Chinua Achebe and Tribalism In his works, Chinua Achebe writes about how tribalism, or group identities, acts as the source of both flaws and progress in societies. As stated in an interview, Achebe did “not think that there [was] any time in [Nigerian] history when things were perfect”. He continues on, however, stating that “...every generation has to examine what needs to be done, what belongs to its peace and proceed” (No Condition is Permanent). His desire for peace as described in this quote is well reflected by his fictional characters and their conflicts in Things Fall Apart, No Longer at Ease, and Arrow of God. Acting as miniatures of contemporary societies, these works clearly depict how tribalism can either hinder or nurture positive progress in societies, emphasizing the importance of open-mindedness that is not strained by prejudice for peaceful coexistence.
In Achebe’s most famous work, Things Fall Apart, Achebe introduces the concept of xenophobia and how one who harbors a xenophobic attitude may strictly adhere to a group identity that may prove harmful to maintaining peace in a society. Things Fall Apart is a story about a highly respected man named Okonkwo, who values strong group identity, is stubborn, and is xenophobic. Okonkwo fails to tolerate the differences between his own culture and that of white colonists, and thus suffers negative consequences. Okonkwo’s village, Umuofia, is exposed to European colonists for the first time; however,