SURVIVAL, MIGRATION, AND DISILLUSIONMENT IN THE DIASPORA: A STUDY OF CHIKA UNIGWE’S ON BLACK SISTERS’ STREET

Abstract

Migration has become a common reality in many African societies, as increasing numbers of people move across borders in search of better economic and social conditions. Although migration can offer new opportunities, it also exposes migrants to serious socio-economic difficulties. Focusing on transnationalism theory, this study examines how African migrants sustain social, economic, and cultural ties across national boundaries through practices such as remittances, cultural expression, and political participation. Using Chika Unigwe’s On Black Sisters’ Street as a case study, the paper highlights the lived realities of African migrants in the diaspora, including discrimination, employment and housing difficulties, financial hardship, and language barriers. The study further identifies poverty, political instability, and economic decline as key drivers of migration, noting the disillusionment many migrants experience when expectations of a better life confront harsh realities. The paper concludes by calling on African states to address the structural challenges that fuel migration driven by frustration.