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    Ghostroots

    by Aguda, ‘Pemi
    “Ghostroots” by ‘Pemi Aguda is a debut short story collection set in Lagos, Nigeria, blending the mundane with the supernatural. The twelve stories explore themes of inheritance, maternal lineage, and haunting legacies, often focusing on women grappling with familial and societal burdens. Aguda’s prose weaves unsettling yet deeply human narratives, where everyday life intersects with spectral presences. Notable stories include “Breastmilk,” which delves into generational trauma. The collection has been praised for its elegant voice and was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction, marking Aguda as a significant new voice in contemporary literature.
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    Ghostroots

    The Wonders of the World

    by Aguda, ‘Pemi

    The chap­ter opens with Abiso­la, a stu­dent who joins a school geog­ra­phy trip at the last minute after her moth­er unex­pect­ed­ly earns enough mon­ey from a sale. Feel­ing self-con­scious about her bor­rowed sneak­ers and the pity­ing looks from the trip coor­di­na­tor, Mr. Baju, Abiso­la boards the bus and finds her­self seat­ed next to Zeme, a pecu­liar new boy whose errat­ic move­ments and unset­tling aura make oth­ers uncom­fort­able. Zeme’s unusu­al behav­ior, includ­ing his whis­pered prayers and intu­itive under­stand­ing of Abisola’s desire for the win­dow seat, leaves her both intrigued and uneasy. Their inter­ac­tion high­lights the ten­sion between curios­i­ty and dis­com­fort, as Abiso­la grap­ples with Zeme’s enig­mat­ic pres­ence.

    As the bus trav­els through Lagos, Abiso­la dis­tracts her­self by cri­tiquing the exag­ger­at­ed bill­board adver­tise­ments, which she finds insin­cere and unre­lat­able. Zeme, mean­while, reveals that he is pray­ing for the jour­ney ahead and claims his peo­ple con­sid­er him a prophet. This dec­la­ra­tion deep­ens Abisola’s skep­ti­cism, and she with­draws, turn­ing her atten­tion to the pass­ing scenery. The chap­ter sub­tly explores themes of per­cep­tion and iden­ti­ty, as Abiso­la ques­tions the authen­tic­i­ty of the world around her while Zeme’s mys­te­ri­ous nature chal­lenges her under­stand­ing of real­i­ty.

    Dur­ing a bath­room stop near Ibadan, the stu­dents rush off the bus, but Abiso­la and Zeme remain behind, both iso­lat­ed from their peers for dif­fer­ent rea­sons. Abisola’s aloof­ness stems from reject­ing Musa, a pop­u­lar boy, which has alien­at­ed her from her class­mates. Zeme, on the oth­er hand, is ostra­cized for his odd demeanor. Their shared iso­la­tion cre­ates a ten­ta­tive con­nec­tion, though Abiso­la remains guard­ed. The chap­ter con­trasts the social dynam­ics of the group with the qui­et intro­spec­tion of the two out­siders, empha­siz­ing their mar­gin­al­iza­tion.

    The trip’s purpose—to vis­it the Iko­gosi springs, where warm and cold waters meet with­out mixing—mirrors the chapter’s explo­ration of dual­i­ty and coex­is­tence. Abisola’s inter­nal con­flict between curios­i­ty and dis­trust, her obser­va­tions of soci­etal facades, and Zeme’s prophet­ic claims all under­score the ten­sion between sur­face appear­ances and deep­er truths. The chap­ter ends with Abiso­la and Zeme poised on the edge of a poten­tial con­nec­tion, their unre­solved dynam­ic reflect­ing the unchart­ed jour­ney ahead.

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    FAQs

    • 1. How does the author use physical descriptions to characterize Zeme and Abisola, and what do these descriptions reveal about their personalities?

      Answer:
      The author employs vivid physical descriptions to highlight key personality traits of both characters. Zeme is described with “wriggly and lilting” movements, “bulgy eyes,” and constant motion, creating an image of someone unconventional and unsettling to others. His physicality reflects his spiritual nature (“my people say I’m a prophet”) and social isolation. Abisola is characterized through practical details like her “oversized sneakers” and tendency to lean away from Zeme, revealing her self-consciousness and guarded nature. The contrast between Zeme’s fluid movements and Abisola’s defensive postures underscores their differing approaches to social interaction—Zeme embraces his uniqueness while Abisola seeks to minimize attention.

      2. Analyze the significance of the billboards in this chapter. What do they represent for Abisola and for Lagos society?

      Answer:
      The billboards serve as a metaphor for artificiality and unattainable ideals in Lagos society. Abisola critiques their exaggerated smiles (“Did the MTN man… really have to smile so hard?”), seeing them as false representations of happiness that contrast with her lived reality. Yet she also wonders if being “blown up ten times her size” might grant her a new identity, suggesting both disdain for and fascination with societal projections. The pidgin slogan (“taste and see, we go scatter ya brain!”) ironically highlights how consumer culture promises transformation through loss of control. For Lagos, these billboards represent the tension between aspirational marketing and the characters’ authentic experiences.

      3. What social dynamics are revealed through Abisola’s and Zeme’s shared isolation on the bus?

      Answer:
      Their isolation exposes multiple layers of teenage social hierarchy. Abisola is ostracized after rejecting popular Musa—a consequence that reveals how peer groups punish nonconformity (“the girls were affronted that she would reject someone they pined for”). Zeme’s isolation stems from his eccentric behavior that “made people uncomfortable,” showing how difference breeds exclusion. Their parallel situations create an uneasy bond: both recognize their outsider status but resist full connection (Abisola leans away; Zeme remains cryptic). The scene also critiques Mr. Baju’s forced camaraderie (“No distractions, talk to each other!”), highlighting the irony that genuine interaction can’t be mandated.

      4. How does the chapter use the impending trip to Ikogosi as a symbolic backdrop for the characters’ experiences?

      Answer:
      The “warm spring meeting the cold spring but not mixing” parallels the characters’ emotional states. Like the springs, Abisola and Zeme are forced into proximity but remain psychologically separate—Abisola resists Zeme’s attempts at connection, while Zeme’s prophetic claims create distance. This natural phenomenon also mirrors societal divisions: the billboards’ artificial joy vs. Abisola’s skepticism, or the students’ cliques vs. isolated individuals. The excursion’s purpose as a “wonder of the world” contrasts with the characters’ internal struggles, suggesting that human complexities outweigh geographical marvels. The unconsummated journey becomes a metaphor for their unresolved tensions.

      5. Evaluate how economic class influences Abisola’s behavior and self-perception in this chapter.

      Answer:
      Abisola’s socioeconomic status shapes her actions and mindset throughout the chapter. Her late enrollment (“Her mother was suddenly able to afford the trip”) forces her into unwanted attention, symbolized by the “pitying eyes” directed at her father’s sneakers. This breeds self-protectiveness—she adjusts the shoes to “close the gap” and hides behind window-gazing. Her rejection of Musa may stem from class anxiety (“the fear… he would want to visit her at home”). The Alhaja’s lace purchase underscores how precarious finances dictate opportunities. Unlike her peers who casually interact with hawkers, Abisola’s economic reality makes her hyperaware of social judgments, reinforcing her isolation.

    Quotes

    • 1. “She looked away when his pitying eyes slid from the envelope to her, down to the oversized sneakers she’d borrowed from her father.”

      This quote captures Abisola’s acute awareness of socioeconomic disparity and her discomfort with being perceived as needy. It establishes the theme of vulnerability and pride that runs through her character.

      2. “That something made Abisola feel exposed whenever Zeme looked at her, as if he knew all her secrets and was only keeping them out of a condescending benevolence.”

      This reveals the unsettling dynamic between Abisola and Zeme, introducing the supernatural/mystical undercurrent of the story while exploring themes of perception and power in relationships.

      3. “At what point had brain scattering become a thing to entice people with, Abisola wanted to know; at what point had having no control over your mind become a desired thing?”

      This philosophical reflection on advertising culture doubles as a metaphor for Abisola’s own struggle with control - both of her circumstances and her emerging feelings about Zeme’s prophetic claims.

      4. “He began every Tuesday/Thursday class with a cheesy icebreaker, calling the rocks and rivers they studied ‘wonders of the world.’ She thought it was a little sad, a little naïve, how he wore his excitement on his face, in front of teenagers who saw any kind of earnestness as weakness.”

      This insight into classroom dynamics reveals the generational tension between authentic enthusiasm and adolescent cynicism, while foreshadowing the literal “wonders” they’ll encounter on their trip.

      5. “After she said no to Musa, the other boys began ignoring her in solidarity, and Abisola wondered if the girls were affronted that she would reject someone they pined for, believing this to be an indictment of their tastes, or a show of superiority.”

      This quote exposes the complex social hierarchies of adolescence and introduces Abisola’s pattern of self-isolation, which makes her eventual connection with Zeme more significant.

    Quotes

    1. “She looked away when his pitying eyes slid from the envelope to her, down to the oversized sneakers she’d borrowed from her father.”

    This quote captures Abisola’s acute awareness of socioeconomic disparity and her discomfort with being perceived as needy. It establishes the theme of vulnerability and pride that runs through her character.

    2. “That something made Abisola feel exposed whenever Zeme looked at her, as if he knew all her secrets and was only keeping them out of a condescending benevolence.”

    This reveals the unsettling dynamic between Abisola and Zeme, introducing the supernatural/mystical undercurrent of the story while exploring themes of perception and power in relationships.

    3. “At what point had brain scattering become a thing to entice people with, Abisola wanted to know; at what point had having no control over your mind become a desired thing?”

    This philosophical reflection on advertising culture doubles as a metaphor for Abisola’s own struggle with control - both of her circumstances and her emerging feelings about Zeme’s prophetic claims.

    4. “He began every Tuesday/Thursday class with a cheesy icebreaker, calling the rocks and rivers they studied ‘wonders of the world.’ She thought it was a little sad, a little naïve, how he wore his excitement on his face, in front of teenagers who saw any kind of earnestness as weakness.”

    This insight into classroom dynamics reveals the generational tension between authentic enthusiasm and adolescent cynicism, while foreshadowing the literal “wonders” they’ll encounter on their trip.

    5. “After she said no to Musa, the other boys began ignoring her in solidarity, and Abisola wondered if the girls were affronted that she would reject someone they pined for, believing this to be an indictment of their tastes, or a show of superiority.”

    This quote exposes the complex social hierarchies of adolescence and introduces Abisola’s pattern of self-isolation, which makes her eventual connection with Zeme more significant.

    FAQs

    1. How does the author use physical descriptions to characterize Zeme and Abisola, and what do these descriptions reveal about their personalities?

    Answer:
    The author employs vivid physical descriptions to highlight key personality traits of both characters. Zeme is described with “wriggly and lilting” movements, “bulgy eyes,” and constant motion, creating an image of someone unconventional and unsettling to others. His physicality reflects his spiritual nature (“my people say I’m a prophet”) and social isolation. Abisola is characterized through practical details like her “oversized sneakers” and tendency to lean away from Zeme, revealing her self-consciousness and guarded nature. The contrast between Zeme’s fluid movements and Abisola’s defensive postures underscores their differing approaches to social interaction—Zeme embraces his uniqueness while Abisola seeks to minimize attention.

    2. Analyze the significance of the billboards in this chapter. What do they represent for Abisola and for Lagos society?

    Answer:
    The billboards serve as a metaphor for artificiality and unattainable ideals in Lagos society. Abisola critiques their exaggerated smiles (“Did the MTN man… really have to smile so hard?”), seeing them as false representations of happiness that contrast with her lived reality. Yet she also wonders if being “blown up ten times her size” might grant her a new identity, suggesting both disdain for and fascination with societal projections. The pidgin slogan (“taste and see, we go scatter ya brain!”) ironically highlights how consumer culture promises transformation through loss of control. For Lagos, these billboards represent the tension between aspirational marketing and the characters’ authentic experiences.

    3. What social dynamics are revealed through Abisola’s and Zeme’s shared isolation on the bus?

    Answer:
    Their isolation exposes multiple layers of teenage social hierarchy. Abisola is ostracized after rejecting popular Musa—a consequence that reveals how peer groups punish nonconformity (“the girls were affronted that she would reject someone they pined for”). Zeme’s isolation stems from his eccentric behavior that “made people uncomfortable,” showing how difference breeds exclusion. Their parallel situations create an uneasy bond: both recognize their outsider status but resist full connection (Abisola leans away; Zeme remains cryptic). The scene also critiques Mr. Baju’s forced camaraderie (“No distractions, talk to each other!”), highlighting the irony that genuine interaction can’t be mandated.

    4. How does the chapter use the impending trip to Ikogosi as a symbolic backdrop for the characters’ experiences?

    Answer:
    The “warm spring meeting the cold spring but not mixing” parallels the characters’ emotional states. Like the springs, Abisola and Zeme are forced into proximity but remain psychologically separate—Abisola resists Zeme’s attempts at connection, while Zeme’s prophetic claims create distance. This natural phenomenon also mirrors societal divisions: the billboards’ artificial joy vs. Abisola’s skepticism, or the students’ cliques vs. isolated individuals. The excursion’s purpose as a “wonder of the world” contrasts with the characters’ internal struggles, suggesting that human complexities outweigh geographical marvels. The unconsummated journey becomes a metaphor for their unresolved tensions.

    5. Evaluate how economic class influences Abisola’s behavior and self-perception in this chapter.

    Answer:
    Abisola’s socioeconomic status shapes her actions and mindset throughout the chapter. Her late enrollment (“Her mother was suddenly able to afford the trip”) forces her into unwanted attention, symbolized by the “pitying eyes” directed at her father’s sneakers. This breeds self-protectiveness—she adjusts the shoes to “close the gap” and hides behind window-gazing. Her rejection of Musa may stem from class anxiety (“the fear… he would want to visit her at home”). The Alhaja’s lace purchase underscores how precarious finances dictate opportunities. Unlike her peers who casually interact with hawkers, Abisola’s economic reality makes her hyperaware of social judgments, reinforcing her isolation.

    Note