African-Like Politics: A Comparative Study of Gabriel Okara’s The Voice And Chinua Achebe’s A Man Of The People (original) (raw)
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Ogbazulobodo: University of Nigeria Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies. , 2020
LITERATURE OF POLITICS: OF DORMANCY OR DOGGEDNESS; FINDING MEANINGS IN CHINUA ACHEBE’S A MAN OF THE PEOPLE. Abstract Apart from Achebe’s literary dogmas and polemics of the western influence on African native culture and history, there is no gainsaying asserting that he is also a gadfly who questioned and attacked Africa’s socio-political intricacies and orthodoxies. Over the years, the African polity has witnessed innumerable issues as regards good governance and direction, ranging from maladministration, megalomania, corruption, tyranny etc; perpetuated by African political elites and the society at large. However this dangerous politicking has crippled our societies, thus questioning the stance of the African writer; a praise singer or a social critic. It is on this note that this paper seeks to explore the stance of African writers and the utilitarian relevance of literature employed as a weapon to demystify the political statusquo, as exemplified in Chinua Achebe’s A Man of the People. Suffice to say this paper submits that African writers should constantly employ their writs as comrade in arms against the dangerous politicking of African elites and leaders. Their writs should constantly comment, prod and question the existing state of affairs in order to ameliorate the anomalies as epitomized by Chinua Achebe; else the growth we seek will remain an illusion. Keywords: Literature,politics, African leadership, social, critic.
A Political Analysis of A Man of the People by Chinua Achebe
2017
This present research paper is concerned with one of the most successful and political novelists in the twentieth century Africa named,Chinua Achebe, who could really depict the real situation of his country, Nigeria, in terms of political instability and corruption. Especially, in his fourth produced novel entitled, A Man of the People in which he portrays his birthplace as one of the most corrupted countries around the world during post-independence era. Achebe is a Nigerian author who writes about different aspects of his country during his lifetime and the reflection of his society could be noticed very clearly in his literary works; especially, in his selected novel. Achebe based his most prominent characters in his novel like M.A. Nanga and Odille on some political figures of his time who have a major role in the corruption in Nigeria. In this sense, his chosen literary text can be seen and read as political source for his country. Keywords: Chinua Achebe, Corruption, Poli...
A Critical Analysis of Post-Independence African Leadership in Chinua Achebe’s a Man of the People
International Journal of Innovative Research and Development
The attainment of independence by most African countries in the sixties aroused in the mind of most Africans a feeling of happiness and hope. Most Africans thought that their conditions were going to shift from poverty to prosperity since the destiny of the continent is now in the hands of their own brothers who promised a better future for the continent. This legitimate aspiration of the masses has been thwarted by these new African leaders who took over from their former white colonisers. This state of things has accurately been portrayed in literary works. Writers, being part of the society and feeling indebted to it, could not stay aloof. They too, through their works of art, suggest some ways out of the myriad of challenges confronting the entire human race. These writers believe that literature, in its fictiveness, proffers means which, when well employed, could help human society to revisit some social iniquities or injustices that constitute most of the time a heavy stumbling block to its sustainable development. It is to respond to this need of reconstructing African societies that Achebe, faithful to his mission of awareness-raising, wrote this novel, in which he exposes the weaknesses and the sickness of post-colonial African leaders' ruling of the continent. He portrayed his country which is symbolized by the sickness of the leader. Achebe like many African writers of the postcolonial era acknowledges the cardinal role of creative literature when it comes to the matter of human redressing. This is why he wrote A Man of the People, in which he mocked at the leadership of post-independence African rulers. Through the portrayal of the chief M. A. Nanga, one of the major characters from the novel, the writer succeeded in revealing the true nature of post-colonial African leaders. This article purports to evaluate critically the leadership of post-independence African leaders in Achebe's A Man of the People. The work also aims to show how Chinua Achebe has used this novel to reflect the Socio-political realities of the entire African continent. Furthermore, the article seeks to demonstrate how postindependence African leaders have deviated from democracy to dictatorship and to point out the shortcomings of the contemporary African societies. The only change Africans witnessed was a new form of colonization but now orchestrated their own brothers who took over the destinies of the new nations in hands. It becomes clear that the new elite who took over continued the same system of their former white colonizers. They failed to satisfy the need of their populations whose conditions are still alike. The analysis of this article will be conducted in the light of post-colonial theory. 2. The Portrayal of Post-Colonial African Leadership in a Man of People Most of Chinua Achebe's novels set in sixties such as A Man of the People portray post-independence Africa, where leaders have shifted from the norms of democracy to personal and autocratic rule, Mavis Thokozile Macheka (2014). The fictionalized country depicted in the novel is Nigeria, one of West African countries that can be the representative of the whole Africa. Corruption, personal cult, violence, the embezzlement of country's wealth is what characterize this society.
Social and Political Unrest in Chinua Achebe’s A Man of the People: A Study
Roots International Journal of Multidisciplinary Researches, Impact Factor 0.811 , 2015
by V.Jeya Santhi & Dr.R.Selvam Chinua Achebe was a distinguished Igbo (Ibo) novelist, renowned for his unsentimental depiction of the social and psychological renovation associated with the imposition of western customs, education and values upon traditional African society. His particular concern is with evolving Africa at the moment of crisis. Similar to the diasporic experience, the modernity is contested and out of this conflict, new identities with a firm moral order out of changing values are constructed. Achebe’s fourth novel A Man of the People (1966) exemplifies his goal of social realism; and it is an attempt to restore the lost dignity of his people by allowing his readers to examine their past and to resolve what he terms a ‘crisis in the soul’. To achieve a realistic effect, Achebe created the protagonist Odili Samalu, a representative of the new intellectual generation in opposition to the Chief Nanga, Odili’s former teacher, a representative of the old bush politicians. The realization of Odili that the country could be made much better if he went up against “a man of the people” who in reality was “a man against the people” and the subsequent events foreshadow the Nigerian Revolution of 1966. The paper examines how the political, social and economic unrest relate to the transition in the context of a post-colonial African country as depicted in A Man of the People.
African Literature as a tool for National Development: A Case of Chinua Achebe's A Man of the People
1 After the independence in 1960 Nigeria assumes the role of a free nation with hope of developing itself to its capacity in all spheres of life; politically, economically, educationally, socially and spiritually. Unfortunately, those that assumed the leadership failed to realize the dream of Nigerians. So, the country turned into the land of corruption and misrule. Considering the situation of the country, a very prolific and reputable writer (Chinua Achebe) writes to expose such evil acts of the leaders in his fourth novel, A Man of the People. His intense experience and ability to understand the reality of Nigerian environment which he portrays in the novel (A Man of the People) has a great impact in the lives of Nigerians. This paper seeks to explore such great work of arts with hope it will provide a sustainable development for the nation if used.
Post-Colonial Literature in Africa A Man of the People by Chinua Achebe
2015
The present study seeks for investigating the manifestations of colonialism and post-colonialism movements in the African societies, and how literary works dealt with these movements either by defending and rationalizing, or by criticizing and refuting them. The first part starts with colonialism movement, and it briefly discusses the different reasons of the emergence of this movement in Europe, and how it moved to the African continent, whereas the next section addresses the legitimacy of colonialism in literary works about Africa, and mainly about Morocco and Algeria. The following part deals with the negative impacts of the colonial countries in the colonized territories, and how some writers censured this movement, and resisted against its notions. Finally, this entry draws more attention to the Africans’ reaction against colonialism, and their disillusionment after gaining the independence. The second part focuses on post-colonialism and the literary works that appeared at that time, and it starts with a brief introduction about this movement, and then, examines some post-colonial literary works that had negative perspectives towards this movement. Also, this entry addresses the post-colonial African books that view colonialism in the same negative way. The final section deals with a post-colonial novel which is A Man of the People by Chinua Achebe, and it includes a brief summary about the novel as well as it reviews the significance of its title, and finally it discusses the theme of corruption in the same book.
Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities
This paper presents a critical comparative inquiry aimed at discussing patterns of Chinua Achebe’s A Man of the People and Emeka Nwabueze’s A Parliament of Vultures, portrayal, definition, situation as well as contextualization of political corruption and charlatanry in Nigeria. In addition, we are looking at how the texts’ application of the same literary device in projecting similar massages through biting satirical undertones, scathing rebukes and grim humour. Hence, we shall examine the effectiveness of this device in specific instances. To this end, this study seeks to interpret the embedded messages in the texts’ projections of corruption and charlatanry through two characters – Chief Nanga in A Man of the People and Mrs. Omeaku in A Parliament of Vultures. Furthermore, our aim is to explain what the texts view as the immediate and future consequences of the alluded negative vices to the society, espouse on the variables they adduce as the propelling forces, understand better ...
Aspects of Realism in Chinua Achebe's A Man of the People
2008
Achebe has proven his worth among english-speaking African novelists by representing the African social and political environment in a thoroughly realistic way. his novels depict life within a particular historical background, and convey a sense of growing disgust and unrest within nigerian society, a society that has started to emerge from the 'colonial complex' caused by years of denigration and self-abasement. A Man of the People (967) is Achebe's fourth novel. it describes nigeria in its post-independence phase, during which time the country became a 'cesspool of corruption and misrule' in the context of colonial-style social and economic development, a situation that resulted in conflict between the emergent, elitist middle class and the general population. Achebe's reputation as a novelist rests on his impartial understanding of, and ability to represent, the nigerian environment. his realistic characterization, and diagnosis, of his country's malaise has the power to inspire a revolution informed by African ideologies.
Arab World English Journal For Translation and Literary Studies, 2017
This paper sheds light on the possible hope for the Nigerian situation in Chinua Achebe's A Man of the People (1966), away from bankrupt intellectuals, corrupt politicians, and an ignorant public. This novel portrays two schools of ineffectual native educators who seem to be antagonists: the traditional old school and the new modern intellectuals. Postcolonial/race theories of Fanon, Appiah, Du Bois, and Woodson as well as Gramsci's notion of the "organic intellectual" are employed to get a clearer image of the role of intellectuals and politicians in shaping the future of a country in the post-independence era. The article concludes that intellectuals with European education may contribute to the corruption of their country due to reasons like divided loyalties, miseducation, and lack of communication with the public. Additionally, Achebe is critical of the current politicians and the excluded public. So, our analysis employs Woodson's concept of "the miseducation of the Negro" because such "miseducation" produces incompetent politicians like Chief Nanga, weak intellectuals like Odili Samalu, and ignorant people like the public in the novel. Real hope against governmental corruption in Achebe's satirical novel can be found in integrating the class of intellectual/political leaders and the public and in a different kind of indoctrination, neither colonial nor neo-colonial. The truly educated class and the "organic intellectuals" produced from the public are key solutions for a better "Nigeria." Hence, this article highlights the role of politicized education in post-independence nation building and tackles the mishaps of nascent nationalism.
ANALYSIS OF THE NOVEL A MAN OF THE PEOPLE Written by CHINUA ACHEBE
This paper presents analysis both form and content analysis of the novel A Man of the People which is a novel by Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe. Written as a satirical piece, "A Man of the People" follows the story told by Odili, a young and educated narrator, about his conflict with Chief Nanga, his former teacher who enters a career in politics in an unnamed fictional 20th-century African country. Odili represents the changing younger generation, while Nanga represents the traditional West African customs inspired by Achebe's native Nigeria. The paper starts by giving a plot summary of the book, then it shows Characters and Characterization of the novel, content analysis of the novel and lastly other elements of form including plot, setting, language use and stlye of the book.