Corruption is the Norm in Nigeria in Chinua Achebe's Novel, No Longer at Ease

Corruption, is a consistent theme which was used by Chinua Achebe in the novel “No Longer at Ease”, he makes known of the theme by showing that corruption was an elementary piece of the Nigerian civil and business organisation during the colonial era. Although the novel was written in the 1960’s, the theme of the story is still in existence in modern day Nigeria where there is still extensive bribery and corruption .Corruption consists of a diffident diversity of practices, which includes embezzlement of public funds, bribery and misuse of power. In the novel the writer focuses his attention on bribery as a main act of corruption, he first introduces Obi Okonkwo, the main character, as a victim of participating in the act of bribery and is to face the court of law. Obi was educated in England for four years and had returned to Nigeria to take up the position of a civil servant. He was against the act of bribery in the first place but when faced with serious financial crisis, he falls a victim of corruption. Throughout the novel, He consistently frowns upon the act of corruption, this can be seen when he turns down the offer of a man who wanted to bribe him to obtain a scholarship for his little sister.

In this essay I would be arguing and showing how corruption has become common a norm in Nigeria and Obi being an educated elite tries his best to stop it though he falls victim for it at the end due to some difficult circumstances. This is firstly seen when Obi is sent to England to study law, in the hope that he will return to help his people navigate British colonial society but on the other hand studied English. But this does not change Obi’s priorities, he still stands against the act of corruption. This is seen when he arrives ...

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...accept bribe. He falls a victim to accept bribe when he realises that he was going through some serious economic crisis. His economic crisis began when his mother is admitted at the hospital and he is told to pay for the bills, he is also faced with crisis after he forgets to pay for his car insurance and ends up with a bill for 10 months, the crisis continues with his brother’s school fees to pay and his loan to pay off to the Umuofia union who sponsored his education abroad.

In conclusion, the writer exposes us to how corruption had eaten into the daily activities of the Nigerian society and had become a norm which no one really paid attention to since it was usually done by everyone. Also he makes clear of how one is forced to accept bribe in Nigeria by using Obi as an example. He shows us how some people are made to accept bribe under very difficult situations.