Author: Dr. Ghada Fayez Refaat Abu-Enein

Abstract: This research focuses on the novel Things Fall Apart by the Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. The goal of this research is to show the effects of the white powers on the Nigerian society by articulating how their life was as ordinary Nigerians and how it became after the colonizers arrived introducing and addresses the problems, consequences, and effects of the colonial powers over the colonized countries in all aspects whether politically, economically, culturally. The novel was published in 1958 drawing the downfall of the main character Okonkwo while dealing with the arrival of the British colonial powers at that time in the south-eastern parts of Nigeria during the late nineteenth century. Okonkwo resembles the downfall of the Nigerian society, how he went from being the strongest among his village into having a tragic ending. Towards the end of the nineteenth century British colonialism was wide spread through all Africa and other parts of the world. Nigeria was amongst other African nations that received visitors who were on a colonizing mission politically and religiously introducing their religion and culture that is later imposed to on Igbo who are threatened by this sudden change in all aspects of their lives. Trying to form a new identity to accommodate the changes inflicted on the culture of the Igbo was a conflict that Okonkwo could not stand.

Keywords: postcolonial, Okonkwo, Nigeria, Igbo society, Identity.

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.46.45