The History behind the book
A brief history of Nigeria
► 1/3
larger than the state of Texas
► Located on the west coast of Africa – North
of the equator and south of the Sahara
Desert.
► 200 ethnic groups live in present-day
Nigeria with their own language, beliefs, and culture
Where Nigeria is located in context to
the world and Africa
A brief history of Nigeria
►
Three main ethnic
groups:
1. Protestant Yoruba
located in the west
2. Catholic Igbo
(pronounced eee-bow)
in the east
3. Muslim Hausa-Fulani
in the north
Chinua Achebe and the people
in his book are Igbo
A brief history of Nigeria
Timeline of major events in Nigeria:
17th-18th centuries: the British were a major buyer of African
slaves
1807:
British outlawed slave trade w/in their
empire
1861:
British occupy Lagos, the present-day
capital of Nigeria
1884-85:
The Berlin Conference – the British
claimed Nigeria as theirs
British motivations: political control,
religious (Christian) mission, and economic gains – also
called
European Imperialism
A brief history of Nigeria
► 1905: a white man rode his bicycle into the
village Ahiara (in Igbo region) and was killed by
the natives. British forces responded a month
later searching the village and killing many natives
 British created the Bende-Onitsha Hinterland Expedition
– a military force created to eliminate Igbo opposition
► 1912:
Collective Punishment Ordinance: British
would punish an entire village or community for
crimes committed by one or more persons against
white colonists
A brief history of Nigeria
► While
in Nigeria the British:
 Operated an efficient administrative system
 Sent young Nigerians to England for education
which resulted in the rise of young educated
nationalists who wanted independence from
Great Britain.
A brief history of Nigeria
► 1947:
Nigerians demand independence
► October 1, 1960: became an independent country
► 1963: became a republic--a state in which the
supreme power rests in the body of citizens
entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives
chosen directly or indirectly by them (dictionary.com)
The Nigerian Flag
A brief history of Nigeria, cont.
1970-90s: A series of military coups and
dictatorships replaced the republic initially
set up.
1993: Nigeria held a democratic presidential
election followed by another bloodless coup.
1999: The Fourth Republic: Ended 16
years of consecutive military rule, political
instability has followed with several
presidents elected in loosely democratic
elections, marred by fraud.
2015: Current president: Goodluck Jonathan
Culture of West Africa and Nigeria
► Religion:
 polytheistic which consists of worshipping a
combination of ancestors, spirits, a creator god
(Chukwu), and a personal god (Chi).
 People consult with Oracles for decisions in life.
 Religion is ritualistic – not overly concerned with
morality
 Morality largely decided through tribal traditions
and verbal sayings
 Some Christianity and Islam
Religion cont.
► Chi:
the concept of the Chi parallels the western
concept of a soul although Chi is more complex.
Igbo believed that an individual’s fate is given a
Chi by the creator (Chukwu) at the moment of
conception
► Before each reincarnation the individual bargains
for better circumstances in the next life. Thus, Chi
becomes one’s personal god that guides one to
fulfill the expected destiny
► A person may be ruled by her Chi, but it is up to
her to make the most of her fate.
Culture of West Africa and Nigeria
► The
society is
patriarchal – to not
have power over one’s
wife is considered
weak.
► Self-sufficiency and
hard work are valued
► Strength and courage
are also valued
Culture of West Africa and Nigeria
► Secret
societies:
 peoples in western Africa use secret societies as a way
of drawing members of different kinship groups into
obligatory associations that cut across tribal and family
relationships
 Members are responsible for supervising and regulating
the sexual, social, and political conduct of all members
of the wider society outside of an immediate kinship or
tribe.
 To carry out this responsibility, high-status society
members impersonate important supernatural figures by
donning masks and performing in public. One secret
kept from the uninitiated is that these masked figures
are not the spirits themselves
Culture of West Africa and Nigeria
► Secret
Societies cont’d:
 Membership is automatic on initiation, and all
men and women are ordinarily initiated
Culture of West Africa and Nigeria
► Secret
Societies: what Secret Societies exist
in other cultures?
About the Author
Chinua Achebe
►
►
►
Born on November 16,
1930
Raised by Christian parents
in the Igbo village of Ogidi
in southeastern Nigeria
He wrote Things Fall Apart
– published in 1959 – it is
the most widely read book
in modern African
literature
About the Author
Chinua Achebe
► Achebe
has continued to write throughout
his life. He lived and taught in the U.S.
until his death in 2013.
► His novels focus on the traditions of Igbo
society, the effect of Christian influences,
and the clash of values during and after the
colonial era.
3 level 3 questions
► Why
do countries dominate and overtake
other countries?
► What happens when a person’s pride is
challenged?
► How is culture significant in influencing a
person’s perspective?