A WOMANIST ANALYSIS OF CHIKA UNIGWE’S ON BLACK SISTERS’ STREET AND BISI ADJAPON’S DAUGHTER IN EXILE.

This study undertakes a Womanist analysis of Chika Unigwe’s On Black Sisters’Street and Bisi Adjapon’s Daughter in Exile. The aim of the study is to examine the intersections of gender, race, class, and identity in Diaspora,by centering the experiences of African women, this analysis reveals how the protagonists navigate complex webs of oppression, resistance, and empowerment challenging dominant narratives and reclaim agency for African women. The scope of the study is defined by a comparative analysis of the two texts focusing on exploration of themes of identity formation, sisterhood, and the struggle for autonomy in the face of patriarchal, colonial, and capitalist systems of oppression. The study adopts womanism as a theoretical framework. The methodology involves qualitative literary analysis using content analysis to determine reoccurring themes, characters representation and narrative struggles in both works offering a powerful counter-narratives that celebrate the resilience, creativity, and solidarity of African women, while also underscoring the need for continued resistance against intersecting forms of oppression. The findings of the study reveals;(i)The difficulties African immigrant women face in navigating unfamiliar cultural context.(ii) Highlights the stereotypes about African women, immigrants and sexworkers.(iii)The intersectional nature of oppression faced by the characters. (iv) Demonstration of how the women’s experiences are shaped by multiple factors. (v) Exploration of mother-daughter relationship highlighting the characters empowerment and constraint.(v) The complexities of cultural identity and hybridity