How Isidore Okpewho's The Last Duty Captures the Nigerian Civil War in Fiction
The Last Duty by Isidore Okpewho: A Novel of the Nigerian Civil War
The Last Duty is a novel by Isidore Okpewho, a Nigerian writer, scholar, and professor. It was published in 1976 by Longman, and it won the African Arts Prize for Literature in 1977. The novel is set in a fictional African country called Simbia, which is engaged in a civil war with its secessionist neighbor Zonda. The novel focuses on the lives and experiences of three main characters: Aku, a young woman whose husband is imprisoned for suspected rebel activities; Major Ali Idris, a federal commander who tries to maintain humanity and tolerance in a brutal war; and Toje, a corrupt local chief who exploits the war for his own gain. The novel explores various themes such as war and humanity, love and duty, corruption and justice, through a unique narrative technique called "the collective evidence technique". The novel is considered one of the most realistic and powerful portrayals of the Nigerian civil war (also known as the Biafran war), which lasted from 1967 to 1970 and claimed over a million lives.
The Last Duty By Isidore Okpewho Pdf 118
The Plot of the Novel
The novel begins with a prologue that introduces the historical background of the Simbia-Zonda conflict, which mirrors the real-life Nigerian-Biafran war. Simbia is a large country with diverse ethnic groups, while Zonda is a small region that is dominated by one ethnic group. Zonda declares its independence from Simbia after a series of political crises and massacres that target its people. Simbia responds by launching a military campaign to reunite the country by force.
The main story takes place in a small town in Simbia that is occupied by federal troops led by Major Ali Idris. The town is home to Aku, a beautiful young woman whose husband Odibo has been arrested by federal soldiers for allegedly being a rebel spy. Aku is left alone with her two children, Rukeme and Iddu, who are also suspected by federal authorities. Aku suffers from loneliness, fear, harassment, and poverty as she waits for her husband's fate.
Major Ali Idris is a humane and compassionate officer who tries to protect civilians from atrocities committed by both sides of the war. He is also attracted to Aku, whom he meets when he visits her house to interrogate her about her husband. He develops a friendship with her and her children, and tries to help them in various ways. He also faces pressure from his superiors to execute Odibo without trial.
Toje is a wealthy and influential chief who collaborates with federal forces to advance his own interests. He is greedy, selfish, ruthless, and immoral. He has a lustful eye for Aku, whom he tries to seduce or coerce into becoming his mistress. He also plots against Major Ali Idris, whom he sees as a rival and a threat to his power.
The novel follows these three characters as they struggle with their personal conflicts amid the larger conflict of war. Their lives are intertwined by fate, love, duty, betrayal, violence, tragedy, and redemption.
The Style of the Novel
The Collective Evidence Technique
One of the most distinctive features of The Last Duty is its narrative technique called "the collective evidence technique". This technique involves presenting multiple perspectives and testimonies from different characters about the same events or situations. Each character gives his or her own version of what happened or what he or she thinks or feels about it. These versions often contradict or complement each other, creating a complex and realistic picture of the war and its effects.
The collective evidence technique allows Okpewho to explore different aspects and dimensions of the war, such as its political, social, cultural, moral, psychological, and humanitarian implications. It also enables him to show the diversity and variety of the characters' experiences, opinions, attitudes, motivations, and emotions. The technique also challenges the reader to compare and contrast the different accounts, to question their reliability and validity, and to form his or her own judgment and interpretation.
The Use of Language and Symbolism
Another notable feature of The Last Duty is its use of language and symbolism. Okpewho employs various linguistic devices and symbols to convey the themes and messages of the novel. Some examples are:
Code-switching: Okpewho switches between English and Pidgin English (a creole language based on English) to reflect the different levels of education, class, and culture of his characters. He also uses Pidgin English to create humor, irony, and satire.
Proverbs: Okpewho uses proverbs (short sayings that express wisdom or advice) to illustrate the values, beliefs, and traditions of his characters. He also uses proverbs to comment on the situations and actions of his characters.
Names: Okpewho uses names (personal or place names) to suggest the meanings, characteristics, or roles of his characters. For example, Aku means "wealth" in Igbo (a major ethnic group in Nigeria), which implies her beauty and desirability. Odibo means "trouble" in Urhobo (another ethnic group in Nigeria), which foreshadows his fate. Simbia means "lion" in Hausa (another ethnic group in Nigeria), which symbolizes its strength and pride. Zonda means "wind" in Spanish, which symbolizes its instability and resistance.
Colors: Okpewho uses colors (visual hues) to evoke emotions, moods, or atmospheres. For example, he uses red to signify blood, violence, or danger; white to signify peace, innocence, or purity; black to signify death, grief, or evil; green to signify life, hope, or nature.
The Themes of the Novel
War and Humanity
One of the main themes of The Last Duty is war and humanity. The novel explores the impact of war on human values, morals, emotions, and relationships. The novel shows how war dehumanizes people by reducing them to numbers, targets, or enemies. The novel also shows how war destroys families, communities, cultures, and environments. The novel exposes the horrors and atrocities of war such as massacres, raids, tortures, executions, starvations, diseases, and rapes.
However, the novel also shows how some people retain their humanity in spite of war. The novel depicts and testimonies from different characters about the same events or situations. Each character gives his or her own version of what happened or what he or she thinks or feels about it. These versions often contradict or complement each other, creating a complex and realistic picture of the war and its effects. The technique allows Okpewho to explore different aspects and dimensions of the war, such as its political, social, cultural, moral, psychological, and humanitarian implications. It also enables him to show the diversity and variety of the characters' experiences, opinions, attitudes, motivations, and emotions. The technique also challenges the reader to compare and contrast the different accounts, to question their reliability and validity, and to form his or her own judgment and interpretation.
Q: What are some of the symbols used in the novel? A: Some of the symbols used in the novel are:
The hanging tree: The hanging tree is a large tree in the town where criminals and rebels are executed by federal soldiers. It symbolizes the violence, injustice, and death that pervade the war.
The red dress: The red dress is a dress that Aku wears when she visits Major Ali Idris in his office. It symbolizes her beauty, desire, and danger.
The lion: The lion is a symbol of Simbia, which means "lion" in Hausa. It symbolizes Simbia's strength, pride, and aggression.
The wind: The wind is a symbol of Zonda, which means "wind" in Spanish. It symbolizes Zonda's instability, resistance, and freedom.
Q: How does the novel end? A: The novel ends with a tragic climax and a hopeful epilogue. In the climax, Major Ali Idris is ordered to execute Odibo without trial. He refuses to do so, and instead frees him and Aku from prison. He then tries to escape with them to Zonda, but they are ambushed by federal soldiers on the way. Major Ali Idris is killed by Toje, who shoots him in the back. Odibo is killed by federal soldiers, who shoot him in the chest. Aku is wounded by a bullet that grazes her head. She falls unconscious on the ground. In the epilogue, Aku wakes up in a hospital in Zonda. She learns that the war is over, and that Simbia and Zonda have agreed to a peace treaty. She also learns that her children Rukeme and Iddu are alive and well, and that they have been brought to Zonda by a friendly soldier who knew Major Ali Idris. She reunites with her children, and decides to start a new life in Zonda. She also decides to name her unborn child Ali, after Major Ali Idris.