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Colonialism and A History of Oppression in Africa: Scenes from Selected

African Novels
Dr. Hisham Muhamad Ismail
Assistant Professor of English Literature
Faculty of Language Studies - Arab Open University – Bahrain
[email protected] & [email protected]
ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8049-0457

Abstract
Examining the African suffering during the colonialism period and describing the different
miseries of the African people have been the core theme of almost all African and Western
writers during the colonial age and post-colonial time. Undoubtedly, all of these writings
fluctuate considerably between exaggeration and degrading the human sacrifices of those
countries during this period. Then, the African writers started taking the responsibility of
narrating their history and describing their suffering to correct many false ideas and
assumptions, many false conceptions which were established in the minds of consecutive
generations. Chinua Achebe is one of the prominent authors and thinkers who has received
international recognition due to his creative style of telling the African story and has
impacted African literature in different ways. Through his books, he exposed many of the
negative colonial impacts on the African communities and how they did their best to invade
these countries politically, economically, and culturally. Achebe tried to uncover their claims,
like linking Christianity and commerce together, and the only way to African progress should
be through the European gates. In his novel Things Fall Apart, he tried to expose the side
effects of the colonizers' intentions to redesign the African communities up to Western
standards. He assured that all colonial actions resulted in the colonizers' good interests and
were against African people.
On the other hand, Ngugi Thiogn'o is interested in examining the post-colonial impacts on the
African nations and how the Western colonizers succeeded in producing loyal followers
adopting their beliefs and concepts. Those followers replaced the foreign occupation with
another type of occupation where the people's acceptance should be evaluated by their
adaptability to the Western criteria in all life aspects. In his novel, Pedals of Blood, Thiog'o
narrated the impacts of using foreign languages to diffuse the indigenous culture and lose the
African identity. Throughout the novel, he examined the political elite's corruption in African
countries during the post-colonial period and how they continued colonial suppression of
their nations.

Index words: Colonialism, Colonial Subjects, African Suffering, Lost Identity, Occupation
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Public Interest Statement

This paper traces the sequence of African suffering during the colonial age to clarify the
hidden facts about many fake claims promoted before about the genuine African culture and
heritage. The author examines two main literary works to expose this suffering and elucidate
the tremendous efforts paid to maintain the indigenous African character.

Funding:
This research received no external funding

Acknowledgments:
I acknowledge the reviewers and editors of this paper for their invaluable feedback and
suggestions. I also acknowledge all the scholars whose ideas I referred back to add value to
this paper.

Conflicts of Interest:
The author declares no conflict of interest.

Disclaimer Statement
This article is not part of any thesis submitted for degree award. It is an original endeavor of
the author.

Author Bionote
Dr. Hisham M. Ismail is an Assistant Professor of English Literature at Arab Open University –
Kingdom of Bahrain and Head of Training, Continuous Education, and Community Service. He
holds Ph.D. Degree in English Literature – Campus Novels and MA in Ethnic Drama. Dr.
Hisham is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy UK. He has more than 20 years of
experience in academia and professional development. Currently, he is working on developing
the employability skills of AOU graduates and the technological transformation during the post-
pandemic period. His research interests are; ethnic literature, the reflection of campus life in
literary texts, African literature, Ecocriticism, Children's literature and educational leadership.
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Authorship and Level of Contribution

The idea for this article was initiated by the author and this paper is a product of the
author’s endeavor.

Introduction
African novels and stories are fertile literature source that offers readers glimpses into the
complexities of African societies, cultures, and histories in addition to the most crucial stage
in African history; the colonial age. African authors wrote these novels and explored various
themes such as identity, colonialism, postcolonialism, feminism, and the struggle for
independence to achieve two crucial objectives; the first was documenting this crucial period
in their history. The second objective was to correct the false images and claims that Western
writers and officials promoted.
One of the most prominent themes in African novels was the impact of colonialism on
African societies. This theme was explored comprehensively in the Nigerian author Chinua
Achebe's Things Fall Apart (1958), where the protagonist, Okonkwo, struggled with the
changes brought about by the arrival of European colonizers. Achebe's novel highlighted the
tension between traditional African values and the encroaching influence of the West.
Similarly, the Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o's Petals of Blood (1977) examined the
impact of colonialism on Kenya. The novel explored the struggles of four characters who
were disillusioned with the promises of independence and the corruption of the post-colonial
government.
Another theme explored in African novels was the struggle for independence and the fight
against oppression. This struggle was evident in the works of authors such as the Nigerian
playwright Wole Soyinka, the South African author Nadine Gordimer, and Ngugi wa
Thiong'o. For instance, Soyinka's The Lion and the Jewel (1962) was a satirical play that
critiqued the Westernization of African societies and the importance of preserving traditional
values. Gordimer's novel July's People (1981) explored the relationship between a white
South African family and their black servant during the apartheid era. Gormdimer's novel
highlighted the tensions and contradictions of living in a society divided by race.
African novels also explored themes of feminism and the struggle for gender equality. This
theme was evident in the works of authors such as the Nigerian novelist Buchi Emecheta, the
Nigerian author Flora Nwapa, and the Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Emecheta's The Joys of Motherhood (1979) told the story of a woman who struggled to
balance traditional gender roles with her desire for independence. Nwapa's Efuru (1966) was
a feminist novel that explored the life of a young Igbo woman who defied societal
expectations and pursued her dreams. Adichie's Purple Hibiscus (2003) explored Nigeria's
patriarchy and domestic violence themes.
So, the significance of African literature was maintaining the history alive and keeping all of
these incidents existing to remind the readers of the massacres of the colonizers. All of these
literary texts were written in English to be easily accessible to readers from different
backgrounds and to approach the past colonizers with the same language. In other words,
African writers used these literary texts to uncover the past's complexities and promote the
African people's aspiration for the future (Duvignand, 2000, p. 67). These texts played an
essential role in maintaining the African people's collective imagination to recharge their
energies for the future (Caudwell, 1977, p.145).
In conclusion, the African novel is an essential part of world literature that offers readers a
unique perspective on African societies, histories, and cultures. These novels explore a wide
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range of themes and offer insights into the complexities of African life. They testify to
Africa's rich literary tradition and storytelling's enduring power. For concise research, this
paper will examine two novels; Things Fall Apart and Petals of Blood, to explore the authors'
perspectives on colonialism and its history in African communities and the struggle of
African people against the Westernization of their cultural heritage.

Colonialism in Africa: A History of Oppression

Before discussing the impacts of colonialism in Africa as portrayed in two important African
novels, it is worth noting to talk about the definition of colonialism. The word colonialism
can be explained generally as a group of foreigners who decided to settle in another
demographic place to form a new community and use the new land's natural and human
resources. This term is also defined as "the direct and overall domination of one country by
another based on state power being in the hands of a foreign power (For example, the direct
and overall domination of Nigeria by Britain between 1900-1960" (Piola & Usman, 2019, p.
110). In other words, this settlement or occupation of other lands was mainly derived from
power expansion interests and economic objectives. The colonial history in every single part
of the world proves these two points regardless of all claims that connect colonialism to the
desire to civilize the people of these communities or develop them.
Specifically, colonialism in Africa was a period marked by European powers' domination and
exploitation of African people. Colonialism in Africa refers to the process by which European
powers took control of African territories, established colonies, and exploited resources for
their benefit. During this period, which began in the late 19th century and lasted until the
mid-20th century, African societies were subjected to various forms of subjugation, including
forced labor, segregation, land dispossession, and forced migration. This period of colonial
rule profoundly impacted African cultures, social structures, and economies and left a lasting
legacy that continues to shape contemporary African societies.
From the early beginning of colonialism in Africa, the colonizers promoted the idea of the
racial and cultural superiority of the Western countries and white people over any non-
western countries. For instance, Britain claimed that their existence on the west coast of
Africa was linked to Christianity and commerce. Moreover, they promoted that they brought
civilization, progress, and enlightenment to Africa (Sadeghi, 2015, p. 295). On the other
hand, many references described the colonizers' efforts to accelerate the physical, cultural,
and political domination over certain countries to achieve their own good interests with an
apparent negligence of the indigenous nations' interests or needs. So, the colonizers' ideology
succeeded in forming colonial culture and context within these societies, making colonized
persons who did not feel anything against colonizers and believing in their inferiority and
others' superiority (Tyson, 2006, p. 421). Ironically, many cultural and literary productions
worldwide enhanced this ideology and proved the falsity of their claims. These cultural and
literary writings had many issues related to their accuracy and objectivity.
As mentioned before, the motivations behind European colonialism in Africa were primarily
economic and political. European countries sought new markets for their goods and raw
materials for their industries. Also, they wanted to establish strategic military bases and
secure trade routes. In addition, and as per their claims, European powers believed they had a
duty to civilize and modernize the African continent. Unfortunately, they claimed that this
civilized mission was linked to Christianity and thought African people could not progress or
move forward without contact with their cultures. In Europeans' eyes, African people were
regarded as "primitive," "changeless," and "regressing" (Brown, 2008, p. 27). Overall, the
conquest of Africa by the European powers was pushed by the appearance of the industrial
revolution and its social, political, and economic consequences (Ocheni & Nwankwo, 2012,
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p. 47). Many Western and African scholars examined the reasons behind the colonialism of
Africa from different perspectives. One of those writers mentioned:
When Europe pioneered industrial capitalism, its demands on the world's resources
increased tremendously. In addition to obtaining spices for her tables and workforce
for her mines and plantations in the Americas, Europe set out to seize for her factories
the mineral and agricultural resources of all the world. Her need to bring the African
workforce to the Americas declined. She needed instead to put African labor to work
in Africa, digging up for her the riches of African mines. (Chinweizu, 1978, p. 35)
Accordingly, the colonialism of Africa significantly impacted the whole continent and its
people. European powers imposed their political and economic systems on African societies,
displacing traditional African social, cultural, and political structures. Africans were forced to
labor on European-owned plantations and mines, and their resources were exploited to
benefit European economies. The European powers also imposed their languages, religions,
and cultures on African populations, eroding local cultures and losing traditional knowledge
and practices. Africans were subjected to racial discrimination and segregation, and their
rights were often violated. Most importantly, The western colonial ideology succeeded in
forming personalities with genuine feelings and belief in Western superiority and African
inferiority. As a result, the African people became colonial subjects without any interest in
standing against colonial subjugation (Tyson, 2006, p.421). One of the significant impacts of
this period was the continent's political landscape. African countries were often divided and
ruled by European powers, resulting in the creation of artificial borders that did not reflect the
cultural and ethnic diversity of African societies. This attitude led to conflicts and tensions
between ethnic groups and nations.
On the other hand, this period of colonial rule left some positive impacts that apparently
influenced the African people. Studies referred to four main points for example, the
introduction of Western medical technology that improved the health of African society and
increased the life expectancy of African society, the second was the establishment of formal
education, the third was the legacy of Western infrastructure, and finally, the inheritance of
Western "Christian" religious beliefs that were used as a spiritual and religious basis for
African society (Khapoya, 2009, pp. 135-136).
It is proved that African societies had shown remarkable resilience and resistance to
European domination. African leaders and intellectuals fought for independence and self-
determination, and African cultures and traditions persisted despite all attempts to suppress
them. From that time, African land was randomly divided and assigned between European countries
that tried to eliminate authentic African cultural items to impose all components of their cultural
heritage (Suleiman, 2015, p. 36). In short, describing the experience of colonialism in Africa
was mentioned many times in different ways:
The aggressive European incursion and subsequent imposition of colonial domination
on Africa had both traumatic and destructive consequences on the continent's
political, social, and cultural situation. Africa did not only lose her political freedom
but more fundamentally, the structures of political power were weakened, retarded,
and even dismantled on some occasions and replaced with those of the metropolis that
was considered more "enlightened" and "sophisticated" without any consideration
whatever for the people's worldview. (Falaiye, 1997, p. 35)
So, resistance and struggle against the colonizers were recurring themes in many African
literary works. African writers have used literature to challenge colonialism's dominant
narratives and assert African agency and sovereignty. African literature often reflected this
theme in characters, plots, and settings. Some works, such as Chinua Achebe's Things Fall
Apart (1958), told the story of the colonial encounter from the perspective of a colonized
African society.
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Also, losing the African identity was one of the essential themes examined in different
African literary genres. Colonialism profoundly impacted African cultural identity due to
keen European practices to impose their cultural, linguistic, and religious norms on African
societies. African writers explored the complexities of African identity and challenged the
notion of African inferiority compared to European cultures. Writers such as Ngũgĩ wa
Thiong'o advocated using African languages in literature to reclaim African cultural identity
and challenge the linguistic hegemony of European languages.
Moreover, African literature examined the trauma theme resulting from the colonial period.
The violence and exploitation of colonialism profoundly impacted African personality, and
many writers explained the hazardous side effects of this traumatic experience. For example,
Tsitsi Dangarembga and Bessie Head explored the psychological impact of colonialism on
African individuals and communities.
One of the most important contributions of African literature was its role in shaping the
discourse on post-colonial Africa. Many African writers used literature to engage with their
societies' social, political, and economic realities. Writers such as Chimamanda Ngozi
Adichie and Teju Cole explored contemporary African life's complexities and challenged the
one-dimensional and often negative portrayals of Africa in Western media. In conclusion,
colonialism in Africa profoundly impacted African societies' cultural, social, and economic
structures. African writers used literature as a means of exploring and challenging the legacy
of colonialism and of asserting African agency and sovereignty.

Chinua Achebe: An International Recognized African Voice

Chinua Achebe is widely regarded as one of Africa's most influential and talented writers. He
is considered one of the most significant African authors of the 20th century and is credited
with helping to establish African literature as a legitimate and essential part of world
literature. The Christian nature of the African community had influenced Achebe's childhood
in Nigeria during the late twentieth century on the one hand and, on the other hand, impacted
by the rise of a new African political leader at that time, the former president of Ghana
Kwame Nkrumah (Wren, 1995, pp. 100-103). During that time, Nigeria and other countries
within the West Coast of Africa (Gold Coast), as known later, witnessed great social and
political disturbance and fluctuation due to the first military encounter with the Western
countries in general and Britain in particular. Prominently, these events, along with the
Nigerian Civil War, deeply affected Achebe's personality, his political interests, and his
writing career (Barksdale-Hall, 2007, pp. 9-10)
Drawing on his experiences growing up in colonial Nigeria, Achebe's work explores themes
of colonialism, traditional African culture, the clash between the two, and the struggle for
African independence. Due to the variety of his themes, Achebe's writings can be considered
a "tetralogy" that documented Nigerian history between 1890 and 1965 (Sadeghi, 2015, p.
296). Perhaps Achebe's most famous work is his debut novel, Things Fall Apart. The novel
tells the story of Okonkwo, a respected leader in a Nigerian tribe who struggles to navigate
the changing cultural landscape of colonialism. Through Okonkwo's story, Achebe critiques
colonialism and how external forces eroded traditional African culture. In addition to Things
Fall Apart, Achebe wrote several other novels, including No Longer at Ease and Arrow of
God, as well as numerous essays and non-fiction works.
Achebe's writing is noted for its clarity and directness. He often employs simple,
straightforward language that belies the complexity of his ideas. His storytelling is vivid and
engaging, drawing readers into the world he creates. However, Achebe's work has not been
immune to criticism. Some have criticized his portrayal of women in his novels, arguing that
they are often relegated to secondary roles or portrayed in a negative light. Others have
questioned the accuracy of his portrayal of African culture, suggesting that it may be overly
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romanticized. Despite these criticisms, Achebe's contribution to African literature cannot be

overstated. He was a trailblazer, paving the way for future generations of African writers to
tell their stories and explore their cultural identities. His work continues to be studied in
classrooms worldwide, inspiring readers to think critically about the legacy of colonialism
not just in Africa but throughout the world.

Things Fall Apart: Insights into the Nigerian Community

In his novels, Chinua Achebe exposed a remarkable portrayal of the African communities
before unwelcoming newcomers and their invaders arrived. Throughout most of his novels,
he traced the gradual decline in the traditional cultural heritage to be replaced by foreign
values and traditions. Things Fall Apart was one of Achebe's cornerstones in exploring the
impacts of the arrival of Christianity on the hands of the colonizers, and those invaders used
religion as a tool to defuse the cultural and religious fabric of the African communities.
Another entire shift into Western culture subsequently followed this shift into Christianity.
Achebe examined the ways of embedding the feeling of inferiority in the minds of African
people in general and the young generations in particular to become aimless and helpless
subordinates to the colonizers.
Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart was first published in 1958 and has since become a
widely renowned work of literature in Nigeria, Africa, and worldwide. Achebe's novel can be
considered a literary masterpiece that garnered critical acclaim and became a seminal work of
African literature. The novel explored the impact of colonialism on African societies,
specifically the Igbo people of Nigeria. Things Fall Apart had a profound impact on African
literature and culture.
Achebe's novel was a powerful critique of colonialism and its impact on African societies. He
portrayed the Igbo people as a complex and sophisticated civilization with its customs and
beliefs. He showed how the arrival of the Europeans disrupted the balance of power and
caused social upheaval. Throughout the novel, Achebe also explored themes of masculinity,
family, and the power struggle. Okonkwo was a complex character who embodied many of
these themes. He was a proud and powerful figure but also flawed and vulnerable. Despite
the novel's heavy themes, Achebe's writing was beautiful and nuanced. His gift for
storytelling made the novel engaging and accessible to readers of all backgrounds. Achebe's
portrayal of the Igbo people, their customs, and their struggle for survival is both powerful
and memorable. It remains a must-read for anyone interested in African literature,
colonialism, or the human experience.
The novel told the story of Okonkwo, a hardworking and respected member of his Igbo
community, who lived in a small village in Nigeria. Okonkwo was driven to succeed partly
by his father's failure, so he became a successful farmer, warrior, and leader. However,
Okonkwo's life worsened when white missionaries arrived in his village and began to convert
people to Christianity. The arrival of these foreigners threatened the traditions and beliefs of
the Igbo people, and Okonkwo struggled to hold onto his way of life while everything around
him was changing. As the story progressed, Okonkwo's life continued to unravel. He was
eventually exiled from his village after accidentally killing a man and was forced to leave
behind everything he had ever known.
Through Okonkwo's story, Achebe narrated the story of his entire nation and justified many
issues his country and other African countries faced during the period of colonialism. One of
the most essential factors in penetrating the African communities was people's lack of
experience. These communities were known as primitive oral communities. They failed to
document their history and cultural matters. The colonizers thought that those African
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communities did not have religious codes or political systems. So, their practices and beliefs
were quickly challenged and changed to European standards. The colonizers wanted to
redesign these communities as per Western tastes. Moreover, the indigenous black people's
acceptance and maturity were assessed according to their adaptation to the new Western
beliefs and cultural items. In this regard, Obierika said, "It is like the story of the white men
who, they say, are white like this piece of chalk and who have no toes" (Achebe, 2002, p. 67).
Due to the colonizers' arrival to the African lands, many individuals tried to follow European
standards and Western dress, speech, and attitude habits. So, they changed their lifestyle to
the extent of shaming their cultural objects. They believed in the better status of the European
culture and their admiration of the more civilized and open practices and beliefs. Achebe
explained that many African people sought a safe exit from the inferiority dilemma against
the Western culture. Achebe mentioned that young black people found a way in Western
education to help them be embedded in their culture. As a result, there was a significant
difference between educated African young men and uneducated people. For example,
Okonkwo had many difficulties understanding these differences and did not want to belong to
his people. Also, Nwoye "was happy to leave his father. He would return later to his mother
and brothers and sisters and convert them to the new faith" (Achebe, 2002, p. 139).
Due to the time and accumulative efforts of the colonizers, a new sector of the African people
in these communities played to merge both backgrounds (African and Western) and to move
in parallel with their traditional beliefs and benefit from the modern Western items. They
wanted to live both worlds, practice both traditions, and benefit from both sides (Innes &
Lindfors, 1979, p. 151). The Obi's example clearly represented the citizen of two worlds who
was caught by the two forces; the old African culture of his village and the modern Western
urban towns. This feeling of duality and double feelings resulted in the lack of identity and
caused many new generations of African youth to lose their belonging and not feel to stand
against the colonizers. Moreover, they accepted their lands' occupation and new ideas and
beliefs.
While the novel was praised for its insightful portrayal of African culture and its resistance to
colonialism, it was also the subject of criticism. Many critics highlighted Achebe's gender
representation and how he represented them. The novel portrayed women as inferior to men
and was criticized for perpetuating patriarchal values. Female characters were often relegated
to subservient roles and were not given their agency or autonomy. Due to his belief in his
country's crises and dark future, Achebe was criticized for providing a limited view of
colonialism. The novel did not explore the experiences of other African societies or the
broader political and economic context of colonialism.
Additionally, the novel was criticized for essentializing African culture and presenting it as
unchanging and static. This view ignored the diversity of African cultures and their ability to
adapt and change over time. However, the critics might decline the static and primitive status
of many African communities at that time. They relied on their oral communication and were
stuck to their religious and spiritual beliefs more than anything that happened outside their
communities. Moreover, the critics shed light on the novel's historical accuracy, particularly
in portraying the Igbo people. Some scholars argued that the novel presented a romanticized
and idealized view of Igbo culture and failed to capture the complexities and contradictions
of pre-colonial African societies. In this regard, many writings about the African culture and
the period of colonialism might have several accuracy issues.
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Generally speaking, Things Fall Apart was a groundbreaking work of African literature that
was both praised and criticized. While the novel was celebrated for its insightful portrayal of
African culture and its resistance to colonialism, it also had been criticized for its
representation of gender, limited perspective, essentialism, and historical accuracy.
Nonetheless, the novel continues to captivate readers and inspire critical discussions about
African literature and colonialism.

Ngugi wa Thiong'o: A Sincere African Representative

Ngugi wa Thiong'o is a prominent Kenyan writer who wrote extensively on African
literature, postcolonialism, and the political realities of his home country. Ngugi spent his
formative years in colonial Kenya and witnessed firsthand the tumultuous transition from
British rule to independence. He can be considered one of the most prominent African writers
of the 20th century.
Ngugi's literary career spanned over five decades and included novels, plays, essays, and
poetry. His early works were written in English, but he later switched to his native Gikuyu
language to reclaim African cultural identity and challenge the English language's dominance
in African literature. His decision to write in Gikuyu was primarily motivated by a desire to
speak to the people in his community who did not have access to English literature. Through
his novels, Ngugi explored themes such as African nationalism, social inequality, political
corruption, and the impact of colonialism and neocolonialism on African societies. One of his
most famous works was the novel A Grain of Wheat, which was published in 1967. The novel
told the story of a group of Kenyan villagers during the period of the Mau Mau rebellion
against British colonial rule. Another one of his acclaimed works was Wizard of the Crow, a
satirical novel that explored the absurdities of post-colonial African politics.
In addition to his literary work, Ngugi was also a prominent intellectual and activist. He
wrote extensively on African literature, language, and culture and was a vocal critic of the
Western cultural hegemony in Africa. He was involved in various social and political
movements in Kenya and has consistently advocated for democracy, social justice, and
human rights. Ngugi's contributions to African literature and culture were widely recognized.
He received numerous awards, including the Lotus Prize for Literature, the Nonino
International Prize for Literature, and the Paul Robeson Award for Artistic Excellence. He
was also the recipient of several honorary doctorates from prestigious universities worldwide.
Like many African post-colonial writers and scholars, Ngugi Wa Thiong'o insisted on
investigating the impacts of colonialism on African countries. In most of his fictional and
non-fictional writings, Thiong'o questioned African status in general and Kenyan situation in
particular in post-colonial ages and how those colonizers invaded these countries to make use
of their fortunes and resources to support their economy regardless of the benefits that might
go to the African people. Thiong'o concentrated on the diffusion of the original African
culture and highlighted Kenya's political, social, and economic perspectives. For Thiong'o,
the "post-colonial period was very likely to amount to the outset of neocolonialism because
white colonizers were replaced with upper classes of the native population in order to initiate
a new phase of exploitation. Thus, gaining political independence did not come to signify an
anti-colonialist system; rather, it indicated a grim reality in which exploitative power passed
into the hands of the native elites that worked at the white man's service" (Bay & Kargoz,
2020, p. 242).
Thiong'o had many sincere attempts to raise the people's awareness about the importance of
regaining the national culture and having a solid and rigid social and language system to
support the national identity. The point of using a foreign language was raised for a long time
to identify effects and impacts. For Thiong'o, foreign language was a vital post-colonial tool
 10

to replace the colonizer's culture with a new, modified post-colonial culture led by citizens
who accepted Western traditions and beliefs (Thiong'o, 1986, p. 4). Thiong'o perception
challenged the emergence of the new elite class with their neo-colonial system without a
minimum change to the people or the community. He asserted that the community control
changed from the colonizers during the colonial age to the new bourgeoisie class, and in both
cases, the people did not receive any of these benefits. His opinion was that the "new"
colonizers wanted to maintain the colonial system as per the instructions of their white
masters.
Despite his achievements, Ngugi's work was faced with controversy and censorship. In 1977,
he was arrested and imprisoned without trial by the Kenyan government for his outspoken
activism and criticism of the regime. He later wrote about his political imprisonment in his
memoir Detained: A Writer's Prison Diary (1981). Today, Ngugi remains a leading voice in
African literature and culture. His work inspired generations of African writers to reclaim
their cultural identity and challenge the dominant narratives of Western literature. His legacy
was a testament to the power of literature to create social change and promote cultural
diversity.

Petals of Blood: Insights into Kenyan Society

Petals of Blood by Ngugi wa Thiong'o was a complex work of post-colonial literature that
explored themes of political corruption, social inequality, and personal transformation in
contemporary Kenya. The story took place in the small town of Ilmorog, where four
characters - Munira, Karega, Wanja, and Abdulla - came together under unusual
circumstances. Munira was a wealthy businessman who returned to Ilmorog after many years
in the city. Karega was a teacher and political activist who had been in prison for his beliefs.
Wanja was a barmaid who dreamed of a better life. Abdulla was a former soldier who had
lost everything. They were all outsiders, each struggling to find their place in society.
However, as they began to build their community, they faced various challenges, including
government corruption, ethnic violence, and economic exploitation.
As the story progressed, these challenges escalated, forcing the characters to confront their
beliefs and motivations. They questioned the government's validity, the church's role, and the
meaning of education. As the four characters came together, they began uncovering their
town's rampant corruption and exploitation. They became involved in a plot to overthrow the
local government and bring about change.
One of the novel's central themes was the idea of "decolonization." Thiong'o argued that true
liberation cannot be achieved until people are free to reclaim their own culture and language.
He critiqued the legacy of colonialism and how colonial powers used language and education
to suppress African culture. In Pedals of Blood, Thiong'o examined the consequence of using
colonial language and literature and privileging them over African cultural items. He
portrayed the schooling system and how it neglected national and historical achievements.
For example, the black headmaster warned the teachers to pay more attention to offering
sufficient English education; "teach them good idiomatic English" (Thiong'o, 1995, p. 173).
Through the novel, Thiong'o exposed the deep affection of the black elite class and neo-
colonial defenders and how they usually praised the achievements of the Western culture,
writers, and discoverers can be equally crucial as praising the Western conquerors; "Chaucer,
Shakespeare, Napoleon, Livingstone, Western conquerors, Western inventors, and
discoverers were drummed into our heads with even greater fury. Where we asked, was the
African dream? (Thiong'o, 1995, P. 173)". With this stage, the educational system and
 11

children or the new age entered a new phase of colonialism without military or aggressive
struggle. Thiongo presented the consequence of setting an educational system with the impact
of the colonial language to create boundaries between the indigenous people and their
national traditions and habits on the one hand and, on the other, the newly formed class of
people with their colonial culture.
Critically, the novel was structured in "epic proportions" (Palmer, 1979, p. 153) as it
portrayed the most critical periods in African history; the colonial and post-colonial periods.
Ngugi cleverly presented many issues in the Kenyan community during the post-colonial
period, like manipulation of religion, unemployment, resistance against enslavement, and
breaking family relations due to the love of money. Throughout the different incidents of this
novel, Ngugi presents the shifting stages of the rural, primitive villages to modern urban
towns. He sketched the betrayal of the entire nation at the hands of a few people from the
ruling class. So, this novel can be considered a political novel about humanity concerned
about different social, economic, religious, gender, and language matters.
Petals of Blood's main concern was presenting a historical view that can be more accurate
and relevant to real life, not as documented by the Western people. Ngugi wanted to redefine
the components of African history to reflect human and social sufferings. Ngugi justified his
view about history as the past, present, and future should have consisted and interrelated to
form a new version of the dynamic picture of society. The protagonist Karega says, "To
understand the present…you must understand the past. To know where you are, you must
know where you came from, don't you think?" (Thiong'o, 1995, p. 127-8). Ngugi's interest in
redefining African history was firmly pushed by an intention to stand against colonial and
post-colonial claims and fake propaganda. This intention enabled Ngugi and other African
writers to form a solid stance to challenge these claims and to build nationalist awareness of
the indigenous African culture.
In conclusion, the novel was a powerful and thought-provoking post-colonial literature.
Thiong'o's exploration of social and political issues in modern Kenya was both nuanced and
unflinching. Also, the novel was a critique of the corruption and exploitation that was (and
still is) prevalent in many African countries. It was also a call to action, urging readers to
work towards creating a more just and equitable society. Thiong'o used vivid language and
imagery to bring his characters and their struggles to life. However, the novel's nonlinear
structure and sometimes tricky language might not appeal to all readers.

Conclusion
African writers and their novels were the primary sources to know many hidden and ignored
details of the African people suffering and sacrifice during the colonial age. Due to the
primitive nature of these communities at that time, many fake and false images and claims
were spread and enhanced by one-sided reports written by the colonizers to justify their
occupation and exploitation of African resources. Due to their colonial interests, power
expansion, and domination, the colonizers started their colonial journey in Africa by
exploring the possible resources that might support their economy and serve their colonial
objectives. The plenty of natural and human resources and the primitive nature of the African
community encouraged them to declare their protectorate over a massive space of African
lands. They falsely claimed that their existence in these lands was to teach them how to be
good citizens and the good of Christian beliefs. Then, they connected Christianity with
commerce. Implicitly, they deconstructed the solid fabric of the value system and enhanced
the belief in Western superiority.
 12

Consequently, replacing the rich African cultural heritage with Western culture and foreign
beliefs was easy. This inferiority complex extended even after the independence of African
countries and resulted in the practices of the ruling classes in these countries. They continued
the same colonizers' policies but this time in the hands of African people. In other words, the
colonizers secured their benefits from these communities even after getting their
independence due to the loyalty of the ruling groups who were raised upon the concepts of
Western superiority and African inferiority.
Through the first example in this article, Things Fall Apart, Achebe examined all of these
ideas and gave us a unique picture of African life before the arrival of the colonizers and the
consequences of their existence. He explored the different impacts of their interaction in the
African communities and how they successfully managed the transformation from the
indigenous cultural and value system to the "imposed" foreign beliefs and practices. Through
this novel, Achebe highlighted the systematic shift of the African minds and psychs from
standing against foreign existence into adopting their lifestyle and imitating their beliefs and
practices. In the outcome, Achebe played an essential role in raising awareness of
maintaining the African identity. On the other hand, Ngugi Thiongo shed light on another
factor in shifting the African identity and enhancing Western superiority. He examines the
role of using colonial languages to deconstruct the nationalist minds of the African people,
particularly the new generation. He suggested the possible disadvantages of utilizing the
colonial languages to serve the colonizers' objectives in these communities and accomplish
the shifting process. African people in later stage started to think about the advanatges of
getting the western education and culture to belong to this western superior status in their
communities. The final and most influencial stage of this process was replacing not only the
local langauges but also the national beliefs and values. The critical question that should be
asked after many years of colonial existence in the African countries, did these countires and
their people gain any beneifits from the western encounter throughout these years?
 13

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