Nweze

Nweze, the lawyer who returns to Lagos from England in Chapter 1, is a symbol of the Ibo residents' belief that the U.K. is superior to Nigeria. They believe that Nweze will come home after studying law in England and improve their lives in meaningful ways, that he might improve their access to electricity or "go into politics and fight for the rights of the people of Ibuza" (8). None of this comes to pass, as Nweze chooses instead to represent a wealthy client and enrich himself.

The Presence

The Presence is the symbolic epitome of Adah's dreams for a brighter future for herself. These dreams begin with her desire to attend school, but gradually grow to encompass her ambitions to move to the U.K. and to become a writer. Adah's dreams are so important to her that she experiences them as something like a physical...