Wahala is a debut novel by Nikki May, a Nigerian-British author, and it follows three Nigerian-British friends, their lives, the struggles they face, and the friendships they try to uphold. Roughly translated, the Nigerian word wahala means trouble, but the meaning is highly contextually dependent.
Ronke, Boo and Simi are best friends, but each of them is, in some form, unhappy with her life, whether it be their relationships or their careers. When a charming Isobel infiltrates the group, everything is turned upside down, and each of the friends begins to have a positive outlook on life. But, the three women’s friendship begins to take a toll from this new addition to the group.
In an interview with Penguin Books UK, the author claims that a reason for writing it is because she, as a mixed-raced and middle-class person, wanted to see herself in a book, and, in fact, the inspiration came after a conversation with her friends. It was published in 2022, and the debut received praise from critics as an immersive and page-turning story of friendship.
