The three
books could be viewed as a “how to” manual of establishing British colonial
rule, or more accurately, “how it was done.” First were the Christian missionaries,
then the strong-arm military take-over, and finally the establishment of what is effectively a puppet “independent” government.
At the end of
Arrow of God, the second book, the Igbo village chief realizes they will
not be able to further oppose colonization, and makes the fateful
decision to send his son Obi to missionary school. In No Longer at Ease, the final book, the village elders decide to underwrite Obi's university training in London. By so doing, they believe Obi will
be able to protect/promote the village’s interests in the new colonial government.
Years later
when Obi returns to Nigeria, he is given a civil service position in the
government. He stands ready and proud to help build a new Nigeria. At this
point however reality intercepts idealism, eventually trapping him in a corrupt
system of payoffs.
An interesting
aspect of his downfall relates to the need to repay the money his village invested
in his education (aka: a student loan), while at the same time establishing
himself financially as he advances in his career. The villagers not only expect
him to repay the loan, but also want immediate return on invest vis-a-vis the
reason they made the loan to begin with: helping the villagers.
No Longer at
Ease, and in fact the entire trilogy, puts a personal face on the challenges
faced by, and facing, the independent countries of Africa as they exit colonialism.
Recommendation:
Yes, particularly for history buffs.
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