I Do Not Come to You By Chance
| Company type | Literary work |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founder | Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani |
| Products | Novel |
| Parent | Hachette Books (Perseus Books Group) |
I Do Not Come to You By Chance marks the 2009 literary debut of Nigerian writer Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, released on 1 May 2009 through Hachette Books, a division of the Perseus Books Group.
Plot summary
The story centers on Kingsley Ibe, an engineering graduate from a middle-class family in Nigeria. Facing economic difficulties and unable to secure a job, Kingsley seeks help from his uncle Boniface, also known as Cash Daddy, who is a prominent figure in the email scam industry, specifically linked to the "419" fraud named after the Nigerian penal code. Boniface introduces Kingsley to the profitable yet illegal realm of advance-fee email scams, highlighting the financial challenges that push individuals toward this shadow economy.
Reception
- 2010: Awarded the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First Book (Africa).
- 2010: Recipient of the Betty Trask First Book Award.
- 2010: Finalist for the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa.
- 2012: Included on the shortlist for the Nigeria Prize for Literature.
- Recognized as one of The Washington Post Best Books of 2009.
Film adaptation
The novel was adapted into a film directed by Ishaya Bako with executive production by Genevieve Nnaji, and it debuted at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.