Impact Factor : 6.225 
PAPER ID:IJIM/V.2(II)/118-121/16
AUTHOR: Swati Punia
TITLE :
PERMEATING IMPERIALISM IN INDIA AND NIGERIA: A STUDY OF THINGS FALL APART
ABSTRACT: Challenging the Europeans’ characteristic demarcation of the African customs and traditions, Cninua Achebe in Things Fall Apart penetrates deep into the profoundly complex foundation of native Igbo culture dislocated by their weakening clannish bonds and advancing Church Government. Like in the Indian Sub-continent, the European Imperialism commenced with small-scale trade, finally permeated through the whole African continent to strip the people off their indigenous ways, false beliefs and misleading traditions. The missionary church that embraced outcasts and titled persons alike provided solace to gloomy Nneka, who had her three twins devoured by superstitious dogma, Nwoye who was puzzled by the haunting questions relating to the twins crying in the bush and innocent Ikemefuna’s slaughter, and numerous others. The imperialist regime posed questions at the long held ideals both in India and in the Igbo society and found in “the words of the hymns” piousness of “the drops of frozen rain melting on the dry plate of the panting earth.” It was the fault and fear of the natives that provided converts to the Church who later came in open confrontation against the established norms of their own society. In the novel, the enraged band of egwugwu sets ablaze the church and faces instant retaliation from the colonizers supported by their native followers. While comparing the Indian scenario with the African, one comes across the fact that a non-negotiable number of natives always kept themselves distanced, out of individual concerns and interests, from the protest. Rather than helping the egwugwu, the cowardly co-villagers remained unnaturally silent and grieved about their ancestral gods having been desecrated by the powerful Church. Warlike Okonkwo made supreme sacrifice in order to save the Igbo culture but the clannish infirmities, trade greed, incomprehensible superstitions, and fear of the British scepter ruined the established fort of the native conventions. Thus, there existed people who remained nearly unaffected by the advent of the British and their overriding the native lifestyle yet people who felt the belief that the natives were ‘white man’s burden’ abusive did not easily bow to the colonizer’s interest, and preferred death to dishonor.
Keywords :
Igbo Culture, Okonkwo, Imperialist regime, Indigenous, Native culture and traditions, Egwugwu, Superstitions