The Joys of Motherhood

Emecheta follows Nnu Ego through colonial Lagos as she stakes her entire worth on bearing and raising children, especially sons, only to be impoverished and abandoned in old age. The ironic title anchors a feminist critique of the idea that motherhood alone should define a woman, making it a central text of African women's writing and gender debate.

Its legacy. It became a staple of postcolonial and feminist syllabi worldwide.