Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Penguin Press HC, The (October 11, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1594204829
ISBN-13: 978-1594204821
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.6 x 1.4 inches
Book Description (Amazon) :
Marrying history and memoir, poetry and prose, There Was a Country is a distillation of vivid firsthand observation and forty years of research and reflection. Wise, humane, and authoritative, it will stand as definitive and reinforce Achebe’s place as one of the most vital literary and moral voices of our age.
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The average Igbo man or woman in Nigeria was affected by the Biafran war that existed between 1967 – 1970 and took the lives of millions of Igbo indigenes in Nigeria. On a personal note, I lost my grand father and all of the males of that generation from my mother’s side during the war. My mother and her siblings were relocated to their present location in the East as a result. Just before my relocation to the United States, we had started forming linkages to my grandfather’s part of the family which we had lost track of because of this war. So, yes, this war is personal. I do not fault Prof. Chinua Achebe for using the term personal in his title. This book is written from his point of view and to be quite honest, being one of those that was actively involved in some parts of the war, communication, negotiation, he should be accorded that respect and that space to share his view point. I will also like to add that others who did play a role in other parts of the war, step up and share their stories. For those of my generation, who grew up with stories, we really will like to have multiple view points of what really happened. Till this book, that aspect of our story was blank just filled with oral tales of happenings. Now, it is documented…now we are in. I will add a famous African proverb that says, “Until the lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter”.
This book does not aim to be esoteric but rather to tell our story in simple, understandable language. This book is divided into four parts describing the progression of the war from the period before the war when everything was ‘rosy’ to the period after the war. As to be expected Prof. Achebe describes some of the particulars that is quite familiar to those that are curious about that period. He describes a period of time when the Igbos were respected in Education, Sciences and almost every endeavor. It seems as if they benefited the most from British Colonization because they seemed the best prepared after independence. He goes ahead to describe what led to the war and he gives us an in depth psychoanalysis of the leaders on both sides of the war. He doesn’t spare any sides feelings when he describes both General Ojokwu and General Gowon. They are both described as men who had a great love for their people but unfortunately were cursed with massive egos which resulted in their taking decisions that were dishonorable, against the rules of combat and refusing to back down when it would have been expedient and would have saved lives to do so.
He goes ahead also to mention different important people in Nigeria’s history and their role in human rights violation during the war. This is the point in which it gets tense. He mentions Awolowo and as many Nigerians know, Awolowo is worshiped in certain quarters of Yoruba land. I believe that might be the reason that some have major issues with the book.
This was an emotional book, in that we see the euphoric can do spirit of a people at the beginning of the war and the brokenness that occurs at the end of the war. But, we still can admire a people who were able to work with what they had and fight for their independence despite all even if they lost.
At the end of the book, Prof. Achebe urges our thinking of Nigeria as one. He addresses some of the issues that today’s Nigeria has with the hopes that now that we know our history and how we got to this point then we can all come together as a collective to resolve some of these issues.
There are many facets to this book from Prof. Achebe’s personal story with his young family, to the politics, tribalism, the war (which included the divide and conquer aspect that was employed heavily against the Igbo people), the emotions, there is just so much that one can take from this book and that is the reason that I urge that more people read and take something of import from it. I just highlighted a few parts with the hopes that it wets your appetite.
This is a book that I feel that every Nigerian should be familiar with so that we do not make the same mistakes as our predecessors. I will end by saying that if you do not understand your past, then how do you expect to create a healthy future? If you do not understand why there is a hurt or a bruise, how do you intend to prevent the situation that led to the bruising from reoccuring? I wish that Nigerians can be like the South Africans in this issue when they had their truth and reconciliation commission and have ours. There is so much unsaid. In this same vein, I will like to know why the East is the least developed part of the nation. Are we still being punished for daring to secede? Are we the victims? Or are we now our own victimizers?
Last Updated ( Monday, 03 December 2012 03:08 )
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