A Century of Immigration: African Survival and Success Guide in Britain

A Century of Immigration: African Survival and Success Guide in Britain by Yemi Adesina is both a history and a handbook — a vital resource for African families navigating life in the United Kingdom.

Drawing on over 100 years of migration history — from the Irish and Jewish arrivals, to the Windrush generation, to today’s African professionals and students — this book uncovers how each community faced hostility, exclusion, and prejudice, yet carved out belonging and left a lasting mark on Britain. It places the African journey in that wider story, showing how challenges of racism, housing, work, education, and identity mirror earlier struggles — and how resilience and community always paved the way forward.

This is more than history. It is a survival and success guide. With a unique blend of empirical data, archival records, case studies, and African proverbs, Yemi Adesina highlights the realities African immigrants face in Britain today — from cultural clashes and school exclusions to knife crime, housing struggles, and encounters with social services. At the same time, it shows how faith, culture, family, and education remain powerful anchors for thriving across generations.

Whether you are a new arrival seeking to understand the system, a parent raising children between two worlds, or a community leader looking for solutions, this book offers strength, clarity, and practical wisdom. It celebrates African resilience, honours past sacrifices, and equips families with the tools to succeed in a society that offers both opportunity and obstacles.

As an African proverb reminds us: “When the roots of a tree are deep, it cannot be uprooted by the wind.” This book helps African families plant those roots in Britain — strong, confident, and ready for the future.