Liberation as an Instrument of Self-Aggrandizement: The Nigerian “Revolutionary Masquerades” in Achebe’s There was a Country and Selected Nigerian Works of Fiction

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONWe will begin this discourse by evincing contextual meaning of metaphorical creation of masquerades. Being a significant phenomenon in Igbo cosmology, can be used in many ways to interpret world. Its actions, costume, representation and social function all help to interpret drama of role of man in his society. According to Chinua Achebe, the Igbo believe that art, religion, everything, whole of life are embodied in art of masquerade (There was 59). Part of this embodiment in this context is that it can be used as an artistic and significant representation of a nation's politics. It is equally a typical phenomenon used in representing and evoking cultural and traditional values of Africans. The identity of is exclusively performed by men and a well-kept secret such as we find in egwugwu's role in Achebe's Things Fall Apart:Okonkwo's wives, and perhaps other women as well, might have noticed that second egwugwu had springy walk of Okonkwo. And they might also have noticed that Okonkwo was not among titled men and elders who sat behind row of egwugwu. But if they thought these things they kept them within themselves. The egwugwu with springy walk was one of dead ancestors of clan. He looked terrible with smoked raffia body, a huge wooden painted white except for round hollow eyes and charred teeth that were as big as a man's fingers. On his head were two powerful horns. (63-64)The above excerpt simply explains that masquerade, in this case referred to as egwugwu, is actually a respected and feared member of community who is partially or notionally accepted as a spirit or their ancestor by same people. The thought of such practice of masquerade's performance often provokes a nostalgic return to familiar pre-colonial experience through their lavish costumes and displays, to thrilling experience of laughing or frightened audience. It also reminds us of old and lost African traditional values in which reliably functions as one of defending forces in African value system. Unfortunately, in contemporary African traditional system, institution of is gradually losing its sacredness and respect before people due to its new and strange role in hands of masquerader (impersonator). This metaphor therefore becomes a platform upon which we can closely examine two faces that have been politically sub-merged in contemporary Nigerian society.There is need to investigate professed face of mask through its premeditated actions and hidden political face behind revolutionary face, through its deceptive role. As hidden personality behind former carries out what can be best described as its self-aggrandized actions through guise of its seeming revolutionary mission, Nigerian public have become trapped in a pool of confusion and diverse opinions as to believe in mission of or doubt motive behind its dance. Put in another form, due to these irreconcilable differences between and what it is believed to represent in old African belief system on one hand, and possible selfish intentions of new spirit or human forces behind mask on other hand, this exploration will investigate real identity and intentions of personality behind mask through behaviour of as a whole. This paper intends to establish that there is no hope for Nigerian masses from their Hydra or ever-evolving ethnic militants (revolutionary masquerades) and geopolitical representatives who are all garbed in revolutionary deceptions for purpose of self-aggrandizement.LIBERATION IN CHINUA ACHEBE'S BIAFRAN IDEOLOGYAccording to John Locke, the natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth (15). …