Kaine Agary is a lawyer and author of the award-winning novel, Yellow Yellow, which won the 2008 Nigeria Prize for Literature. Her experience living in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, inspired her to write this novel. Before this award, Kaine was known for her magazine Takai, where she enlightened the public on legal concerns. She was also a writer for a column of the Punch Newspaper known as The Pocket Lawyer. Kaine first moved to the US about 10 years ago during college and her early professional life. She then moved to Nigeria for about 15 years and finally settled back in the US six years ago. Kaine tells her full story here:
Returning to the States after my long Soujourn in Nigeria was not a smooth transition. It was a challenging period, but I was fortunate to have strong relationships that made my re-acculturation more bearable. My love for the legal profession, which I had cultivated in Nigeria, was unwavering. I was determined to continue in this line of work in the US, which meant returning to school, taking the Bar exam, and establishing a new professional network. It didn’t happen overnight, so I had to use my other skills to earn money towards my ultimate goal of qualifying to practice law in the United States. Looking back, I realize that every experience served my higher purpose, no matter how challenging.
Furthermore, winning the 2008 Nigeria Prize for Literature was a wonderful addition to my list of laurels. The prize was worth $50, 000 at the time, and while the book addressed themes of racial identity, sexuality, corruption, poverty, and the Niger Delta challenge, it was mainly about a girl searching for a father figure but looking in all the wrong places. Yellow-Yellow tells the story of Zilafeya, a mixed-race girl raised in the village by her single mother. Zilafeya’s mother, Bibi, does her best to ensure her daughter doesn’t make the same mistakes she did, and she works hard to provide her daughter with an education so she can go to university and better her life. Zilafeya desires to leave her village and eventually, through the help of her church’s pastor, moves to Port Harcourt, where she starts a new life under the watchful eyes of Sisi and Lolo.
My words of encouragement to women of colour who are migrants, and indeed any migrant, would be to persevere and not give up on their goals and dreams. It won’t be easy and may require you to make some practical detours, but be strategic and focused, and you will pull through. Perseverance is also important, and we should learn to leverage the power of positively reaffirming relationships.
Again, it can be very isolating migrating as an adult, but good friends and quality relationships can provide support and access to opportunities and resources to help you settle into your new culture.
Remember to speak up and speak out, advocate for yourself, and don’t discount the value of your life experiences and what you bring to the table.
Kaine tells her story from New York City, USA.
