The Edifice — Kole Omotoso

The Edifice tells the tale of a Nigerian student in a predominantly white university and the slow, painful deterioration of his marriage to an English woman. In this debut novel, Kole Omotoso captures the alienating experiences of a Black man living in 1960s Britain.



Dele is a graduate from one of Nigeria's most prestigious universities. After receiving an offer to study in Britain, he is eager to travel overseas and earn his Doctorate degree. But soon the small, significant moments of prejudice he encounters each day leave Dele feeling unhappy and isolated.



From the tangible coldness of his fellow students to the demeaning depiction of Africa in the press, he reluctantly concedes that this is not a place he can ever call home. Disheartened, the only remaining light in his life is his relationship with another student named Daisy.



Daisy can see that Dele's love for her is overshadowed by the intolerance he faces. So she makes the life-changing decision to move back with him to Nigeria and leave everything she's ever known behind. But the decision Daisy thought would cement their love ultimately leads to its disastrous collapse...