Ngugi is correct when he claims Achebe’s work is Afro-European fiction not African literature. However, I don’t believe he is right to criticize Achebe’s way of writing. Although it is important to inform Africans themselves on the evils of colonization, it is also important for the Western audience to realize why the African culture is worth preserving. Because Achebe chose to write in English, this novel was clearly written for a European audience. Also, Achebe provides a glossary of Ibo words translated into English as well as a detailed description of cultural practices. This would not have been necessary if he was trying to write for an African audience. Achebe uses Okonkwo to represent the ignorance and instability present in Nigeria. However, he also portrays the beauty of folk tales that should be kept and passed orally though generations and the liveliness of African weddings like that of Obierieka’s daughter. The essence of this novel is to show Westerners that if they destroy people like Okonkwo through colonization, they will also destroy the rich culture of the Nigerian people. This is a powerful message that needs to reach the European world since they are the ones doing the colonizing.
