RE: There was indeed a country
Dear readers, I received this e-mail from a reader who has a different view about Chinua Achebe’s book, ‘There was a Country’. I believe this kind of opinion is what makes the book truly controversial. This is yet another perspective on the man Achebe and his book, why not read on?
“I read your column last Friday on the above subject in the light of your reaction to the various commentators on the last book of Chinua Achebe titled “There was a Country”.
I am therefore compelled to react to your view about the “altruistic” intention of the revered on the elusive project I can simply call “Pan Nigerianna”. I have read the same book and I can tell you, the feeling and my opinion about the author changed from positive to negative. At least, it made me conclude that Chinua
Achebe was racist. Reading through the book, it is not difficult to see that all what the author wanted to propagate is the superiority of Igbo race to any other race/tribe in Nigeria. I found it hard to believe that the late author never, I repeat, NEVER had a close friend outside his Igbo race from his primary school age throughout his life time. I have never read an autobiography of any past Nigerian leader without noticing that the friendship they cultivated went beyond their ethnic stock.
Read through the book again and tell me who was a friend of Chinua Achebe from any other ethnic stock. I do not care much about what he said about Chief Obafemi Awolowo, even though it shows in his book that he had deep seated hatred for the late sage. His account of the events of the Civil War was skewed to portray every other ethnic group as an aggressor against the Igbo while losing site of the atrocity committed, in equal measure, by the Biafran Army. You need to read the more reasonable and compelling book of Alabi Isama (“The Tragedy of Victory) to note this.
I will refer you to one example of contradictions in his book: in pages 68 to 71, he gave account of how he left Lagos for the East at the outbreak of the war.
1. His only account of discomfort Igbos felt in Lagos was mocking (he did not state who were responsible), he never stated that Igbos were massacred or mocked by the Yorubas in Lagos.
2. It was Victor Badejo who advised him to leave Lagos so as to preserve his life and that of his family.
3. He claimed he was only close to his tribesman Phillip Ume-Ezeoke while working at NBC (he seemed only comfortable with his kinsmen. Remember he went to UI where the population of students was made of different ethnic stock)
4. The absurd rendition of account was his experience of travel from Lagos to the East. He claimed that the highway was full of police road blocks and at each stop he was being asked for “particulars”. He then went on to state as follows: “When I finally got to Benin City, which is located roughly halfway from Lagos to Igbo land in the Mid-West Region, there was a distinct atmospheric change. The fact that Mid-West was a neighbour of the East meant that at this point there were Mid-Western Igbo policemen. It is important to recall that during this period in Nigerian history the Igbos had large numbers in the police force but not in the army, where their numbers were concentrated in the officer corps. Crowds of policemen recognized me when I got to Benin City and cheered, saying, “Oga, thank you!”, and let me through to continue my journey without incident to Onitsha Bridge, and over the Niger River to the East”.
Can you then see the fallacy in this account? A person who travelled more than 150 kilometers from Lagos through Ijebuland, Ondo Akoko etc, where there were several road blocks and was never molested on account of his ethnic origin was only able to recognize his countrymen police as the ones who ensured his safe passage. Can’t you now see that the story was skewed to portray every other ethnic group as demons against him and the Igbos.
5. He also avoided his experience post-war i.e. how he came back to Lagos and was never discriminated against.
Having regard to the foregoing, my personal view is that Prof. Chinua Achebe would rather be branded as an Igbo apologist who never believed in Nigerian project either prior to and after the Civil War. By the way, I am a Yoruba who doesn’t have any problem with relating with any person whatever the race. I have more Igbos in my employ than Yorubas simply because when it comes to giving opportunity to my fellow Nigerians, ethnicity counts little if not at all.”
Kamar Raji, Esq
By: FUNKE OSAE-BROWN