I do not come to you by Chance by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani

I Do Not Come to You by Chance book review

Book Details

• Title: I Do Not Come to You by Chance

• Author: Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani

• Formats Available: Kindle Edition, Paperback, Audio CD

• Year of Publication: 2009

• Genre: Coming-of-age / Crime fiction

• Setting: Nigeria (Umuahia, Aba)
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Summary of the Book

The novel opens with a glimpse into the early years of Kingsley’s mother, Augustina (Ozoemena), and his father, Paulinus. As the story shifts to the present, we see how financial and health struggles have deeply affected their family due to the collapsed economy. Kingsley, the eldest son, or Opara, grapples with unemployment, and despite his best efforts, every attempt to secure a job ends in disappointment.

His girlfriend Ola was a formidable source of strength and hope until she decided to choose a better financially positioned man for herself. This gave Kings one more thing to be disappointed about: another tangible loss, perhaps one of his biggest ones.

The novel paints a stark picture of poverty in Nigeria on the one hand—one of the most heartbreaking moments is when Kingsley’s family, unable to afford a deposit, is forced to drive from hospital to hospital with his unconscious father, searching for treatment. This moment was particularly gut-wrenching and underscored the failures of the healthcare system, where even state hospitals refuse to treat patients who can’t pay and require them to buy their courses of treatment, including intravenous fluids and bring their blankets. On the other hand, the contrast between those who lived in abundant wealth and those who acquired it still shows a sharp contrast between the socioeconomic divides.

As Kingsley struggles to support his family and pay for his father’s hospitalisation, his mother sends him to seek help from her estranged brother, his notorious uncle Boniface, or “Cash Daddy” as he was popularly known. Boniface is flamboyant, larger than life, and knee-deep in the world of 419 scams. Initially reluctant, Kingsley eventually joins his uncle’s operation, leading to an unexpected transformation. While still retaining parts of his old self, he enters a world of wealth, deception, and ethical compromise.

The novel takes a dramatic turn as Kingsley adapts to his new reality. Despite the moral dilemmas, Kingsley’s success in this line of work allows him to uplift his family. The book ends on an unexpected yet oddly satisfying note—his mother beams with pride at his success, even though it stems from fraudulent activities that she vehemently condemned to the point of threatening to cut him off as her son. The epilogue ties everything together, adding one last twist to Kingsley’s story.

What I Liked

• The use of proverbs at the beginning of each section was a brilliant touch, grounding the story in Nigerian oral traditions – Cash Daddy and, eventually, Kings himself added to these throughout the book.
• The vivid and candid descriptions of everyday life, struggles, and resilience made the book feel incredibly real.
• Cash Daddy’s character was absolute gold—hilarious, larger than life, and unforgettable.
• The humour and lighthearted tone—despite dealing with weighty issues like poverty, illness, government failure, and crime, the author infused humour throughout the story, making it engaging and digestible. It reminded me of the concept of Black joy—the ability to acknowledge struggles without being consumed by them.
• The unexpected plot twists kept me on edge. I never read book summaries or blurbs beforehand, so I was genuinely surprised by the direction the story took.

What I Wanted to See More Of

• I would have loved more exploration of his parents’ love story—the novel starts with glimpses into their early years, I wanted to read more about that as it was so interesting.

Recommendation

I highly recommend I Do Not Come to You by Chance to readers who enjoy character-driven stories with deep social commentary and humour. This book is perfect for those interested in African literature, stories about resilience, and narratives that explore ethical dilemmas in a compelling way. If you liked The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives (Buy book here) or Welcome to Lagos, you’ll likely enjoy this as well.

Final Thoughts

This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster. At first, I thought it would be about Kingsley’s parents, then about his struggle to escape poverty, and then it unexpectedly delved into the world of 419 fraud. The journey from desperation to success—albeit through crime—was compelling and thought-provoking.

The novel does an excellent job of highlighting systemic failures while showing the lengths people go to in order to survive. Kingsley’s story is a testament to resilience, adaptation, and the moral complexities of life in a broken system. Despite everything, I was relieved that the author gave Kingsley a happy ending. The epilogue was a perfect conclusion—so do not skip it!

Accolades for this book

• Won the 2010 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book (Africa) and a Betty Trask First Book award. The Washington Post also named it one of the Best Books of 2009.

About the author

Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani is a Nigerian novelist, journalist, and essayist.  She is also the author of Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree (Buy here), a young adult novel based on real-life accounts of Boko Haram kidnappings. As a journalist, her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Guardian, and the BBC. She currently lives in Abuja, Nigeria. Find out more about her HERE.