ABSTRACT: This project evaluates The Theme of Disillusionment in Chinua Achebe’s A Man of the People and Ayi Armah’s The Beautyful Once Are Not Yet Born. Achebe and Armah are African novelists from different countries. The disillusionment of the African people began with the leaders who took powers from the colonialists. Also, the African leaders who assumed power after independence continued with the footsteps of the colonialists. In A Man of the People, Achebe uses Chief Nanga the Minister of Culture as an embodiment of disillusionment, and corruption who involved in using the public fund that is meant for the society in building flats and living a luxury life. This form of exploitation becomes noticeable as Achebe examines Odilli in opposing the leadership of Chief Nanga because the masses are disillusioned due to fake promises.
The Theme Of Disillusionment In Chinua Achebe’s A Man Of The People And Ayi Armah’s The Beautyful Once Are Not Yet Born
In The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born, Armah depicts a picture of the disillusionment and pain after the independence in Ghana. He reveals the social life of Ghanaians whereby government leaders like Koomson, Zacharias of Lagos and Abednego undergo luxurious life through embezzlement of government fund. In conclusion, it was recommended that Achebe and Armah novels should be added in the school curriculum so as to teach the younger generation to desist from actions that encourage societal ills such as political disillusionment, poverty, social injustice, corruption and exploitation.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
Post-independence African literature reflects African disillusionment. Such a literature was written when there was a hope that after independence, Africa will prosper. Unfortunately, the elites who took over from the colonialists rather than dismantling colonial structures, awfully imposes more suffering, social injustice and oppression to their fellow Africans people. In the same vein, the continent becomes more underdeveloped compared as it was in the leadership of the white masters.
Moreover, the two novelists from different countries portray the disillusionment in their continent show the poor passes through disillusionment and exploitation. In A Man of the People for instance, Achebe writes to find where they went wrong, where the rain began to beat them. He further states that, the disillusionment of the African people with their leaders began earlier in 1960s; independence did not bring a better life and greater political and civil liberties to Africans. In Armah’s The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born, there is a portrayal of disillusionment in the Ghanaian society after the independence. To Armah, Nkrumah failed to achieve the promises that he was supposed to fulfil to Ghanaians. He says, life has not changed for good, these promises still unfulfilled. This malicious betrayal drives the deep sense of disillusionment, despair and anger among Ghanaians and Africans as a whole.
The foregoing triggered the researcher to examine disillusionment of the masses in Achebe’s A Man of the People and Armah’s The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The treatment of disillusionment and pain is a strong analysis of the African past and present. Chinua Achebe and Ayi Armah’s novels are existential realities on pains, corruption and political conflicts in their various countries. Their views on the attainment of independence, which many Africans expected as a beginning of the golden era, turned into disillusionment and betrayal as seen in the two novels study in this work.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this research work is to examine the effects of disillusionment of the masses in Chinua Achebe’s A Man of the People and Ayi Armah’s The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born.
The Theme Of Disillusionment In Chinua Achebe’s A Man Of The People And Ayi Armah’s The Beautyful Once Are Not Yet Born
1.4 Significance of the Study
The study will be significant in the following ways: the study will be beneficial to students of English and Literary studies by exposing them on the problems and challenges face as a result of disillusionment of the masses in African societies. The satisfactory completion of this study means a charting of a new course for the study of Nigerian students as it will constitute a significant addition to the existing body of research in African literature.
