An Orchestra of Minorities

An Orchestra of Minorities is a 2019 novel by Nigerian author Chigozie Obioma. It follows Nigerian poultry farmer Chinonso Olisa, who tries to better his circumstances by studying in Europe, only to find himself exploited and discriminated against. Obioma’s second novel, An Orchestra of Minorities earned the author his second Booker Prize nomination (he was also shortlisted in 2015 for his debut, The Fishermen). Obioma is one of Nigeria’s most important young writers, hailed as “the heir to Chinua Achebe” by the New York Times.

The novel is narrated by the “chi,” or guardian spirit, of Chinonso Solomon Olisa. The chi is defending Chinonso before his creator, because Chinonso may have killed a woman.

In 2007, thirty-year-old Chinonso lives in Umuahia, Nigeria, scraping a living as a poultry farmer. He takes deep pride and satisfaction in his work, but he has no family and leads a lonely existence. One day, he sees a woman on a bridge, about to kill herself. He persuades her to change her mind. Some weeks later, he encounters her again, by chance, and he introduces himself. Her name is Ndali, and she is training to be a pharmacist. Chinonso begins courting Ndali, they fall in love, and Chinonso proposes marriage. Ndali accepts.



For the first time, Chinonso is invited to meet Ndali’s family. As soon as he arrives at their home, he realizes that her family is wealthy. Ndali’s father is openly contemptuous of the poor poultry farmer, and he takes the first opportunity to try to dissuade Chinonso from marrying his daughter.

Chinonso is hurt by this experience. Wanting to soothe him, Ndali suggests that her family might come round to the idea of their marriage if Chinonso were a university graduate. Shortly after this conversation, Chinonso runs into an old schoolmate, Jamike. Jamike is studying at Cyprus International University, and he encourages Chinonso to apply. Chinonso takes his advice and is delighted when he is awarded a place at the university.

Ndali is upset that Chinonso will be going abroad: the journey is expensive and he will not be able to visit her. However, she understands that he is going for her, and she promises to wait for him to return and to marry him when he does. Chinonso sells his farm to pay for the school fees. Jamike offers to handle the payment to the school, and Chinonso gratefully accepts.



When Chinonso arrives at the school, there is no sign of Jamike, and Chinonso’s fees have not been paid. Initially disbelieving, Chinonso is forced to accept that Jamike has absconded with his money.

Another Nigerian, a student at the university called Tobe, befriends Chinonso and helps him to investigate Jamike’s disappearance. They report the theft to the Cyprus police, but Jamike doesn’t turn up. Chinonso begins to despair, but he does not report what has happened to Ndali.

As he waits for some sign of Jamike, Chinonso meets Fiona, a German woman who lives in Cyprus and works as a nurse. After a flirtatious encounter, Fiona invites Chinonso to her house. While they are there, Fiona’s husband Ahmed arrives. In a jealous rage, he attacks Fiona. To protect her, Chinonso attacks Ahmed. When the police arrive, Fiona accuses Chinonso of raping her, and Ahmed corroborates her claim. In court, the prosecutor makes a blatantly racist case, and the all-white jury sentences Chinonso to prison.



In prison, Chinonso suffers rape and terrible physical abuse. His conviction is overturned after four years, and he returns to Nigeria, determined to seek revenge.

As he makes his way home, Chinonso encounters Jamike, completely by chance. Blind with rage, Chinonso intends to kill his betrayer, but he is disarmed by Jamike’s sincere repentance. Jamike repays the stolen money, pledging to do whatever he can for Chinonso for as long as he lives.

When Chinonso reaches his home, he discovers that Ndali has married another man and had a son. It does not take Chinonso long to discover that the son is his.



Chinonso begs Ndali to keep her promise to him. Ndali knows about Chinonso’s conviction, but she has always believed the accusation to be false. All the same, she does not want to overturn the life she has made for herself.

This last disappointment is more than Chinonso can bear. Raving and insane, he sets fire to Ndali’s house, believing it to be empty. However, Ndali dies in the fire.

Based on the story of a real acquaintance of Obioma’s, who studied at Cyprus International University, An Orchestra of Minorities blends Igbo folklore and the epic structure of Homer’s Odyssey to tell a story of migration and exploitation in the contemporary world. Hailed as a “deeply original book” by Kirkus Reviews and “a rich, enchanting experience” by Publishers’ Weekly, Obioma’s second novel confirms him as one of the most exciting young writers working today.