Abstract
The paper aims at tracing the genesis of abuse of power and the irresponsibility that goes with it to its full blossoming in Achebe’s fiction through a close reading of Arrow of God and A Man of the People. Disenchantment with leadership in Africa, especially after independence, is not new on the African literary scene. But to Achebe, the problems associated with poor leadership in Africa did not start after independence. Failure in leadership only worsened in most African countries after independence due to the perpetuation of colonial vestiges. By doing a close reading of the two novels and by using the theory of postcoloniality, the researchers compare the traditional world of Ezeulu in Arrow of God to the post-independence setting of Chief Nanga in A Man of the People. The paper concludes that Africa has gone beyond the politics of post-colonialism and is now at the postcoloniality stage. In order for Africans to truly overcome the perennial problem of poor leadership, there is the need for us to first accept our role as a continent in contributing towards the failure of leadership in Africa. There is also the urgency to encourage grass root participation and understanding of modern democracy, to build stronger institutions and to put in place heavier punishments for those who abuse power.
Highlights
ARTICLE INFOArticle history Received: February 03, 2018 Accepted: April 20, 2018 Published: April 30, 2018 Volume: 6 Issue: 2
The African novelist, both old and young, continue to engage their readers on the subject of poor leadership, abuse of power, corruption and their attendant effects on the African populace
Development experts and critics such as Achebe (1983, 37-43), Egbue(2000), Uneke(2010), Idachaba(2014) and Oluwatayo(2018) continue to churn out mind boggling figures on the resources African people continually lose to corruption as a result of the abuse of power and the irresponsibility that goes with it
Summary
Article history Received: February 03, 2018 Accepted: April 20, 2018 Published: April 30, 2018 Volume: 6 Issue: 2. The paper aims at tracing the genesis of abuse of power and the irresponsibility that goes with it to its full blossoming in Achebe’s fiction through a close reading of Arrow of God and A Man of the People. To Achebe, the problems associated with poor leadership in Africa did not start after independence. By doing a close reading of the two novels and by using the theory of postcoloniality, the researchers compare the traditional world of Ezeulu in Arrow of God to the post-independence setting of Chief Nanga in A Man of the People. In order for Africans to truly overcome the perennial problem of poor leadership, there is the need for us to first accept our role as a continent in contributing towards the failure of leadership in Africa. There is the urgency to encourage grass root participation and understanding of modern democracy, to build stronger institutions and to put in place heavier punishments for those who abuse power
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have