I have read the book NO LONGER AT EASE by Chinua Achebe for over 20 times because of its interesting depictions on corruption scandals.
Any other day I see and hear any thing related to corruption, I ask myself "IS IT REALLY DIFFICULT TO RESIST CORRUPTION IN UGANDA"? I always answer myself YES/NO for reasons that can be explained in a book and I'm provoked to say WE ARE ALL SUSCEPTIBLE AND VULNERABLE TO CORRUPTION
In the book, Obi Okonkwo, the grandson of Okonkwo prided himself as a symbol of morality and uprightness. Umuofia Progressive Union (UPU) awarded him scholarship to study law in England but he later abandoned law to study English language. He was idealistic and promising. Wrote poems about the corruption bedevilling the Nigerians society and promised to help fight it with all he got when he gets back to the country.
Obi's succumb to corruption shortly after his return to Nigeria was a rude shock to everybody. Even the judge could not believe it when he wondered "I cannot understand how a young man of your education and brilliant promise could have done this, the judge says
Shortly after he returned to Nigeria, Obi was confronted with corruption at every turn. At first he resisted it but later succumbed. When the man presented him with fifty pounds bribe to help cut corners to award his son scholarship. He was looking at the money and looking at various problems waiting for him. The loan from Umuofia Progressive Union (UPU) in Lagos was waiting to be repaid with interest, his mother was sick and later died. He was not able to attend the funeral for lack of fund, his wife Clara was heavily pregnant and the cultural conflicts associated with marrying her as Outcast which was a taboo in Umuofia was pending, which equally contributed to his mother's death. He accepted the bribe but unknown to him, the notes were marked.
Achebe then jumps forward in time to illustrate that he took more bribes, including those from women who exchange their bodies for favors. The bribes came and went, and he paid all of his debts, living comfortably, but guiltily. Finally, on the day he has decided to take his last bribe and never do such a thing again because he cannot stand it anymore, he is arrested.
Obi Okonkwo's fall despite his great promises was a classic tragedy, a reflection of contemporary Nigerian society. Achebe was prophetic as he made it look very difficult to resist corruption in Nigeria despite ones position. We have seen men and women like Obi Okonkwo sucumb to corruption as well. One is compelled to ask if it's really difficult to resist corruption
By Anguzu Vincent
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