4 banned Nigerians books that are actually beautiful

Welcome to the Banned Books Week guys, an annual national celebration of, " your freedom to read."

September 27 marks the beginning of Banned Books Week, a national celebration of the freedom to read. The event was launched in 1982 in response to an increase in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores, and libraries.

Each September, publishers, librarians, booksellers, and readers celebrate the freedom to read and raise awareness about the problems of book censorship.

In honor of Banned Books Week this year, here are some banned and controversial Nigerian literature books for your reading pleasure:

1. Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe (1958)

The gist: One of the most celebrated pieces of African literature, Achebe’s story of Okonkwo, a leader and local wrestling champion in Umofia recalls the influences of British colonialism and Christian missionaries on his traditional Igbo community.

Why was it banned? Reportedly banned in Malaysia and at some point in Nigeria, for its portrayal of colonialism and its consequences. In 2012 it made the list of works that were challenged in Texas schools.

2. The Man Died by Wole Soyinka. (1972)

The gist: The Nobel Prize-winning African writer, Wole Soyinka, was imprisoned without trial by the federal authorities at the start of the Nigerian Civil War. Here he records his arrest and interrogation, the efforts made to incriminate him, and the searing mental effects of solitary confinement.

Why was it banned? Banned for Libel by the Nigerian Government.

3. Blame Me on History by William "Bloke" Modisane. (1990)

The gist: This book detailed the author's despair at the bulldozing of Sophiatown and with apartheid.

Why was it banned? Banned for Libel by the Nigerian Government.

4.Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Adichie

Since its release, this book has generated a lot of controversies with so many Nigerians annoyed by the narratives of the Biafra by Igbo writers. However, this is a very great book as Adichie's powerful focus on war's impact on civilian life, and the trauma beyond the trenches is remarkable.

Why was it banned? The book was not banned but its movie adaptation was, for distorting the Nigerian civil war.

ALSO READ: 10 most challenged and controversial African literature books