THE DISREPUTABLE FATE OF THE HEROINE IN THE NIGERIAN FICTION: THE PERSPECTIVES OF AKACHI ADIMORA- EZEIGBO IN TRAFFICKED AND BUCHI EMECHETA IN THE JOYS OF MOTHERHOOD

Abstract

Of concern is the manner in which many writers of fiction in Nigeria have found it attractivesubjecting the female protagonists to untold psychological and emotional tortures in theirvarious creative narratives while it’s true that the pervading mood in Nigeria has been that ofcrass poverty and hopelessness which cut across genders, the woman or girl-child has beensingled out for special attention. This intellectual exercise looks at the traumatic experiencesof female protagonists in Akachi Adimora- Ezeigbo’s Trafficked and Buchi Emecheta’s TheJoys of Motherhood. The choice of these two female writers is deliberate. The two writersrepresent two different generations of Nigerian female writers. While Emecheta discusses theplight of the female folks during the colonial era in Nigeria, Adimora-Ezeigbo focuses attentionon female trafficking which is a current issue in the public domain. In the consideration of theeffective application of the trauma theory, Emecheta has been exemplary in subjecting thefemale protagonist of her novel to series of agonizing tortures that culminate in her death.Adimora-Ezeigbo has however been benevolent; the central character of her creative work hasseveral moments to celebrate and in the end her story ends on a good page.