Transcendence in Akachi Ezeigbo's 'Trafficked'

Abstract

Theodora Akachi Ezeigbo is one of Nigeria’s eminent contemporary novelists and scholars. She has written many distinguished works that cover a variety of socio­economic and political themes. !"#$%&'() is a novel which depicts Ezeigbo’s sense of responsibility and moral awareness as she speaks out against the injustices faced by women who are hoodwinked into the sex industry. This article will depict transcendence in the representation of female characters in !"#$%&'() (2008) as they battle the struggles of socio­political and economic oppression, poverty and desperation. Their experience of transcendence is very much like the womanist metamorphosis of the female individual, which leads them to empowerment to carve new lives for themselves despite their past encounters. Through Ezeigbo's representation of female characters, we are not only given a more nuanced understanding of the trauma within the intricate business of modern slavery, but also deeper appreciation of female strength and bravery. This article will show how the novelist and scholar in Ezeigbo combines creative writing and literary criticism in !"#$%&'(), using literature as a social discourse to comment on issues surrounding modern slavery.