Teju Cole is a writer and photographer currently based in New York.  He has worked as a cartoonist, dishwasher, lecturer, gardener and haematology researcher.  His writing has appeared in various journals in Nigeria and the US. Every Day is for the Thief is his first novel.

Every Day is for the Thief

A young man decides to visit Nigeria after years of absence.  Ahead lies the difficult journey back to the family house and all its memories; meetings with childhood friends and above all, facing up to the paradox of Nigeria, whose present is as burdened by the past as it is facing a new future.

Along the way, our narrator encounters life in Lagos. He is captivated by a woman reading on a danfo; attempts to check his email are frustrated by Yahoo boys; he is charmingly duped buying fuel.  He admires the grace of an aunty, bereaved by armed robbers and is inspired by the new malls and cultural venues.  The question is: should he stay or should he leave?

But before the story can even begin, he has to queue for his visa..

Every Day is for the Thief is a striking portrait of Nigeria in change.  Through a series of cinematic portraits of everyday life in Lagos, Teju Cole provides a fresh approach to the returnee experience. Read more

Teju Cole online

Words follow me, Teju Cole's blog

Angels in Winter, Teju Cole's Rome travelogue.

Letter to a young writer, Eight essential writing tips