello for real? Can he deliver? Or is this the ultimate Nigerian scam? Lunar geologist Wale Olufunmi, studying rocks from the moon, in Huston, Texas is pulled into Bello's scheme. More than anything, he wants to go into space. He steals a sample from the first moon landing and flees with his wife and son to Washington, DC. But Bello isn't there to meet them, Wale can't go with the contingency play, so he has to improvise. He takes his family to Sweden where he knows there is another scientist who has been recruited. Everything goes wrong for Wale and he stands to lose his dream, his family, even his life.
In addition to Wale's story, we have two other plot-lines. In the present, there is Thursday Malaysius, a man gifted in cultivating abalones (or perlemoen or perlies), a protected species in South Africa. Thursday lets a boyhood friend lead him astray and soon he finds himself an abalone poacher. Melissa is a young woman and a victim of Bello's plan. She finds herself abandoned and stranded in France. Her unusual skin condition propels her toward a direct confrontation with Wale and Bello. She is also the source of what I think of as the mystical elements of the story.
These three plot-lines— scientist on the run/hiding; abalone poacher; young woman—run parallel with the action shifting between the three as the story advances. The author brings the stories together near the end with the mystical (but non-supernatural) power or pull of the moon and moonlight. Ethereal might be a better word than mystical but both occurred to me as I read.
The author blends fact, fiction, and a few liberties with history into an intriguing and many faceted story. He provides a wealth of cultural detail that gives the story roots and shows that it couldn't be plunked down in any location.
The Brain Gain story line is interesting and compelling. The Nigerian Diaspora is real. At the time the novel begins (1993), Nigeria was about to transition to a democracy after a free and fair election. Bello would have been riding on a wave of optimism that he could pull off his Brain Gain plan. But later in 1993, the election was nullified and the military junta took over. Good-by dreams.
Wales is Nigerian from the Yoruba ethnic group and the story is sprinkled with Yoruba and other ethnic proverbs. Even more fascinating is how the author works in the Yoruba mythos surrounding twins. Nigeria has the highest incidence of non-identical twins in Africa (45 per 1000). Twins are considered to share a soul and if one twin dies, a small statue is carved to represent the deceased one. The statue is called an ibeji. In the story, Ibeji takes on a sinister aspect.
The author wrote Nigerians in Space while living in South Africa and much of the story is set in Cape Town and the Western Cape town of Hermanus. With Thursday Malayius the story takes on a hardboiled/noir tone when Thursday, a generally decent fellow, finds himself a key player in the illicit perlemoen (abalone) trade with Chinese mobsters making him an offer he can't refuse. This might not seem to fit into the overall story arc but it all comes together, honest.
Readers who enjoy a good sense of place will appreciate the way the author presents the Observatory (Obs) suburb, bordering the actual Royal Observatory which plays a important role in the story. Obs is close to the University of Cape Town and consequently has a large student population. It is also a place used for short term accommodations by foreign workers.
The main plotline(the Nigerians) is unusual and generated curiosity in me. Enough to send me to find out more. The cultural aspects of Nigeria and South Africa both rounds out and pulls the story together.
I was given an e-book version for review but purchased my own copy before I finished. I liked it that much.
Nigerians in Space
Deji Olukotun
Ricochet Books, 21 Feb. 2013
Kindle edition
In 1993, a glib Nigerian government official named Bello makes an offer to Nigerian scientists working around the world. Come back to Nigeria, invest your knowledge in the country of your birth, and together we will make Nigeria the center of technology on the African continent. We will plant the Nigerian flag on the moon. He calls this plan the Brain Gain. He seems to have the money and resources and all he asks is for each scientist to steal a piece of their research to prove their commitment to the project.
But is Bello for real? Can he deliver? Or is this the ultimate Nigerian scam? Lunar geologist Wale Olufunmi, studying rocks from the moon, in Huston, Texas is pulled into Bello's scheme. More than anything, he wants to go into space. He steals a sample from the first moon landing and flees with his wife and son to Washington, DC. But Bello isn't there to meet them, Wale can't go with the contingency play, so he has to improvise. He takes his family to Sweden where he knows there is another scientist who has been recruited. Everything goes wrong for Wale and he stands to lose his dream, his family, even his life.
In addition to Wale's story, we have two other plot-lines. In the present, there is Thursday Malaysius, a man gifted in cultivating abalones (or perlemoen or perlies), a protected species in South Africa. Thursday lets a boyhood friend lead him astray and soon he finds himself an abalone poacher. Melissa is a young woman and a victim of Bello's plan. She finds herself abandoned and stranded in France. Her unusual skin condition propels her toward a direct confrontation with Wale and Bello. She is also the source of what I think of as the mystical elements of the story.
These three plot-lines— scientist on the run/hiding; abalone poacher; young woman—run parallel with the action shifting between the three as the story advances. The author brings the stories together near the end with the mystical (but non-supernatural) power or pull of the moon and moonlight. Ethereal might be a better word than mystical but both occurred to me as I read.
The author blends fact, fiction, and a few liberties with history into an intriguing and many faceted story. He provides a wealth of cultural detail that gives the story roots and shows that it couldn't be plunked down in any location.
The Brain Gain story line is interesting and compelling. The Nigerian Diaspora is real. At the time the novel begins (1993), Nigeria was about to transition to a democracy after a free and fair election. Bello would have been riding on a wave of optimism that he could pull off his Brain Gain plan. But later in 1993, the election was nullified and the military junta took over. Good-by dreams.
Wales is Nigerian from the Yoruba ethnic group and the story is sprinkled with Yoruba and other ethnic proverbs. Even more fascinating is how the author works in the Yoruba mythos surrounding twins. Nigeria has the highest incidence of non-identical twins in Africa (45 per 1000). Twins are considered to share a soul and if one twin dies, a small statue is carved to represent the deceased one. The statue is called an ibeji. In the story, Ibeji takes on a sinister aspect.
The author wrote Nigerians in Space while living in South Africa and much of the story is set in Cape Town and the Western Cape town of Hermanus. With Thursday Malayius the story takes on a hardboiled/noir tone when Thursday, a generally decent fellow, finds himself a key player in the illicit perlemoen (abalone) trade with Chinese mobsters making him an offer he can't refuse. This might not seem to fit into the overall story arc but it all comes together, honest.
Readers who enjoy a good sense of place will appreciate the way the author presents the Observatory (Obs) suburb, bordering the actual Royal Observatory which plays a important role in the story. Obs is close to the University of Cape Town and consequently has a large student population. It is also a place used for short term accommodations by foreign workers.
The main plotline(the Nigerians) is unusual and generated curiosity in me. Enough to send me to find out more. The cultural aspects of Nigeria and South Africa both rounds out and pulls the story together.
I was given an e-book version for review but purchased my own copy before I finished. I liked it that much.
Nigerians in Space
Deji Olukotun
Ricochet Books, 21 Feb. 2013
Kindle edition
July 13, 2025
Misleading - no Nigerian’s ever come close to going to space
More like a 2.5 but I’ll be nice and round up because it was quick
More like a 2.5 but I’ll be nice and round up because it was quick
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2018
Maybe I read it too fast (the second half, anyway); maybe it's the magical realism towards the end, but I found it just a little confusing, there. Will have to think about it.
February 19, 2019
Poignant but confusing
I found the four main characters interesting and the writing evocative, but the constant changes in perspective from character to character and from past to present left me struggling to follow the plot. I didn't feel this novel fulfilled the promise of exploring the idea of home, which left me feeling disappointed overall.
I found the four main characters interesting and the writing evocative, but the constant changes in perspective from character to character and from past to present left me struggling to follow the plot. I didn't feel this novel fulfilled the promise of exploring the idea of home, which left me feeling disappointed overall.
January 18, 2019
I was promised Nigerians in space, and instead, I got three interwoven stories, one of which was about a lunar geologist who really wants to go to space but instead spends most of his time in an observatory trying not to get killed after being scammed - maybe - as part of a "Brain Gain" program to lure Nigeria's best scientists back to the country to revitalize the nation. But no Nigerians in space.
I don't even know what to say about this book besides that I really enjoyed it, besides the fact that there were none of the promised Nigerians in space. The stories are bizarre - an unsuspecting dude gets caught up in a weird abalone smuggling ring, a young girl with a skin condition unexpectedly becomes a supermodel after hiding herself behind a niqab her whole life, and said lunar geologist has a kid and then winds up in South Africa where all of these stories eventually intersect. Then we discover that the scam artist (?) who tried to lure all the scientists - including Wale, our geologist - back to the country has been holed up under house arrest, and the space program for Nigeria is not, in fact, going to happen.
And all the abalone die, and maybe the geologist's son sells his lamps successfully to the abalone smugglers, and the supermodel doesn't find her dad - but at least there's another book after this that might have Nigerians in space?
I think this book may have made me reconsider that "space" might not actually mean outer space, but rather Nigerians taking up space, being made visible, having stories that are not fully their own that must be reckoned with and read by you and me.
I don't even know what to say about this book besides that I really enjoyed it, besides the fact that there were none of the promised Nigerians in space. The stories are bizarre - an unsuspecting dude gets caught up in a weird abalone smuggling ring, a young girl with a skin condition unexpectedly becomes a supermodel after hiding herself behind a niqab her whole life, and said lunar geologist has a kid and then winds up in South Africa where all of these stories eventually intersect. Then we discover that the scam artist (?) who tried to lure all the scientists - including Wale, our geologist - back to the country has been holed up under house arrest, and the space program for Nigeria is not, in fact, going to happen.
And all the abalone die, and maybe the geologist's son sells his lamps successfully to the abalone smugglers, and the supermodel doesn't find her dad - but at least there's another book after this that might have Nigerians in space?
I think this book may have made me reconsider that "space" might not actually mean outer space, but rather Nigerians taking up space, being made visible, having stories that are not fully their own that must be reckoned with and read by you and me.
February 6, 2017
Debut novel from Deji Bryce Olukotun that isn’t quite what it seems at first glance. I found this in the science-fiction section of the bookstore, and the blurb suggests that it’s a fictional story about Nigeria attempting to kick off a space-flight program. In reality, it’s more of an international thriller with a few scientific elements. The narrative hops back and forth between 1993 and present day, following lunar geologist Wale Olufunmi, who steals a moon sample from NASA as a sign of commitment to the planned program, only to find himself stranded when his recruiter fails to show up, after which he discovers that other recruits are being killed. There are also subplots involving a not-so-smart South African abalone smuggler and a Zimbabwe woman with an unusual skin condition who searches for the man who betrayed her father and left her stuck in a Paris orphanage. So it’s not really about space at all –it’s more about the collision between dreams, good-intentioned idealism, and the hard reality of African political power struggles and corruption. The narrative framework that serves as the vehicle for this gets a bit clunky by the end and doesn't provide much resolution, leaving several unanswered questions. But there was still enough going on to keep me interested throughout.
September 7, 2016
I received Nigerians in Space as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
Bouncing back and forth between the early 1990s and the present day, Nigerians in Space centers on Wale, a lunar geologist, as he steals a piece of moon rock from his employer (NASA) and returns to his homeland as part of a mysterious "Brain Gain" movement designed to attract Nigerian expatriate talent back to the home country. We also follow the fates of Wale's son as a young adult, ambivalent abalone poacher Thursday, and Melissa, a young woman who feels conspicuous due to a rare skin condition. Their storylines intertwine and ultimately come together in
This was a beautiful little read. You get a taste of life in both Nigeria and South Africa, the social and economic realities that citizens of each country face, overlaid by an interesting, engaging plot. Wale, desperate and often distasteful as he is, is also strangely compelling, his son Dayo's conflicted feelings about his father and his life in Nigeria is a character any young person can empathize with, and Thursday and Melissa are equally multifaceted, real characters. A thoughtful book exploring modern African life, often on the wrong side of the law.
Bouncing back and forth between the early 1990s and the present day, Nigerians in Space centers on Wale, a lunar geologist, as he steals a piece of moon rock from his employer (NASA) and returns to his homeland as part of a mysterious "Brain Gain" movement designed to attract Nigerian expatriate talent back to the home country. We also follow the fates of Wale's son as a young adult, ambivalent abalone poacher Thursday, and Melissa, a young woman who feels conspicuous due to a rare skin condition. Their storylines intertwine and ultimately come together in
This was a beautiful little read. You get a taste of life in both Nigeria and South Africa, the social and economic realities that citizens of each country face, overlaid by an interesting, engaging plot. Wale, desperate and often distasteful as he is, is also strangely compelling, his son Dayo's conflicted feelings about his father and his life in Nigeria is a character any young person can empathize with, and Thursday and Melissa are equally multifaceted, real characters. A thoughtful book exploring modern African life, often on the wrong side of the law.
November 9, 2017
This story had so much potential and I honestly got very excited about it from reading its first few pages. However, as a Nigerian, I discovered that there was a lack of research about some details in this book.
The jumps in time were unnecessary, Melle's skin transformation incredulous, her meeting with Tinuke loosely tied, and Wale's kidnapping action and divorce unresolved.
Furthermore, Melissa's death (or something of that sort), Thursday's behaviour, and the whole ending just felt completely jumbled and rushed.
The excuse might be that it's a debut novel but I've honestly seen better from other authors. I wanted to read the sequel but I'm not inclined to after reading this one.
I am not impressed.
The jumps in time were unnecessary, Melle's skin transformation incredulous, her meeting with Tinuke loosely tied, and Wale's kidnapping action and divorce unresolved.
Furthermore, Melissa's death (or something of that sort), Thursday's behaviour, and the whole ending just felt completely jumbled and rushed.
The excuse might be that it's a debut novel but I've honestly seen better from other authors. I wanted to read the sequel but I'm not inclined to after reading this one.
I am not impressed.
February 9, 2019
As a South African, I was perplexed at why some words (i.e. braii as opposed to braai - there were others but can't just now recall what they are) were spelled incorrectly. Not without meaning, anyway. If it was because the words were "seen" through the eyes of a foreign national? That was not obvious enough, nor did it justify itself. I agree with some of the other reviews that there was a lack of embodied character development and an almost biased portrayal of women (there were no strong or even positive female characters: all were angry, bitter, mean, or in the case of Melle, sexualised). It feels, therefore, like picking up crumbs to say that I enjoyed the spotlight on South Africa and Nigeria.
October 24, 2023
The disparate threads of this story - which blends spy fiction, science fiction and urban crime genres together - were a little too disparate to really engage me until quite late in the book. A surfeit of plot combines with a slow burn pace - if you prefer your books plot driven, this might suit you more. Some of the individual scenes are great - especially the opening sequence and almost everything involving an abalone whisperer whose plot was largely "has a bad friend" but whose humanity shone through the writing, but the whole just didn't sustain my interest. I picked this up because a number of people had recommended the sequel to me, and I do like to read things in order, but I'm a little undecided now on whether to give it a go or not.
June 15, 2016
This books starts out really well but quickly falls down. The constant shifts in time for absolutely no reason infuriated me. It's a real shame as the story had real potential.
June 4, 2016
After a strong start this book was a disappointment . Too many jumps in time, and a rushed and fumbled conclusion. Had it not been a book club read I doubt if I would have finished it.
October 28, 2016
Great read, some aspects of plot a little loose but loved the writing and the content
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