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Better Never than Late: Cassava Shorts
Religious fervour culminates in an exorcism for one unfortunate maid. A harrowing encounter on a train haunts Añuli. A mother abandons her child in search of personal freedom. A wife joins her husband, only to be met with news that threatens their relationship.
This richly imagined collage of interconnected stories follows Prosperous and Agu, and the motley community of Nigerian expats who gather at their apartment each week. Their reality is one of dashed hopes, twisted love and the pain of homesickness, even as they fight to make their way in this new world.
'BETTER NEVER THAN LATE' is a layered and affecting portrayal of the everyday absurdities and adversities of migrant life.
Running Time => 3hrs. and 51mins.
©2019 Chika Unigwe (P)2021 Recorded Books
This richly imagined collage of interconnected stories follows Prosperous and Agu, and the motley community of Nigerian expats who gather at their apartment each week. Their reality is one of dashed hopes, twisted love and the pain of homesickness, even as they fight to make their way in this new world.
'BETTER NEVER THAN LATE' is a layered and affecting portrayal of the everyday absurdities and adversities of migrant life.
Running Time => 3hrs. and 51mins.
©2019 Chika Unigwe (P)2021 Recorded Books
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First published September 24, 2019
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About the author
Chika Unigwe
35 books248 followersChika Unigwe was born in Enugu, Nigeria, and now lives in Turnhout, Belgium, with her husband and four children. She writes in English and Dutch.
In April 2014 she was selected for the Hay Festival's Africa39 list of 39 Sub-Saharan African writers aged under 40 with potential and talent to define future trends in African literature.
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Unigwe holds a BA in English Language and Literature from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and an MA from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. She also holds a PhD from the University of Leiden, The Netherlands, having completed a thesis entitled "In the shadow of Ala. Igbo women writing as an act of righting" in 2004.
Chika Unigwe is een dichter en schrijfster, geboren in Nigeria en wonende in België (zij beschrijft zichzelf als "Afro Belgische"). Ze schrijft in het Nederlands en in het Engels. Ze is doctor in de literatuurwetenschap aan de Universiteit Leiden (Nederland).
In April 2014 she was selected for the Hay Festival's Africa39 list of 39 Sub-Saharan African writers aged under 40 with potential and talent to define future trends in African literature.
.
Unigwe holds a BA in English Language and Literature from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and an MA from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. She also holds a PhD from the University of Leiden, The Netherlands, having completed a thesis entitled "In the shadow of Ala. Igbo women writing as an act of righting" in 2004.
Chika Unigwe is een dichter en schrijfster, geboren in Nigeria en wonende in België (zij beschrijft zichzelf als "Afro Belgische"). Ze schrijft in het Nederlands en in het Engels. Ze is doctor in de literatuurwetenschap aan de Universiteit Leiden (Nederland).
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February 20, 2022One has to appreciate fiction that refuses to craft happy endings simply for a reader's benefit. Perhaps this is why some readers avoid realistic fiction. Yet, realistic fiction is an emotional portrait of life in its starkness, isn't' it? I love realistic fiction and I love migrant stories, so of course I delved into this novel of friends who find ways to cope with despair and hopelessness. Their stories may seem hopeless, but these characters are fleshed out and convincing.
Unigwe's On Black Sisters Street was based in Belgium, and so is this novel. I have a distant cousin who lives in Belgium. I remember meeting him for the first time when we were kids, and wondering how he had just left West Africa but learned to speak Dutch so fluently. The African diaspora is so nuanced, so deeply bruised, so sophisticated, that I enjoy reading books that elucidate it. One of the things that gives me pause, however, is the subject of marriages of convenience, specifically green card convenience. This book explores this through stories of friends who assemble each week at an apartment to discuss their plight. They are highly educated immigrants who, in their new country, will never be given the chance to work the jobs they are capable of working, so they toil daily in factories and find ways to cope with despair. For some, marriage becomes the perfect disguise, the way to fit in. For others, they are ashamed and overcome by pride. As the saying goes, hurt people hurt people.
For those readers who enjoy interconnected stories, this may be your cup of tea. I am not a fan of linked stories that feel more like a short story collection, less like a novel. When I read short stories, I read with the expectation that certain questions will go unanswered. When I read novels, I read for completion, for characters whose stories merge with some overarching story. Cassava Republic Press publishes some beautiful books from the continent, so I picked up this copy when it was published in the U.S. in 2020. Like Unigwe's novel, On Black Sisters Street, these stories highlight imperfect people making the most out of an imperfect life of dashed dreams and adversity.
Unigwe's On Black Sisters Street was based in Belgium, and so is this novel. I have a distant cousin who lives in Belgium. I remember meeting him for the first time when we were kids, and wondering how he had just left West Africa but learned to speak Dutch so fluently. The African diaspora is so nuanced, so deeply bruised, so sophisticated, that I enjoy reading books that elucidate it. One of the things that gives me pause, however, is the subject of marriages of convenience, specifically green card convenience. This book explores this through stories of friends who assemble each week at an apartment to discuss their plight. They are highly educated immigrants who, in their new country, will never be given the chance to work the jobs they are capable of working, so they toil daily in factories and find ways to cope with despair. For some, marriage becomes the perfect disguise, the way to fit in. For others, they are ashamed and overcome by pride. As the saying goes, hurt people hurt people.
For those readers who enjoy interconnected stories, this may be your cup of tea. I am not a fan of linked stories that feel more like a short story collection, less like a novel. When I read short stories, I read with the expectation that certain questions will go unanswered. When I read novels, I read for completion, for characters whose stories merge with some overarching story. Cassava Republic Press publishes some beautiful books from the continent, so I picked up this copy when it was published in the U.S. in 2020. Like Unigwe's novel, On Black Sisters Street, these stories highlight imperfect people making the most out of an imperfect life of dashed dreams and adversity.
September 8, 2021
Excellent short story collection focusing on Nigerians immigrating to Belgium. The stories are linked and cover many different difficulties of being in Belgium illegally. The stories are engrossing and as readers we feel as if we are a fly on the wall in this tight knit Nigerian community. I highly recommend for this looking for short stories that red quickly and they feel satisfying once finished. Cassava Republic does it again with another great book.
October 18, 2021
A terrific collection, vibrant, often funny, beautifully written. Each story is a gem; together they form a rich mosaic, that of various Nigerian immigrants confronting, adapting (or not) to life in Belgium.
May 19, 2020
I enjoyed this. Way more than I thought I would. I like I finish a book and I find myself thinking about the characters and wondering what eventually happens to them. I wish this was a novel and not a collection of short stories.
November 15, 2020
Chika Unigwe never disappoints! She gives you characters that you fall in love with and then leaves you sitting on the edge of your seat wondering how on earth a story can end the way it does. Phew! Great read.
October 15, 2020
3.5 to 4 stars
I really enjoyed these stories. They shone with spirit and verve of the characters. There were laughs and sighs of commiseration as the immigrant in me related heavily with some of their experiences.
When I die, you'd better tell our children to cry for me the Nigerian way and to send me off the Nigerian way. Or I'll come back and haunt them all - Oge.
🛫🛫🛫🛫🛫🛫
These stories portray the lives of people who could indeed be very real. The friendships, experiences, humour, mix-up/drama that are fully relatable as they exist in spaces that are not their own.
✈✈✈✈✈✈
Each story depicts the reality of many immigrant lives: marrying for stability, permanence and citizenship; having to adjust to a new way of life with new customs; not being valued for their experience and qualifications; feeling lost and unfulfilled with their marriage; losing sight of love connections, and themselves.
🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩
But it also shows the importance of friendship, of having a place to congregate and let loose, of having the help of loved ones and those who share in your culture and circumstances.
🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬
Unigwe has captured the essence of the immigrant and the citizen, framing their experiences quite clearly, whether it is the dissatisfaction that forms in a relationship after a loss, dreams going unrecognized, or the lengths to which others can be driven by superstitions, inflicting abuse and pain on the accused. Truly a collection of stories for everyone.
🛫✈🛩🛬
I really enjoyed these stories. They shone with spirit and verve of the characters. There were laughs and sighs of commiseration as the immigrant in me related heavily with some of their experiences.
When I die, you'd better tell our children to cry for me the Nigerian way and to send me off the Nigerian way. Or I'll come back and haunt them all - Oge.
🛫🛫🛫🛫🛫🛫
These stories portray the lives of people who could indeed be very real. The friendships, experiences, humour, mix-up/drama that are fully relatable as they exist in spaces that are not their own.
✈✈✈✈✈✈
Each story depicts the reality of many immigrant lives: marrying for stability, permanence and citizenship; having to adjust to a new way of life with new customs; not being valued for their experience and qualifications; feeling lost and unfulfilled with their marriage; losing sight of love connections, and themselves.
🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩
But it also shows the importance of friendship, of having a place to congregate and let loose, of having the help of loved ones and those who share in your culture and circumstances.
🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬
Unigwe has captured the essence of the immigrant and the citizen, framing their experiences quite clearly, whether it is the dissatisfaction that forms in a relationship after a loss, dreams going unrecognized, or the lengths to which others can be driven by superstitions, inflicting abuse and pain on the accused. Truly a collection of stories for everyone.
🛫✈🛩🛬
January 18, 2020
I'm not usually a fan of short stories because I feel they end too abruptly but I think Chika Unigwe has won me over with this one. Too on point
September 3, 2022
I really enjoyed this one! Most of the stories left me with the feeling I love getting from short stories — that soft satisfaction knowing that I’ve experienced just a glimpse of the characters’ lives and I’ll be fine not knowing the entire story.
The only story I didn’t get that feeling from was the titular story, Better Never than Late — it’s also the only story I feel didn’t tie well into the theme of connected stories that the author went for with this collection. Still, a beautiful, simple yet captivating read 👏🏾
The only story I didn’t get that feeling from was the titular story, Better Never than Late — it’s also the only story I feel didn’t tie well into the theme of connected stories that the author went for with this collection. Still, a beautiful, simple yet captivating read 👏🏾
October 9, 2024
This is one of the best books I’ve read! Stories about immigrants from Nigeria living in Belgium.
July 9, 2021
It is a short story bundle but also not because some characters come back in other stories which works for me really well. The stories are not happy, depressing actually and I cried in some. and it was too short😌, I wanted to know more about what happened with some characters.
May 4, 2021
read for class. great book and great stories. it was a bit strange to read a book that mentions the names of the streets so similar to those I live in, that recounts habits of a culture I am myself learning to understand and that I love so much. it felt otherworldly to see people struggle with a language I only ever sought to learn but with which I still find myself struggling, and perceive their estrangement.
love the way in which Unigwe captures the lives of the people in the Nigerian community of Turnhout, Belgium and relates their struggles to find a start a new life, depicted in its realistic way with the injustices of both Belgians and Nigerians on display.
love the way in which Unigwe captures the lives of the people in the Nigerian community of Turnhout, Belgium and relates their struggles to find a start a new life, depicted in its realistic way with the injustices of both Belgians and Nigerians on display.
October 26, 2024
I'm usually hesitant to read short stories because most times I find some of the stories good and some not as good. For this collection this was not the case. I liked all the stories. The theme, centering on Nigerian immigrants' experiences in Belgium, came across so well in all the stories.
January 14, 2021
Ik genoot enorm van deze krachtige verzameling kortverhalen, die ondanks hun zelfstandige status toch een mooi geheel vormen. Unigwe slaagt erin om je met elk verhaal te ontroeren op een verschillende manier: ik huilde, ik lachte, ik was met verstomming geslagen.. Het was al even geleden dat verhalen mij op deze manier meesleepten. Tenslotte kreeg ik ook meer inzicht in de gevoelens en gedachten van Belgen met een Nigeriaanse afkomst.
February 3, 2025
Reading Chika is always a treat. An interesting short story collection.
November 29, 2020
One does everything to leave a dysfunctional country and yet their new lives as immigrants can't guarantee them an easier life.
Leaves a lot to be imagined. How new environments changes people. How the other sides isn't always greener. How life can be persistent in bringing badluck.
An absolutely brilliantly written book.
Leaves a lot to be imagined. How new environments changes people. How the other sides isn't always greener. How life can be persistent in bringing badluck.
An absolutely brilliantly written book.
March 25, 2024
Mainly short stories about Nigerians who migrated to Belgium. I liked the stories and the writing, and I also like that certain characters showed up in multiple short stories. Some themes/issues felt repetitive. I'm slowly attacking the physical books in my library. To think that I've had this gem sitting unread for years.
November 26, 2019
Ten interlinked short stories about Nigerians living in Belgium.
Better Late Than Never is a delight and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Despite the slimness of the volume, Chika Unigwe has produced an international microcosm in her stories that I found compelling and engaging.
We have so many racial stereotypes of Nigerian men travelling to Europe for marriages of convenience or a better life, but Chika Unigwe is unafraid to explore those situations with a humour, wit, empathy and clarity that makes her Better Late Than Never stories sing out as they both confirm and challenge such pigeonholing. These are narratives about people who feel real and authentic, particularly when direct speech is used. I loved the smatterings of languages I didn’t understand as it gave me an insight into how the characters felt uprooted and transplanted into another country. Having said that, Chika Unigwe also provides enough skilful explanation of those obscure linguistic moments that there is no loss of fluidity to the writing.
Although the men are frequently the reason why Chika Unigwe’s characters have made their way to Belgium, Better Late Than Never feels a very feminist text at times. Many of the women at first appear to have subservient roles, suppressing their intelligence and qualifications to support the men in their lives, but frequently they are feisty, emotional, manipulative and devious in ways that bring the stories to life. Prosperous especially helps provide a unity to the stories as well as being a detailed and fascinating person in her own right.
The most important aspect of Better Late Than Never for me, however, is the presentation of theme. They may be perfectly crafted fictions, but these stories illustrate the real people behind the headlines and their successes and failures. There’s everything from passion and love to bitterness and jealousy within these pages. Real homesickness, family relationships, ambition and a sense of self that can be developed or easily broken are just some of the themes explored. Of all the stories it was Añuli’s experience in How To Survive a Heatwave that affected me the most because what happens to her could so easily happen to any woman in any country.
In Better Late Than Never Chika Unigwe illustrates that she knows what it is like to be Nigerian, to be Belgian, and to be an outsider in a foreign land. But above all that, these fabulous stories show that she also knows what it means to be human, whoever or wherever we are. I really enjoyed reading Better Late Than Never because I ended the book having been educated, entertained and moved. I recommend it most heartily.
Better Late Than Never is a delight and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Despite the slimness of the volume, Chika Unigwe has produced an international microcosm in her stories that I found compelling and engaging.
We have so many racial stereotypes of Nigerian men travelling to Europe for marriages of convenience or a better life, but Chika Unigwe is unafraid to explore those situations with a humour, wit, empathy and clarity that makes her Better Late Than Never stories sing out as they both confirm and challenge such pigeonholing. These are narratives about people who feel real and authentic, particularly when direct speech is used. I loved the smatterings of languages I didn’t understand as it gave me an insight into how the characters felt uprooted and transplanted into another country. Having said that, Chika Unigwe also provides enough skilful explanation of those obscure linguistic moments that there is no loss of fluidity to the writing.
Although the men are frequently the reason why Chika Unigwe’s characters have made their way to Belgium, Better Late Than Never feels a very feminist text at times. Many of the women at first appear to have subservient roles, suppressing their intelligence and qualifications to support the men in their lives, but frequently they are feisty, emotional, manipulative and devious in ways that bring the stories to life. Prosperous especially helps provide a unity to the stories as well as being a detailed and fascinating person in her own right.
The most important aspect of Better Late Than Never for me, however, is the presentation of theme. They may be perfectly crafted fictions, but these stories illustrate the real people behind the headlines and their successes and failures. There’s everything from passion and love to bitterness and jealousy within these pages. Real homesickness, family relationships, ambition and a sense of self that can be developed or easily broken are just some of the themes explored. Of all the stories it was Añuli’s experience in How To Survive a Heatwave that affected me the most because what happens to her could so easily happen to any woman in any country.
In Better Late Than Never Chika Unigwe illustrates that she knows what it is like to be Nigerian, to be Belgian, and to be an outsider in a foreign land. But above all that, these fabulous stories show that she also knows what it means to be human, whoever or wherever we are. I really enjoyed reading Better Late Than Never because I ended the book having been educated, entertained and moved. I recommend it most heartily.
March 12, 2020
Nigerians living in Belgium are the focus in 'Better Never Than Late'. Their Interconnected lives result in a mosaic of experiences and realities that tell and show the reader all the angles of what it means to be an immigrant, legally or illegally. The collage that this book is, wove stories from different narrators, in first person and then, in the third person narrative. What I really like about it is that the narrators, most of them know each other, felt like branches of a tree meeting at the trunk.
⬇⬇⬇
"In Belgium, rape is not considered a violent crime but a moral one." – I shivered at this line.
A couple move to Belgium after a riot in Jos that caused the husband to lose his fortune, and his wife, to abandon her good job and life of convenience. They host their African friends every weekend to starve the loneliness and unpredictabilities that being an immigrant brings. BNTL hides nothing. The secrets of the lives of these people resurrected unexpectedly as I flipped more pages. You think you know a character and then, viola, something happens that clutches your heart.
Chika wrote of Nigerian men who for papers and to secure their stay, marry Belgian women, of white women who try to blend into the Nigerian – or African – ways but are stereotyped. I totally enjoyed Tine & Godwin's story. It ended in a way I didn't see coming which was how all the characters' stories ended or continued in my head because the author left them to live regardless of the fact that she told their story, she made them tell it.
The family of gbolahan is proof that immigration can make or destroy a family as he lost Ego due to circumstances and was bewildered when his daughter indirectly told him she will have to be white to be successful. Several myths were straightened. Now I know it's not absolutely true that black men find it so easy to marry white women, I know that the loneliness immigrants feel is heavier than the life of glitz and glam they live (or not) & that they long for home, companionship and laughter than comfort.
⬇⬇⬇
"In Belgium, rape is not considered a violent crime but a moral one." – I shivered at this line.
A couple move to Belgium after a riot in Jos that caused the husband to lose his fortune, and his wife, to abandon her good job and life of convenience. They host their African friends every weekend to starve the loneliness and unpredictabilities that being an immigrant brings. BNTL hides nothing. The secrets of the lives of these people resurrected unexpectedly as I flipped more pages. You think you know a character and then, viola, something happens that clutches your heart.
Chika wrote of Nigerian men who for papers and to secure their stay, marry Belgian women, of white women who try to blend into the Nigerian – or African – ways but are stereotyped. I totally enjoyed Tine & Godwin's story. It ended in a way I didn't see coming which was how all the characters' stories ended or continued in my head because the author left them to live regardless of the fact that she told their story, she made them tell it.
The family of gbolahan is proof that immigration can make or destroy a family as he lost Ego due to circumstances and was bewildered when his daughter indirectly told him she will have to be white to be successful. Several myths were straightened. Now I know it's not absolutely true that black men find it so easy to marry white women, I know that the loneliness immigrants feel is heavier than the life of glitz and glam they live (or not) & that they long for home, companionship and laughter than comfort.
January 13, 2021
Beter nooit dan laat schippert tussen een verhalenbundel en een roman. Door het anekdotische karakter van de tien verhalen is er weinig diepgang in het geheel, al springt Prosperous er als personage uit. Wat na het lezen wel blijft hangen is de krachtige, vlot leesbare stijl van Chika Unigwe, die met originele metaforen het dagdagelijkse leven tot een hoger niveau tilt en je doet wensen dat het boek zo’n honderd pagina’s dikker was.
Ik las dit boek voor Hebban. Mijn recensie kan je hier lezen: https://www.hebban.nl/recensie/sigrie...
Ik las dit boek voor Hebban. Mijn recensie kan je hier lezen: https://www.hebban.nl/recensie/sigrie...
December 6, 2020
A short book that follows the life of some Nigerian expats in Belgium and their struggles living in the unfamiliar land. It's a story of unmet expectations, deceit, loneliness, and homesickness.
I feel the story could have been better with deeper character development. The author packed too many characters into such a tiny book, so I didn't get a chance to really connect with any of the characters. It's a decent book nonetheless.
I feel the story could have been better with deeper character development. The author packed too many characters into such a tiny book, so I didn't get a chance to really connect with any of the characters. It's a decent book nonetheless.
March 3, 2023
A fresh and unique perspective/addition to contemporary Nigerian literature, with a focus on the Nigerian diaspora. I especially liked the paired stories of wife's and husband's perspective.
December 21, 2022
Chika Unigwe (1974) is een Nigeriaanse schrijfster. Ze promoveerde aan de Universiteit van Leiden en debuteerde in 2005 met de roman De feniks. Ze kreeg meerdere literaire prijzen, waaronder de 2012 NLNG Prize for Literature voor Fata Morgana (2007). Ze was politica in Turnhout maar woont momenteel in Atlanta, Georgia. De auteur schreef vaak over het vaak problematische leven van Nigeriaans migranten in België, als researcher begaf ze zich daarvoor zelfs in het prostitutie milieu.
In de verhalenbundel ‘Beter nooit dan laat’ spelen de verhalen spelen zich af rond Prosperous en haar man Agu. Wekelijks ontvangen zij in hun appartement verschillende bezoekers wier levens met elkaar vervlochten raken. Prosperous werkt nu als schoonmaakster, terwijl ze in haar geboorteland een fijne job had als bediende, haar man Agu runde een bloeiende handelszaak tot hij alles kwijtspeelde bij de onlusten met de moslimbevolking aldaar. Zelf werkt Agu nu in een broodfabriek, een soort industriële bakkerij waar hij ‘s nachts aan de slag kan. Agu wil hier in België de tradities verder zetten: vrienden ontmoeten, lekker samen eten en daarbij zijn vrouw inzetten als keukenhulp. Prosperous verzet zich hier heel heftig tegen en laat Agu inzien dat zijn machgedrag hem dreigt weg te drijven van zijn vrouw. Dit echtpaar vormt de spil van de tien verhalen. Maar ook de Nigerianen uit hun vriendenkring komen aan. Iedereen kent zijn ups en downs. Ze verlieten Nigeria met de hoop op een beter leven maar de pijn van de heimwee naar Nigeria en de hoge tol die migratie eist maakt het allemaal niet gemakkelijker. Beter nooit dan laat is een bundel met verhalen die het leven en lijden van migranten op een indringende manier duidelijk maakt.
In de verhalenbundel ‘Beter nooit dan laat’ spelen de verhalen spelen zich af rond Prosperous en haar man Agu. Wekelijks ontvangen zij in hun appartement verschillende bezoekers wier levens met elkaar vervlochten raken. Prosperous werkt nu als schoonmaakster, terwijl ze in haar geboorteland een fijne job had als bediende, haar man Agu runde een bloeiende handelszaak tot hij alles kwijtspeelde bij de onlusten met de moslimbevolking aldaar. Zelf werkt Agu nu in een broodfabriek, een soort industriële bakkerij waar hij ‘s nachts aan de slag kan. Agu wil hier in België de tradities verder zetten: vrienden ontmoeten, lekker samen eten en daarbij zijn vrouw inzetten als keukenhulp. Prosperous verzet zich hier heel heftig tegen en laat Agu inzien dat zijn machgedrag hem dreigt weg te drijven van zijn vrouw. Dit echtpaar vormt de spil van de tien verhalen. Maar ook de Nigerianen uit hun vriendenkring komen aan. Iedereen kent zijn ups en downs. Ze verlieten Nigeria met de hoop op een beter leven maar de pijn van de heimwee naar Nigeria en de hoge tol die migratie eist maakt het allemaal niet gemakkelijker. Beter nooit dan laat is een bundel met verhalen die het leven en lijden van migranten op een indringende manier duidelijk maakt.
January 11, 2024
I read in "An anthology of Cassava stories " the story "Becoming Prosperous" supposedly an excerpt from "Better Never than Late"
This story starts with a prelude of the death of Yar'dua(Yah-ah-do-wa/ah for "God/gourd-ah-do-wa with WA for come pronounced cum in Yoruba language in Nigeria) outside his homeland and then goes on to discuss Muslim burials and whether Muslims are cremated(key-re/ri-mate-err/aired with RI for eat in ikwerre language in Nigeria and key symbolising the penis ) and not buried or burnt for their sins.It uses the life of the couple Agu and prosperous living in Jos,Northern,Nigeria and married as an example.It raises questions whether education in Nigeria for one in the north(knot or married) was useless and whether education paid abroad in places like Canada (Ca-na-da for great-go-father pronounced further with "CA" for great in ikwerre language in Nigeria and "na" for "go" in ikwerre language in Nigeria and "da" for father in ijaw ) within a space of time.It looks at travel to Europe (You/Hue/row-pee/pu with hue for being hued from man and "pu" for out in Igbo language in Nigeria) and the financial or economic negatives.It looks at developing intentional relationships and building same with future useful friends.It also looks at the lack of discrimination in the hardship and attack faced in the north by a foreigner (for-reign-ah with ah for open sound or signifying "operation earning") with no respite even for the southerner(Sa-out-ta-na with "Sa" for "Great" in ikwerre language in Nigeria ,ta for source in ijaw language in Nigeria and na for "go" in ikwerre language in Nigeria) even those who was or were their friend or made meaningful friendships.
This story starts with a prelude of the death of Yar'dua(Yah-ah-do-wa/ah for "God/gourd-ah-do-wa with WA for come pronounced cum in Yoruba language in Nigeria) outside his homeland and then goes on to discuss Muslim burials and whether Muslims are cremated(key-re/ri-mate-err/aired with RI for eat in ikwerre language in Nigeria and key symbolising the penis ) and not buried or burnt for their sins.It uses the life of the couple Agu and prosperous living in Jos,Northern,Nigeria and married as an example.It raises questions whether education in Nigeria for one in the north(knot or married) was useless and whether education paid abroad in places like Canada (Ca-na-da for great-go-father pronounced further with "CA" for great in ikwerre language in Nigeria and "na" for "go" in ikwerre language in Nigeria and "da" for father in ijaw ) within a space of time.It looks at travel to Europe (You/Hue/row-pee/pu with hue for being hued from man and "pu" for out in Igbo language in Nigeria) and the financial or economic negatives.It looks at developing intentional relationships and building same with future useful friends.It also looks at the lack of discrimination in the hardship and attack faced in the north by a foreigner (for-reign-ah with ah for open sound or signifying "operation earning") with no respite even for the southerner(Sa-out-ta-na with "Sa" for "Great" in ikwerre language in Nigeria ,ta for source in ijaw language in Nigeria and na for "go" in ikwerre language in Nigeria) even those who was or were their friend or made meaningful friendships.
December 20, 2022
Ten stories you won't forget
I took my time reading Chika Unigwe's book of stories, reading one a day, so I had time to reflect after finishing each one. Each story deserved that space of time before going on to the next one; they are that good.
Most of the characters in 'Better Never than Late' are living in Belgium, having left Nigeria under duress, leaving their language, extended families, titles, certifications, comfort foods--everything-- behind. Some have come to Belgium with their spouses, like Prosperous and Agu. For those who come solo, the complications of "paper marriages" collide with inconvenient relationships of the heart.
Each of the ten stories is deeply affecting. But the chilling moral lesson of the title story, "Better Never than Late," stands out. It is the story of a scapegoat, one who takes the blame for someone else's failure, or bad luck.
The stories affirm the importance of community, while noting the cost of belonging; "Heart is Where the Home Is" demonstrates the near fatality of isolation.
This is the first time I have read Chika Unigwe; fortunately she's written many other books. I look forward to reading more from this author.
I took my time reading Chika Unigwe's book of stories, reading one a day, so I had time to reflect after finishing each one. Each story deserved that space of time before going on to the next one; they are that good.
Most of the characters in 'Better Never than Late' are living in Belgium, having left Nigeria under duress, leaving their language, extended families, titles, certifications, comfort foods--everything-- behind. Some have come to Belgium with their spouses, like Prosperous and Agu. For those who come solo, the complications of "paper marriages" collide with inconvenient relationships of the heart.
Each of the ten stories is deeply affecting. But the chilling moral lesson of the title story, "Better Never than Late," stands out. It is the story of a scapegoat, one who takes the blame for someone else's failure, or bad luck.
The stories affirm the importance of community, while noting the cost of belonging; "Heart is Where the Home Is" demonstrates the near fatality of isolation.
This is the first time I have read Chika Unigwe; fortunately she's written many other books. I look forward to reading more from this author.
April 6, 2024
This is a very strong short story collection which I enjoyed throughout - both for some unexpected endings and for the vivid slice of life experienced by a group of Nigerians who have become friends after moving (legally or otherwise) to Belgium. The characters are well drawn and realistic, so that you can empathise with their hopes, their frustrations and regrets when things do not work out as planned, the reliance on the community of expats which can provide such pleasure or sometimes even a lifeline, the differing needs and aspirations of the two halves of a couple, the feelings of homesickness - the range of emotions and experiences is endless.
The stories are linked, so if you feel there is a lot of background information about the characters in the opening story 'The Transfiguration of Rapu', it's because you will be meeting them again. Sometimes events in an earlier story are built on in a later one, so I would advise reading them in the order they are arranged.
This is my second book by the amazing Chika Unigwe and won't be my last.
The stories are linked, so if you feel there is a lot of background information about the characters in the opening story 'The Transfiguration of Rapu', it's because you will be meeting them again. Sometimes events in an earlier story are built on in a later one, so I would advise reading them in the order they are arranged.
This is my second book by the amazing Chika Unigwe and won't be my last.
September 3, 2023
A wonderful book of short portraits of Nigerian refugees who have moved to Belgium. Some of them are there legally, some are not.
The thread throughout the stories are Prosperous and Agu, whose flat is the meeting place for fellow Nigerians.
All have come to make a better life and the share their stories over food and friendship.
We see how difficult it is for people coming to a new country, sometimes not speaking the language, different customs and lack of understanding by their new countrymen.
The most poignant scenario, for me, was when a young girl tells her father she wants to be a teacher but she will have to become white first. When her father asks her why she has ro become white, the young girl asks him if he sees any teachers with brown faces? This comment leads him to realise that the only positions filled by people like him are manual/menial jobs.
I look forward to reading further books by the author.
The thread throughout the stories are Prosperous and Agu, whose flat is the meeting place for fellow Nigerians.
All have come to make a better life and the share their stories over food and friendship.
We see how difficult it is for people coming to a new country, sometimes not speaking the language, different customs and lack of understanding by their new countrymen.
The most poignant scenario, for me, was when a young girl tells her father she wants to be a teacher but she will have to become white first. When her father asks her why she has ro become white, the young girl asks him if he sees any teachers with brown faces? This comment leads him to realise that the only positions filled by people like him are manual/menial jobs.
I look forward to reading further books by the author.
January 30, 2024
This is a compilation of 10 interconnected stories of Nigerians who migrated from Nigeria to Belgium in search of greener pastures.
★
I enjoyed this book (sort of). My favorite stories were 'The transfiguration of Rapu' and 'Cunny man die, cunny man bury am. The stories flowed well, this was a very quick and light read. I had no emotional attachments to any of the characters and I was not particularly moved by their stories.
★
final notes :
i am not entirely sure how i feel about this book, I might have to read it again sometime in the future. It's not a memorable one for me, but it was alright.
★
I enjoyed this book (sort of). My favorite stories were 'The transfiguration of Rapu' and 'Cunny man die, cunny man bury am. The stories flowed well, this was a very quick and light read. I had no emotional attachments to any of the characters and I was not particularly moved by their stories.
★
final notes :
i am not entirely sure how i feel about this book, I might have to read it again sometime in the future. It's not a memorable one for me, but it was alright.
December 30, 2024
I enjoyed this short story collection quite a bit! These stories captured difficult emotions of unrequited love, hope and grief so well!! In these interconnected stories set between Nigeria and Belgium the experience of leaving Nigeria and living in Belgium and returning is explored.
The Transfiguration of Rapu 2 ⭐️
Finding Faith 3 ⭐️
Becoming Prosperous 4 ⭐️
Everyone Deserves Grace2 ⭐️
Better Never than Late 2 ⭐️
Cunny Man Die, Cunny Man Bury Am 5 ⭐️
Cleared for Takeoff 3⭐️
Love of a Fat Woman 5 ⭐️
How to Survive a Heat Wave 2 ⭐️
Heart is Where the Home Is (Mother) 5 ⭐️
The Transfiguration of Rapu 2 ⭐️
Finding Faith 3 ⭐️
Becoming Prosperous 4 ⭐️
Everyone Deserves Grace2 ⭐️
Better Never than Late 2 ⭐️
Cunny Man Die, Cunny Man Bury Am 5 ⭐️
Cleared for Takeoff 3⭐️
Love of a Fat Woman 5 ⭐️
How to Survive a Heat Wave 2 ⭐️
Heart is Where the Home Is (Mother) 5 ⭐️
June 17, 2022
I had been looking forward to reading this book for a while, and it did not disappoint. The book tells stories of various people (couples), their struggles and unhappiness in their lives.
It explored why people will continue to stay in situations that no longer serve them, which was quite sad.
A part of me hoped that the people in these stories, Agu and Prosperous in particular, would find their way back to what made them happy, but that didn't happen.
In a way, it makes sense. Life isn't a bed of roses.
I thoroughly enjoyed this.
It explored why people will continue to stay in situations that no longer serve them, which was quite sad.
A part of me hoped that the people in these stories, Agu and Prosperous in particular, would find their way back to what made them happy, but that didn't happen.
In a way, it makes sense. Life isn't a bed of roses.
I thoroughly enjoyed this.
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