ROSSIKE:


Achebe was a member of the elite, one of the less than 1% of Nigerians who attended a higher institution in Nigeria under colonial rule. He was probably so grateful for his 'luck', he never compared what the British were doing in South Africa or Singapore (ie building) to what they were doing in Nigeria (ie looting). He simply did not think along those lines, like many other 'elite' Nigerians of the time, more concerned with speaking perfect Queen's English than putting the colonialists to task. He was no doubt grateful for the recognition the British had given his work, Things Fall Apart. There is no record of him demanding to know from the colonial rulers how our export proceeds were being spent. He gushes about ''the coming of electricity'', a full 50 years after the coming of the colonialists, like that were some sought of laudable achievement. The fact that this 'electricity' came from imported industrial generators built to serve a select few in favoured parts of a city, as opposed to actual power plants, played no part in his thinking.

His views are not sacrosanct and he was not a perfect being just because he was a writer. He has been widely criticised for many remarks he made in his last work, There was a country, including some clearly ethnic-coloured, jingoistic comments. So no Nigerian takes his words as gospel.. The fact you are going by what Achebe said shows you are not a Nigerian. No Nigerian would say ''Achebe said it so it must be correct''. As a typically presumptuous western foreigner, you think we consider Achebe a god. We don't.

Even though this is a much better post than your earlier high-octane fiery submissions, there are still misconceptions that I need to clear.

I didn't quote foreign authors for a reason that is obvious, you could easily denounce their reports as self serving.

I'm also aware of the shortcomings of some aspects of Achebe's There Was A Country, but his description of British rule in Nigeria only confirmed what I already knew.

I never said the British were saints, but they were not as heinous as many would have you believe.

If you understood the historical underpinnings of colonialism in West Africa, you would understand why the British behaved the way they did. Nigeria was nothing but a market space for British trading companies. The British Colonialists were here only to protect that market space against French and other European competitors. In simple English, Nigeria was a mere trading facility!

Africa was partitioned for European traders! Period. So every British colony expenditure, including capital expenditure, must meet the local needs of its European settlers and trading companies. It wasn't cruelty, just plain business! You must remember, these people were capitalists!

Even natives that bought into these capitalist pretensions were not barred from prospering. Oh no, British capitalism did not discriminate against these. In fact, the British colonialists fraternised and also met the needs of these capitalist natives!

You see, I find it mind-boggling that you believed colonial capitalists should have developed local infrastructure without a profit motive.

The British were no saints, but they were not the demons you've painted them.

Volksfuhrer:


Even though this is a much better post than your earlier high-octane fiery submissions, there are still misconceptions that I need to clear.

I didn't quote foreign authors for a reason that is obvious, you could easily denounce their reports as self serving.

I'm also aware of the shortcomings of some aspects of Achebe's There Was A Country, but his description of British rule in Nigeria only confirmed what I already knew.

I never said the British were saints, but they were not as heinous as many would have you believe.

If you understood the historical underpinnings of colonialism in West Africa, you would understand why the British behaved the way they did. Nigeria was nothing but a market space for British trading companies. The British Colonialists were here only to protect that market space against French and other European competitors. In simple English, Nigeria was a mere trading facility!

Africa was partitioned for European traders! Period. So every British colony expenditure, including capital expenditure, must meet the local needs of its European settlers and trading companies. It wasn't cruelty, just plain business! You must remember, these people were capitalists!

Even natives that bought into these capitalist pretensions were not barred from prospering. Oh no, British capitalism did not discriminate against these. In fact, the British colonialists fraternised and also met the needs of these capitalist natives!

You see, I find it mind-boggling that you believed colonial capitalists should have developed local infrastructure without a profit motive.

The British were no saints, but they were not the demons you've painted them.

Fair enough....Thanks for admitting the Brits were only here for their own interests. This should help to educate those Nigerians who romanticize colonial rule, including the irredeemable airheads who call for a return to such rule.

Nigeria WAS NOT a full colony in 1897 it was by around 1914 it became a full colony