His Return

About the Book

Clint, a first-generation American, feels a calling to postpone law school to travel to Nigeria where his parents were born. His parents, who had distanced themselves from Nigeria, had striven to make him American. Against their wishes, he went to live with his grandparents at Arochukwu, a small town situated on one of the tributaries of the Cross River, and to participate in its traditions. There, through stories, he started experiencing the life of his great-grandfather Achi, who had been brought to the area as a slave in the late eighteenth century. Achi had lived at a time when the Aros’ influence among other ethnic groups was waning, following a 1901–1902 British invasion to destroy the deity from which the Aros derived their power and to open the area to Christian missionaries. This is a story of a young African American’s struggle to reclaim his identity.

About the Author

Nwanganga Shields grew up in Arochukwu, Nigeria, and currently lives in Bethesda, Maryland. She retired from the World Bank and is a widow with four adult children, eight grandchildren, and one great-grandson. Nwanganga studied at University of St. Andrews and American University. Her first book, Ejituru, was published in 2013.