Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani

“Kingsley’s mother, Augustina discovers his wealth is derived from fraudulent 419 scams triggering a dramatic confrontation and profound emotional estrangement. Kingsley argues that his illegal actions were necessary sacrifices for his family's survival while his mother rejects this. In her own view, honorable poverty over tainted money.”

“Unconditional family support may be the way in Nigeria, but when Kingsley turns to his Uncle Boniface for help, he learns that charity may come with strings attached.”

“When a tragedy befalls his family, Kingsley learns the hardest lesson of all: education may be the language of success in Nigeria, but it's money that does the talking.”

“Being the opara of the family, Kingsley Ibe is entitled to certain privileges — a piece of meat in his egusi soup, a party to celebrate his graduation from university. As first son, he has responsibilities, too. But times are bad in Nigeria, and life is hard.”

“For much of his young life, Kingsley believed that education was everything, that through wisdom, all things were possible. Now he worries that without a 'long-leg' — someone who knows someone who can help him — his degrees will do nothing but adorn the walls of his parents' low-rent house.”

“Boniface — aka Cash Daddy — is an exuberant character who suffers from elephantiasis of the pocket. He's also rumored to run a successful empire of email scams. But he can help. With Cash Daddy's intervention, Kingsley and his family can be as safe as a tortoise in its shell.”

“At age seven, when it was confirmed that her right hand could reach across her head and touch her left ear, Augustina moved back to her father’s house and started attending primary school. Being long and skinny had worked to her advantage.”

“Make una come see o, Graveyard don begin dey use perfume.”

“Cash Daddy’s cheeks were puffy, his neck was chunky, his five limbs were thick and long.”

“My father was a walking encyclopedia, and he flipped his pages with the zeal and precision of a magician.”

“My tender triceps started grumbling”

“Odinkemmelu took his body odor away to the kitchen and returned with a teaspoon of salt.”

“Is honesty an achievement? Personality is one thing, achievement is another thing. So what has your father achieved? How much money is he leaving for you when he dies? Or is it his textbooks that you’ll collect and pass on to your own children?”

“Dear Friend, I do not come to you by chance. Upon my quest for a trusted and reliable foreign business man or company I was given your contact by the Nigerian chamber of Commerce and Industry, I hope that you can be trusted to handle a transaction of this magnitude.”

“He brought out an it-was-white handkerchief from his trouser pocket and wiped the sweat from his brows.”

“Although his position on the family tree could not be described in anything less than seven sentences, Odinkemmelu was introduced to us as our cousin.”