Cynicism: The Migrants’ Narratives and Contemporary Nigerian Novelists

Abstract

This paper examines the pervasive theme of cynicism in the narratives of Nigerian migrants as represented in contemporary Nigerian novels. Through an analysis of works by writers such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Sefi Atta, Chika Unigwe and Helon Habila, the study identifies cynicism as a recurring lens used to portray the migrant experience. These authors often present migration as a fruitless endeavour, marked by disillusionment, failure and despair. Cynicism manifests in their depiction of migrants’ struggle with unemployment, alienation, identity loss and fractured relationships. The narratives suggest that migrants face challenges both in their home countries and in the Diaspora, ultimately reinforcing a sense of futility. Using psychoanalytic theory, the paper argues that this cynicism reflects the authors’ own frustrations and ambivalence about their diasporic experiences, which they project onto their characters. Furthermore, the study critiques the reductive representation of migrants as perpetual failures, questioning why contemporary Nigerian novelists neglect success stories of the diaspora. The paper calls for a broader critique of this narrative approach to understand its implication and explore alternative representations of the migrant experience.

Keywords: Cynicism, Diaspora, Contemporary, Migrants, Nigerian