In the Ditch

Buchi Emecheta's "In the Ditch" is an autobiographical novel and it describes the social deprivations by the protagonist, Adah, who is a native from a post-colonized country, Nigeria. In fact, Adah is the author herself and everything in the book really happened. As an Ibo from Nigeria she comes across lots of bad experiences. It is easily seen that in this novel and in her easty novels she is seeking to answer these questions: How generally does a man behave in a foreign land aming unfamiliar people? To what extent can he, in a different social and political system, successfully observe the rules of traditional society? How do the changes in this new situation affect his sensibility and cultural awareness? Is indigenous culture resilient enough to withstand foreign influence? These questions somehow lead us to seek an answer for another question about the issue of post-colonialism, post-colonial diaspora, and effects of these issues in her novel. Although Emecheta is a comparatively new comer to the literary scene, she has achieved so much that she is now generally accepted as a major African novelist.

Buchi Emecheta was born of Rbuta parentage in Lago, Nigeria. She is an Ibo and she did start her writing career until she arrived in London but before she was educated in writing and inspired by a Nigerian keen writer, Mrs. Mabel Jolaoso (Mabel Segun). Also, she had an inspiration from her own life, there were the stories told by the women in moonlight sessions in the villages when she was young.

"Her grandmother, whom she such admired, was a keen storyteller and succeeded in getting her to recognize storytelling as an important cultural event. She was fortunate in her early years to attend schools which paid a lot of attent...

... middle of paper ...

... country, Nigeria. Nigeria also became independent, but it is still a toy for Britain. Emecheta metaphorically tells her country's the real situation.

Consequently, Buchi Emecheta reaches her aim and satisfied with the amount of recognition. She has won several awards. She is a member of the Arts Council of Great Britain and of the Advisory Committee to the Home Secretary on Race and Equality. She gets invited to conferences and seminars in various parts of the world. She was selected as one of 1983's Best Young British Writers and is winner of several literary prizes including the "New Statesmen" Jack Campbell Award.

To sum up, perhaps she gives an indirect reaction to Britain's game-over the colonized countries. By being so successful and by writing these meaningful novels she, in a way, shows her reaction and shows the real independency to the greedy ones.