The novel is written by Alex Agyei Agyiri. The novel is a reflection of the political and economic history of Ghana. It is a story of two siblings, Nii and Mama Orojo, during the 1983 deportation of Ghanaians from Nigeria under the Shehu Shagari government. Unexpected Joy at Dawn centres around migration, identities, and lives threatened by distrustful and xenophobic politics.