Nigerian Author and Poet

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Things Fall Apart book cover

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A Man of the People book cover

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Map of Nigeria

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Facts about Nigeria

Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa with an estimated population of 150 million. The capital is Abuja and it became the capital in 1991. The country manufactures leathers, textiles and processed food which helps boost the economy. Agriculture is also very important because 60 percent of Nigerians are employed by working in agriculture. The main crops are cocoa, sugarcane and corn.

The main problem in Nigeria is the religious struggle and fighting between Christians and Muslims. More than 10,000 people have died because of religious battles since 1999 when the military rule ended.

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British Influence of Nigerian History

In 1807 Great Britain abounded slave trade while other countries continued until 1875. In order to stop the slave trade Britain established their rule in South West Nigeria by signing treaties and using force. Following the Napoleonic Wars, the British extended trade with Nigeria. In 1900 Nigeria officially was under control of the British Empire, which was the foremost power at the time. In 1914, the area was formally united as Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. Following World War II the British government had constitutions written to help Nigeria toward self- government on a representative and increasing federal basis.  During the middle of the 20th century the importance of independence was sweeping across Africa. On October 27th 1958 the British government allowed Nigeria to become an independent state and on October 1st 1960 it officially was independent from British rule.

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A Man of the People Analysis

The main theme of this novel is greed and corruption. The people in power will do anything to stay in power like taking bribes and walking all over others. An example of this is the chief Nanga who is supposed to be taking care of the villagers is living in the lap of luxury while his villagers are struggling. Another example is that the police who are supposed to protect the villagers walk away when people are being beaten and the rumor is that they were told to do so by the chief.

Money is the symbol of corruption because people will do anything to get money. All throughout the novel it shows how money can change people and how their morals can suddenly change. It also shows how other people are affect by others greed.

The setting in the novel is in a made up place in Africa so there isn't a specific ethnic or cultural group.

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Things Fall Apart Analysis

Symbolism:

Fire is a common symbol through out the novel. Okonkwo is nicknamed “Roaring Flame” because for him fire is a symbol for life and masculinity.

Setting:

The novel is set in Nigeria during the 19th century and this is important because it shows how his life changes from the Pre- European Era and Post- European Era, He experiences all the dramatic changes that occur during these time periods and how his culture changes and this affects the events that happen in the novel.

Narrator Point of View:

The novel is focused around Oknokwo but their is a narrator that describes the thoughts of other characters. There is time when the narration is the thoughts of different characters and this provides different takes on what is happening in the story.

Genre:

This novel is a tragedy that tells of an African clan being invaded by outsiders and this leads to the clan breaking apart

Tone:

This novel is written in an objective way so its up to the reader to determine if Okonkwo’s actions are justified.

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No Longer at Ease

The novel No Longer at Ease starts with Obi Okonkwo on trial for corruption and bribery. Obi had a promising future but the recent events of his mothers death and the calling off of his wedding to Clara sends him into a bad place. The novel starts at the beginning of the story and shows what events led Obi to be on trial for his life.

This starts when Obi comes back to his home in Nigeria from England where he was attending a British University. On his journey back to Nigeria he meets Clara and they quickly fall in love. The Umuofia Progressive Union which gave him the scholarship expect him to pay back the debt and this will allow for other students to get the same opportunity, They except that his important place in the government they can get job for the villagers through Obi. But in reality Obi has no plan of doing this. He has no desire to be a civil servant and he accepts bribes of others who want to get a scholarship or jobs. Obi begins to pay back The Umuofia Progressive Union, he starts to send his parents money, and pay for his brothers school but soon his finances are drying up. He also spends a lot of money on his social status and government position.

He doesn’t have enough money to keep up this lifestyle. After Obi purchases Clara’s engagement ring she tells him that she is from a different culture and they will not be allowed to marry. He gives her the ring anyway and they consider themselves engaged.

Obi doesn’t have enough money left to pay his car loan so he gets a loan from the bank. Clara learns of this and gives Obi money to pay off the bank. The two go dancing one night and both the banks loan and Clara’s loan are stolen from the car. Now Obi is in a lot of debt and his mother gets even more sick and his parents survive on the money he sends them so he will have to pay his mother’s hospital bill.

The news of their engagement has reached Obi’s parents and they are not happy. They tell him they have raised him Christian and even though his parents have ignored many aspects of the Igbo culture his father says he cannot marry Clara, If Obi marries Clara their children will be outcasts. His mother even threatens to kill herself if he goes through with this marriage.

They call of the engagement but then Obi learns that Clara is pregnant and pays for her to have an abortion. Afterwords Clara is in the hospital for an infection because of the abortion procedure and Obi realizes he made a big mistake. Clara leaves town and the two never speak to each other again.

When his mother dies Obi sends all the money he can for her funeral.

With the loss of his mother and his breakup with Clara he sinks into a depression and disregards all

his values and starts accepting every bribe that he can. He refuses to accept bribes from people who don’t have the qualifications to appear in front of the Scholarship Board. He gets a reputation for accepting bribes and when he is caught accepting one he is put on trial.

Obi is found guilty at the trial.

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Things Fall Apart

In the novel Things Fall Apart Okonkwo is the leader of the Umuofia tribe. Even though he is respected he lives in fear of becoming just like his father who is known for being lazy and a coward. Okonkwo tries his whole life to be the complete opposite of his father. He works hard from an early age and his persistence pays off when he becomes very wealthy and has three wives.

Everything changes when one day there is an accidental murder takes place and Okonokwo ends up adopting a young boy named Ikemefuna from a different village. He lives with Okonkwo for three years and becomes apart of the family. One day the tribe decides that Ikemefuna has to die and even though Okonkwo loves him he participates in the killing because he refuses to be like his father. On the outside it looks like he feels nothing but inside he's saddened by his loss and regret in the role he played in Ikemefuna's death.

During Ikemefuna's funeral Okonkwo accidentally shoots and kills a boy and is exiled to his mother's homeland for his crime. While he is there he learns that white missionaries preaching Christianity will bring an end to the Igbo people. As time goes on more and more Igbo people abandon the tribes practices and convert to Christianity. When Okonkwo’s seven year sentence is up he goes back to his home where he learns that his son has converted and Okonkwo disowns him.

The Igbo people try and talk to the missionaries but instead they capture the Igbo leaders and hold them for ransom. The Igbo people are thinking about getting revenge and hold a war council and Okonkwo is one the leaders of this idea. During the meeting a court appointed missionary comes and tells them to stop the meeting and in a fit of rage Okonkwo kills the man.

When Okonkwo learns that his clan will not go to war against the missionaries he hangs himself.

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Biography

Albert Chinualumogo Achebe was born November 16, 1930 in Ogidi, Nigera. He grew up in the town of Igbo and it's traditions and legacy provided inspiration for many of his novels. Achebe attended school in this church of his hometown he learned English by the age of eight and was an avid reader.

He had a scholarship to study medicine at Ibadan University College but after one year he decided to switch his major and study English literature instead. Achebe graduated from University College at Ibadan in 1954.

Most of the books about Africa were written by British authors and this upset Achebe because he found the descriptions of African people “inaccurate and insulting.” When he was working for the Nigerian Broadcasting Cooperation he wrote his first novel Things Fall Apart  in 1959. His novel was about a war hero who struggled adapting to all the change during the early days of British rule. The novel was made into a play in 1997 and played in the United States for The Kennedy Centers Odyssy Center in 1999.

In the mid 1960’s Nigeria faced many political problems that were common to most African countries. Achebe published A Man of the People in 1966 which is a story about a crooked Nigerian politician. This book was published at the same time the military removed the old politcal leadership and there was though that Achebe played a role in this.But there was never any evidence supporting that theory.

During the late 1960’s and early 1970’s Achebe worked as an ambassador for Biafra. He traveled to different countries talking about the main problems of his people, most importantly the murder of many Igbo children.

When the Republic of Biafra fell Achebe still worked for the Nigerian Broadcasting Company and spent his time helping promote the careers of young African writers. In 1972 he left Nigeria and came to the United States to be an English Professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. In 1975 he worked at the University of Connecticut and went back to Nigeria in 1976.

Back in Nigeria in 1900 he was in a bad car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Doctors told him to go back to United States so he could receive better medical care so he accepted an offer from Bard College. After nine years in the United States he went back to Nigeria were he was honored for his “dedication to the myths of his ancestors.” In 200 he published three essays titled Home and Exile.

On March 21th 2013 Chinua Achebe died of an illness at the age of 82. Even after his death his legacy will live on through his novels and short stories.

http://www.notablebiographies.com/A-An/Achebe-Chinua.html