A GOOD NAME BY YEJIDE KILANKO
A Good Name is Eziafakaego and Zinachidi’s immigrant story. The Nigerian couple living in Houston are experiencing a difficult marriage. The demure girl Eziafa went back home to marry has changed into a bold, educated woman. Unwilling to accept his wife’s growth, Eziafa is determined to clip her wings. Zina, who came to Texas as an eighteen-year-old with big dreams, is disillusioned with her life. Unfazed by family expectations and tradition, Zina is ready to start over with Raven, an ex-Mennonite farm boy, even if there is a huge price to pay.
Twelve years in America and Eziafa Okereke has nothing to show for it. Desperate to re-write his story, Eziafa returns to Nigeria to find a woman he can mold to his taste. Eighteen-year-old Zina has big dreams. An arranged marriage to a much older man isn't one of them. Trapped by family expectations, Zina marries Eziafa, moves to Houston, and trains as a nurse. Buffeted by a series of disillusions, the couple stagger through a turbulent marriage until Zina decides to change the rules of engagement.