Lawyer writes children's book based on her childhood in Nigeria
Bunmi Emenanjo, an ethics and compliance lawyer, always dreamed of being a writer. Born in the U.S. and raised in Nigeria, she engulfed herself in the world of stories, and at 16 she returned to the U.S. for college and law school. (Photo by Raquel Henrique)
Bunmi Emenanjo, an ethics and compliance lawyer, always dreamed of being a writer. Born in the U.S. and raised in Nigeria, she engulfed herself in the world of stories, and at 16 she returned to the U.S. for college and law school.
She practiced law, married and had three children. In her spare time, Emenanjo pursued her passion for writing, specifically choosing to concentrate on her Nigerian heritage and memories.
In March, Emenanjo’s debut children’s book, I’ll See You in Ijebu, was released. The book tells the story of a Catholic girl growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, who takes a trip to the rural town of Ijebu to celebrate Eid al-Adha with her Muslim extended family. The book focuses on the girl’s relationship with her grandparents, particularly her grandfather. Emenanjo’s book also has colorful illustrations and a detailed appendix with information about Nigeria and Eid-al-Adha, along with a recipe for Nigerian puff puff, sweet fried dough.
“The story is loosely based on my own childhood. It is relatable because it’s about coming together to celebrate a holiday with family,” says Emenanjo, 46. “It’s also a chance for children to experience Nigeria, to experience the contrast between city and village life. I tried to create a world of sounds and smells and language in which children could imagine themselves.”
Published by Barefoot Books, I’ll See You in Ijebu earned a favorable review in School Library Journal. Kirkus Reviews called the book a “loving embrace of faith and family and a wonderful window into Nigerian culture.”
Since the book’s release, Emenanjo has held readings throughout the Washington, D.C., area and plans more events in the upcoming months. She hopes children will see themselves and their families in the book and note the story’s blending of cultures and religions.
“I’ve heard from parents about how much the kids loved the book for its imagery and how much the book is hitting them as adults too,” she says. “I wrote it for children and also for the adult’s inner child, so I think adults will also recognize the themes for memory and relationships.”
Emenanjo moved from Nigeria back to the U.S. when she was 16 to live with a relative and pursue her education. She went first to community college and then to the University of Maryland at College Park, where she studied cell and molecular biology. After she graduated, Emenanjo thought she would go to medical school, but the passion just wasn’t there.
“It was something my parents wanted for me, but not what I wanted,” she says. Emenanjo took a job doing research while trying to decide her path in life. A patent attorney suggested she look at law school, and it seemed like a better fit for her skills.
In 2005, Emenanjo graduated from Widener University Commonwealth Law School, although she spent her last year at University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
She secured a judicial internship with U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan and then worked as a judicial clerk in Worcester County, Maryland, before eventually taking on several roles in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, followed by positions at the U.S. Department of the Interior and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. For the past two years, she has worked as compliance counsel at Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc.
I’ll See You in Ijebu tells the story of a Catholic girl growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, who takes a trip to the rural town of Ijebu to celebrate Eid al-Adha with her Muslim extended family.
Emenanjo always read to her children to encourage them to love books as much as she does. When she was searching for books to represent the family’s Nigerian culture, she realized that there wasn’t enough access to children’s books representing diverse backgrounds and ethnicities.
“I had small children and was living in an area that wasn’t very diverse,” she says. “It was important to us for our kids to be connected to their heritage and to have a strong sense of identity in spaces in which they were surrounded by people who didn’t look like them.”
Emenanjo also began visiting her children’s public school classes, and she saw that there was a need for them to hear stories outside their own experiences.
“These children were yearning for stories different than their own. They were entranced by stories that were unfamiliar to them. Kids have that innate curiosity, and if we help them by providing stories from other cultures, they can grow in their compassion.”
In 2019, Emenanjo started the Atlas Book Club, a subscription service in which families could receive a box each month representing a different country. The boxes would generally contain a book, a map, a souvenir, educational material and postcards with photos from a particular country. While the service was popular, she stopped sending out monthly boxes in 2022 to concentrate on her writing.
Emenanjo is working on a novel and shopping around a second children’s book focused on sisterhood.
“I have a full and robust career as an attorney,” Emenanjo says. “But it’s important to make space for all of you in your life. There is room for all of you to exist. Give yourself permission to pursue all of the things that bring you joy.”
