Uzo Aduba’s memoir, The Road is Good, offers an insightful glimpse into her childhood experiences, which were largely marked by her Igbo background and an unending endeavour to blend in. Raised in the predominantly white suburb of Medfield, Massachusetts, during the ’80s and ’90s, Aduba’s Nigerian-American family faced financial strain with five children and high academic and outside of school pursuits. Despite the challenges, her mother, Nonyem, was a driving force behind the family, taking up extra employment.
Aduba has dedicated her book to her mother and talks about how she constructed their family, and the way their migration from Nigeria to Boston transformed their existence. It also opened a gateway for their extended family members to access educational opportunities in the U.S. For Aduba, her talents in figure skating, singing, and running were nurtured and recognised early on, eventually earning her a track scholarship at Boston University where she pursued music.
The memoir, entrenched with strong themes of faith, hard work, and gratitude, doesn’t shy away from expressing the inevitable experiences of doubt, disillusionment and despair. One such instance was the emotionally draining 495 days spent alongside her terminally ill mother. The narrative is fuelled by their family’s courageous history, who managed to weather the harrowing Nigerian-Biafran war in the 1960s.
Despite continuous rejections, Aduba was unwavering in her ambition to carve a niche for herself in the arts, mirroring her mother’s belief that hard work never goes unrewarded. Her mother’s prayers were a constant source of hope and encouragement, more so during her early days in New York where she was trying to solidify her theatre career before eventually transitioning into film and television.
Aduba’s career flourished with her acclaimed portrayals of Crazy Eyes in the popular Netflix series Orange is the New Black, Shirley Chisholm in Mrs United States, and Dr Brooke Taylor in In Treatment. These roles were crucial in helping her deal with her mother’s recent passing.
Identifying herself as her family’s chronicler, Aduba effectively highlights the nuances of an exceptional life driven by gratitude, prayer, and communal bonds. These are fundamental lessons taught by an actress in the midst of shaping her legacy.
The memoir is penned by poet, writer, editor and performer, Chiamaka Enyi-Amadi.