Analysis of In Dependence by Sarah Ladipo Manyika

Sarah Ladipo Manyika is the author of the novel title "In Dependence". She is a British-Nigerian writer born on the 7th of March, 1968 (According to a Wikipedia record).

"In Dependence" by Sarah Manyika is a novel about love affair whose survival is dependent on culture and geography. Tayo and Vanessa fell in love but found it hard to transform their love affair into marriage due to their difference in cultural believe and wide distance in terms of their background. While Vanessa's father (Mr. Richardson) saw no future in Tayo and Vanessa's relationship, Tayo was also surrounded with friends who detested marrying English lady.



Tayo landed himself in a marriage with someone of his own race but such marriage could not adhere to the happily-ever-after principle. At the end of the novel, he regretted not following his heart.

Besides Nigeria and Oxford, other settings are London, Paris, Dakar, clubs, party, gathering, etc.

The themes are love, history, culture, independence, literature, music, family, religion, marriage, school, career, etc.

Narrative styles employed by Sarah Ladipo Manyika are third person narration, dialogue, letter writting, historical allusion, vernacular, dialect, etc.

Plot summary
1. Tayo left Ibadan for Oxford
2. Tayo wrote a letter of safe arrival to his father which the father also replied.
3. Tayo met Christine and other Africans at Mr. and Mrs. Barker.
4. Vanessa in Oxford wrote her dear friend Jane

5. Tayo and Vanessa met formally at West African Society Meeting
6. Tayo and Vanessa became friends and got to know each other better.
7. Vanessa went home for Christmas; she was welcomed at the train station by her mom and dad.
8. Tayo Ajayi visited Vanessa's family in London for Christmas.
9. Back in Baliol, Oxford, Tayo Ajayi and Vanessa Richardson shared the Friday in Tayo's room where they talked about Tayo's mother, Vanessa's hope of becoming African journalist. They also listened to Ellington and Coltrane's "In a Sentimental Mood" and danced romantically.

10. Tayo and Vanessa (in company of Simon and his girlfriend, Nina) visited Paris. He saw a book that might interest Christine "Présence Africaine Revue" only to be informed by Ike of Christine's suicide. Tayo mourned Christine Arinze while missing the absence of Vanessa and staring at the Nigerian newspaper report about Christine's suicide.
11. Vanessa and family in St. Jean was visited by Jane, Uncle Tony, Mr. and Mrs. Murdoch (a colonial master posted to Tanganyika). They had a diner which was full of debates and arguments; Jane got to know about Tayo and wished to see his face.
Tayo and Vanessa exchanged letters

13. Tayo visited Tunde and Yusuf in Bradford. They had a party in their house before someone attacked Tayo for dancing with his sister. They were arrested by the police until Mr. and Mrs Winter (the eye witness) helped them out.
14. At Yusuf's wedding, Yusuf married Joy instead of Joyce (his known English girlfriend). The irony presented at the wedding and the fact that Tayo lied about Christine to Vanessa made her angry and quarrelled with him in the train.
15. Tayo and Vanessa settled their quarrels on New Year Eve in Mr. Barker's house.
16. Vanessa met Tayo's Uncle (Uncle Kayode) who liked her and related well with her.
17. Mr. Jonathan Richardson disapproved of Tayo and his daughter which made Vanessa very angry and wished Tayo should stand  his ground instead of giving up.
18. Tayo went home to see his sick father but was caught in the declared state of emergency resulted from the news of Ironsi been shot
19. Vanessa visited Tayo in Nigeria but Tayo disclosed he had affair and impregnated another lady in Nigeria.

20. (from 1970 to early 1994). In 1970, Vanessa cried quietly for missing Tayo. She still remained unmarried after many years living her life in Dakar
21. In 1984, Tayo and his family met Yusuf and his family at their normal rendezvous at Yelwa club and they discussed life and present Nigerian corrupt condition.
22. Tayo enjoyed the company of his daughter (Kemi) telling her his first experience from Ibadan to Lagos.
23. In July 1984, the Ajayis flew to Lagos as they always do for summer holiday
24. The rest of the story was very very boring.