Chapter 36 'Naija' — Summary, Themes, and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens with Zelu receiving a phone call from Msizi, who has been silent for ten days. He urges her not to travel to Nigeria, saying he has a bad feeling. Zelu is annoyed and dismisses his concern, reminding him that it has been two years since her father died and she needs to see his grave. She hangs up on him, shaken but determined.
Zelu flies with Hugo, Marcy, and Uchenna from Chicago to Lagos via Atlanta. On the flight, a passenger wakes her to request an autograph. Zelu reluctantly signs a copy of her book for a woman named Prosper Egwim-Chima.
After landing, the group navigates the chaotic Lagos airport. Zelu, who has traveled to Nigeria before, knows the routine: move fast, avoid the final checkpoint, and be ready for harassment. A young man grabs her suitcase and calls her “robot ma.” Zelu pays him twenty dollars to leave her alone, and Marcy also ends up paying a bribe. They reach their hotel, where Zelu calls her mother to reassure her.
The next morning, Marcy decides to skip the beach trip. Zelu, Hugo, and Uchenna head to Tarkwa Bay Beach, taking a boat ride to the swimming area. The boat captain charges them three times the normal price because Zelu is famous. Zelu removes her exos, packs them into a box, and swims out into the ocean. She encounters an Ijaw man who greets her as “Mami Wata’s daughter.” Dolphins appear around her, and she experiences a profound sense of connection and clarity.
Key Events
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Msizi calls Zelu and warns her not to go to Nigeria, citing a bad feeling. Zelu dismisses him and hangs up.
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Zelu, Hugo, Marcy, and Uchenna fly from Chicago to Lagos.
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A passenger wakes Zelu mid-flight to get an autograph.
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The group navigates the Lagos airport, where Zelu pays a young man twenty dollars to stop harassing her.
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Zelu calls her mother from the hotel and reassures her.
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Marcy opts out of the beach trip; Zelu, Hugo, and Uchenna go to Tarkwa Bay Beach.
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The boat captain charges them three times the normal price for the ride.
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Zelu removes her exos and swims in the ocean.
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She meets an Ijaw man who calls her “Mami Wata’s daughter.”
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Dolphins appear around her, and she experiences a sense of clarity.
Character Development
Zelu is at a turning point. She is grieving her father, struggling with writer’s block, and feeling the weight of fame. Her decision to travel to Nigeria despite Msizi’s warning shows her determination to confront her grief head-on. In the water, she finds a rare moment of peace, feeling her “various selves come together.” This chapter marks a shift from her earlier restlessness toward a tentative sense of resolution.
Msizi appears only briefly, but his warning foreshadows danger. His concern for Zelu is genuine, though his timing is poor.
Hugo continues to be a supportive friend, wearing shorts to show solidarity with Zelu’s prosthetics and helping her prepare for her swim.
Marcy experiences the trip as a homecoming, noting she is the first in her immediate family to return to Africa.
Uchenna remains practical and cautious, warning Zelu about the dangers of the water and cataloguing her exos as research.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Grief and pilgrimage: Zelu’s journey to Nigeria is framed as a pilgrimage to her father’s grave. The chapter emphasizes that this is a necessary step for her to process her loss.
Diaspora homecoming: Marcy’s reaction to being in Africa highlights the theme of return and belonging. Zelu’s own identity as a Nigerian American is complicated by her fame and her disability.
Dehumanization as ‘robot’: The young man at the airport calls Zelu “robot ma,” reducing her to her exos. This echoes the novel’s broader exploration of how technology can both empower and dehumanize.
Water as communion: Zelu’s swim is described as a profound connection, a “joining” with something greater. The dolphins and the Ijaw man’s greeting as “Mami Wata’s daughter” reinforce the spiritual dimension of this experience.
Premonition and foreboding: Msizi’s warning hangs over the chapter, creating tension. The reader is left wondering whether his bad feeling will prove justified.
Writer’s block and creative pressure: Zelu brings her computer but cannot bring herself to write. The pressure from her publisher and fans is palpable, and the chapter suggests that her trip may be necessary for her to break through.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 36 is a pivotal moment in Zelu’s arc. It brings her back to Nigeria, the place of her family’s origins, and forces her to confront her grief, her fame, and her identity. The chapter also introduces a note of foreboding through Msizi’s warning, which may foreshadow events to come. The swim scene, with its dolphins and sense of clarity, offers a rare moment of peace for Zelu and suggests that she may be ready to move forward.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Zelu dismiss Msizi’s warning, and what does this reveal about her state of mind?
Zelu dismisses Msizi’s warning because she is determined to visit her father’s grave. She has been restless since his death and feels that this pilgrimage is necessary. Her reaction reveals her grief, her stubbornness, and her frustration with Msizi’s silence.
2. How does the chapter explore the theme of dehumanization through Zelu’s experiences at the airport?
The young man at the airport calls Zelu “robot ma,” reducing her to her exos. This dehumanization is compounded by the stares, comments, and autograph requests she endures. The chapter suggests that fame and disability can make a person feel like an object rather than a human being.
3. What is the significance of the dolphins and the Ijaw man’s greeting?
The Ijaw man calls Zelu “Mami Wata’s daughter,” linking her to the water spirit of West African mythology. The dolphins’ appearance reinforces this connection. For Zelu, the encounter is a moment of spiritual communion, a sign that she is where she belongs.
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