In the 1920s, the Igbo village of Umuaro was dealing with the continued presence of British military and Christian missionaries in their area. Chief priest Ezeulu has been dealing with these challenges the best ways he knows how, while still upholding the traditions of his culture and faith. But when he is imprisoned by the British for refusing to take on the mantle of his village's primary leader (a position that does not exist in Igbo culture), Umuaro's people and crops are threatened.
This was the second book we read in this summer's Adult Summer Reading program, and it once again shows the way in which hubris and ignorance conspired to tear down traditional Nigerian culture during the colonial era. I particularly liked the depictions of Igbo customs, daily interactions, and annual festivals, and I look forward to reading and discussing No Longer at Ease next month.
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