A Letter Away From Asaba: A Novella

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Wow. Just wow. The talented Claudia Efemini has written a beautiful novel that shines a lot on an important topic that, unfortunately, not many are knowledgeable about or have had the chance to be informed on. It was extremely hard to put this book down and 10x harder to not think about the story and its characters throughout the day. Claudia Efemini has created something that everyone should read, if only to learn a pivotal part in Nigerian history. How do you think the university history curriculum can become decolonised? For history in particular it can feel like non-European histories are just added on for the end – what can be changed? It is very good timing because a lot of people are now engaged in contemporary Nigerian politics and the effects of colonialism. When Nigeria gained independence, three main parties were created based on tribal lines, and people voted tribally. The younger generation is more politically engaged, which is why there was such an uproar with the election. If you look at the Nigerian family structure today, a lot of the youth are the driving force in demanding accountability, whereas the older generation has lost that a little, which is reflected in the book itself, with the parents of Chioma. I’ve actually already started working on my second novel, but I’m only halfway through the first draft. Unfortunately, I had to stop writing it once I decided to self-publish A Letter Away From Asaba. It became too overwhelming working on a new manuscript whilst publishing a piece of work. However, I definitely look forward to continuing the story once A Letter Away From Asaba has been published. Perhaps I’ll continue writing it over summer, it really depends on whether I feel ready to do so. Writing novels is something I hope to do long-term as it’s been such a phenomenal experience so far working towards publishing A Letter Away From Asaba.

Advocate: We advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion within the university and society at large. What next for Claudia Efemini? Will you focus on writing novels after you complete your degree? If so, have you got another story you want to tell?I am glad I got over that and went for it because one of my friends, Quinthia, designed the cover. Self-publishing gives more creative autonomy, so if I were to publish traditionally, I would relinquish lots of power. A second-year History and Politics student at the University of Edinburgh, Claudia is also one of the youngest published authors in Scotland. Next month, her novel, A Letter Away from Asaba, is set to debut, delving into a turbulent episode of Nigerian history that is poorly understood by many in the United Kingdom today. Although her novel is a work of historical fiction, it is based on real events that unfolded during the Asaba Massacre of 1967, which took place during the Nigerian Civil War. Perhaps it is not surprising that very little is known about the massacre in the UK today - indeed, there was precious little publicly available information about it at the time. Censorship within the British press played a significant role in throwing up a smokescreen, and this became a key theme in the novel. Onome is an international student from Nigeria studying law at King’s College London, whilst her friend Chioma lives in Asaba. The story centres on these two protagonists, as they attempt to piece together what really happened at Asaba through a series of diary entries and letters. A Letter from Asaba is History and Politics student Claudia Efemini’s debut novel. We spoke with Claudia about publishing, the history behind the story, and the importance of learning about colonialism and its ongoing effects. Why did you choose this particular style of narration? How does it compliment the message you are trying to get across?

The long awaited A Letter Away From Asaba is a dazzling debut by Claudia Efemini, writer and History and Politics student at the University of Edinburgh.Join us on this empowering journey as we prioritize holistic well-being, offer career development and mentorship opportunities, and provide resources for personal growth and self-empowerment. 🌸✨ I am so glad you asked this question. I don’t think academic texts appeal to everyone as not everyone is interested in history in that sense. Novels bring a lot of communities together who love reading, a lot of people are willing to read historical fiction and so it reaches more people. It introduces you to the topic and hopefully influences people to do deeper research. Historical fiction diversifies the audience and introduces aspects of history that are often neglected. I am currently reading We Are All Birds of Uganda by Hafsa Zayyan, which is about people of Asian descent who moved to Uganda, and I’m learning a lot about the culture at the time. Though it is fiction, there’s a lot of truth embedded in it, and I can learn a lot.

Writing has always been a huge hobby of mine. Growing up as a child, I would start writing different kinds of novels all the time, but I would always lose motivation around the third or fourth chapter. However, in my final year of the IB diploma programme, I wrote my History Extended Essay on press censorship of the Asaba massacre, a tragic event that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War. That essay never really left my mind. Even as I continued into university, I was still captivated by how under-researched and neglected it was within the scholarship. A Letter Away from Asaba is an epistolary novella that speaks on history, that has effected so many, through letters sent by our main protagonists Chioma and Onome. Onome is an international student from Nigeria studying law at King’s College London whilst Chioma lives in Asaba, Nigeria. Chioma experiences the Asaba massacre, an overlooked and traumatic event of the war, and is forced to confront issues of censorship, grief, and trust. Whilst in London, Onome notices the blatant censorship of the event within the British press. I first read a book by two American scholars, The Asaba Massacre: Trauma, Memory and the Nigerian Civil War while I was doing IB. Immediately, I was stunned by the massacre, so I wrote a paper about it. Another difficulty was drawing the line between fact and fiction. As this is a historical fiction, it was important for me to ensure that there is a sense of reality and accuracy in the story, but I also had to weave fictional narratives into the plot. Nevertheless, the entire writing process was fun and enriching! Though the book’s focus is historical, does it reflect themes in Nigerian politics today, specifically with the recent elections in February?Nigerian history is something that I am greatly passionate about and looking through a degree programme that makes little mention of Nigeria sparked a burning desire in me to fulfil my passion through writing historical fiction.” - Claudia Efemini, Retrospect Journal In terms of characterisation, female friendships are such an integral part of the story. Since starting university in Edinburgh, I’ve been so blessed to build some solid and fruitful female friendships, which I’m so grateful for. They have greatly influenced my writing journey and just my overall university experience. I must add that I can definitely see some of my own personality traits in both protagonists, though I resonate more with Onome. Her timid yet inquisitive and determined nature is quite an accurate representation of my current disposition. The process of writing was good. I got lots of my friends involved who wanted to help. Being in a university space gives access to inform a lot more people and broadens the reach. Being in an academic space means I can get advice and knowledge from people. If I waited until after graduation, I wouldn’t have that community of people who are passionate about history, and decolonising the curriculum, so though it was scary I am glad I did it.