This is a novel by a famous Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. It was first written in 1958 reflecting the stories of the precolonial period story chronicles in part of the southeastern part of Nigeria. It shows the effects of the settlement of European in the colonial period. It is considered as one of the best African English novels and the first one to be recognized globally.
Many schools around Africa had this book in their education curriculum. It was taught and studied around the world by English speaking countries. It became the first book to be published in the UK by Heinemann’s as one of the African Writers Series.
The book narrates about a chief known as Okonkwo from ibo (original igbo) tribe and a fictional Umuofia clan. The tribe is made up of nine villages that are interconnected. His father Unoka was a coward and a spender, he died in disrepute leaving a crisis of unsettled debts behind and many villages were unhappy with him. His fathers’ bad actions are coming to haunt him. Okonkwo is the breadwinner of his family a farmer, a clans elder, and above all a warrior of the clan of Umuofia. Unfortunately, he has a lazy son called Nwoye who is twelve years old. Okonkwo is sad that his son may take the footstep of his grandfather Unoka and end up failing.
Something interesting Umuofia gets a fifteen years boy and a virgin from a neighboring tribe as a form of settlement. Ikemefuna, the boy seems to be a good son who has outstanding characters. Nwoye finds a good friend of the new boy. Okonkwo does not like the new bow despite liking his new father willingly.
There is a week of peace tradition in the village but Okonkwo is always not happy with one of his youngest wives called Ojiugo who he sees like she has a lot of negligence. He fights him breaking the tradition of the holy week of peace. Later he performs some sacrifices to purify himself but his villagers are left with shock for what he has done.
Nwoye now has a big brother who he has been staying with for three years. He always likes looking up to him and even His father start developing an interest in him. Interestingly there is a season of locusts where they come and the community gathers them to cook and serve them. They come every year after seven years and they disappear waiting for another generation. When they come to the village it is very excited they enjoy the season.
There are rumors that Ikemefuna must be killed and a respected elder has broken the news to Okonkwo and he is advising him not to take part in killing a boy who calls him father. Okonkwo tries to trick the elder that they should take him back to the home village but the elder mourns.
The men from Umuofia pretend to escort him. Ikemefuna is excited he will see his mother. Unfortunately, they attack him on the way using machetes and he tries to run to his father Okonkwo for help who tries to show he is brave cuts the boy down. When they come back home Nwoye senses his brother might be dead.
This act disturbs Okonkwo especially later when Ogbuefi Ezeudu the elder who warned him not to kill his adopted son. At the burial of the elder, a tragedy happens Okonkwo guns kill the son of the elder. He now has to take his family to exile for seven years for killing the clansman. He goes to the Manta village where her mother came from while the villagers burn his house.
The book continues to explain the events that the writer is describing as if they are real. From the coming of missionaries to the death of Okonkwo. I would advise you read this book you enjoy it yourself.