Oberika Memoir

It is now over, our beliefs, customs and traditions have all been taken away by the white men. More Importantly our children, our future, our youth have been brainwashed under the influence of these people with rather strange beliefs. They made us questions our own beliefs and brought curiosity within our community. Our people were drawn away from our belief system and started to convert to their religion in order to follow them. They were able to expose our faults through manipulation and this tore the Igbo people apart from one another. They even did so in a non-forceful manner nor did they do it through violence, they did it in a peaceful manner and this perhaps signified the attraction of the Igbo people, especially our youth.

Okonkwo would’ve regarded those young, converted individuals as the less masculine members of the Igbo people who are drawn away through affection and new ideology. Only his pride, courage and determination to withstand change would have stood a chance to resist these influences. These traits that my great friend, Okonkwo possessed, separated him from the rest of the population. However, certain factors in his life restrained him from playing out his heroic actions to bring back his unique ideology in our community and implement it. He was the last beacon of hope the Igbo people had to fight these outside penetrations but it was also our fault to not see this in him, which resulted in things falling apart.