E Ware Mumene

"E Ware Mumnde" (I’m Going Home) is the account of my experience as a young, first generation Nigerian American and my desire to to reconcile my diverse identity, while rejecting my home culture . The book starts off with me cast to country I had visited only once. As a foreigner in my parents' home country, I experienced humiliation, found redemption and a new-found appreciation for my heritage.

"E Ware Mumnde" (I’m Going Home) is the account of my experience as a young, first generation Nigerian American and my desire to to reconcile my diverse identity, while rejecting my home culture . The book starts off with me cast to country I had visited only once. As a foreigner in my parents' home country, I experienced humiliation, found redemption and a new-found appreciation for my heritage. The events preceding my departure contrast with my life in Nigeria to highlight the growth of a self-centered young man, accustomed and aspiring to inner-city American life, struggling to cope with the intricacies of urban life in Africa. The complexities and angst that comprise adolescence further weave through the story to illustrate the strain one experiences while attempting to balance competing social identities. The reader goes on a journey that leaves me ostracized from my peers and family, in which I seek answers through violence, drugs, and theft, yet find myself only after going home.

Kevin Itima is a first generation American born in Houston, Texas. His parents Helen and Romeo are both Nigerian immigrants from Delta state. Kevin spent part of his high school years in Lagos, Nigeria. Upon his return to Houston, he ran track at Westbury High School and received a track scholarship to Jackson State University, where he majored in Psychology and graduated with honors. After completing his undergraduate degree, he moved to Baltimore, Maryland and served as a fire fighter in the Baltimore County Fire Department and a substitute teacher. After the passing of his father, he relocated to Houston where he is currently completing his Master’s in Counseling.