Chibundu Onuzo reveals gorgeous cover for second novel

Nigerian writer Chibundu Onuzo’s second novel ‘Welcome to Lagos’ is due out in January 2017 and is generating a lot of excitement following the cover reveal. The writer took to her social media accounts to showcase the cover of the book designed by artist, Bill Braggs. It features a colourful portrayal of the chaos that […]

Nigerian writer Chibundu Onuzo’s second novel ‘Welcome to Lagos’ is due out in January 2017 and is generating a lot of excitement following the cover reveal.
The writer took to her social media accounts to showcase the cover of the book designed by artist, Bill Braggs. It features a colourful portrayal of the chaos that is Lagos, where the novel is set.
Onuzo, whose debut, ‘The Spider King’s Daughter’ was snapped up by publishing giants Faber and Faber while she was just 19, has enjoyed critical and commercial success globally, winning the ‘Betty Trask Award’ and being shortlisted and long listed for a slew of other prizes.
‘Welcome to Lagos’ follows a group of characters, including a couple of army deserters, a former militant, a runaway wife and a vulnerable young woman who leave their former  lives to pursue freedom and a new life in Lagos, where they are embroiled in political intrigues and difficult personal choices.
Speaking to Daily Trust, an excited Onuzo says about the cover, “I think it is absolutely beautiful. I wanted there to be a sense of motion and hustle and bustle and I wanted there to be a danfo somewhere but apart from that, I left things to the designer Bill Bragg. He read some key passages in the novel and to my delight, he came up with this cover.”
She adds that her novel is not inspired by a BBC documentary with the same title, which generated controversy over its less than favourable portrayal of the city.
“It wasn’t inspired by the documentary though I did watch the series and I loved every episode. In Lagos, the phrase ‘Welcome to Lagos’ is shorthand for ‘keep your wits about you’ or ‘shine your eye.’ [Sic] When you are a JJC and even when you’ve lived in Lagos for years, you still have to be aware and alert. Each day, there is something to surprise you about the city. In some ways, no matter who you are, every day is welcome to Lagos.”
Onuzo, who is on the Hay Festival Africa 39 list of writers under 40 who will define future trends in African writing, is pursuing a PhD at King’s College, London. She takes great pride in Lagos, the city of her birth. And though reluctant to reveal more about the plot of her story, she says, “Lagos is central to this novel. I’m a Lagosian, born and bred and buttered. Eko is simply in my blood.”
‘Welcome to Lagos’ will be out in January 2017 by Faber and Faber.