Chinelo Okparanta
Under the Udala Trees
[Granta]
Beginning against the backdrop of the Biafran War, Chinelo Okparanta’s Under the Udala Trees tells the story of young gay woman Ijeoma dealing with her sexuality in a society that is highly condemning of it. As the novel evolves, readers become engrossed in Ijeoma’s plight – how she still yearns for her lover long after being punished for being discovered with her; how she must hide her true self from her mother, who exhorts a strict interpretation of the Bible in which homosexuality is vilified, as well as from the townsfolk, who have been known to kill homosexuals with impunity; how she marries a man despite loving a woman. And yet Ijeoma’s acceptance of herself in defiance of negative external pressure is remarkable: even as a Christian in a morally conservative country, she understands religion in a more open and forgiving manner than those around her.
Okparanta’s narrative style is gripping, despite the few short sections that somewhat betray this being her first novel. Ultimately, she tells a story that needs to be heard for the sake of social justice. While Under the Udala Trees’s closing words are full of hope, the author’s note at the end of the book reminds readers of the current state of affairs in Nigeria, where homosexuality is still criminalised and, in certain states, punishable by death.
Words: Cristina Tomàs
