Okonkwo raised his machete in pure hatred and malice with all intentions to be-head the messenger. Just as the blade seemed to touch the sun in full gleam, Okonkwo lunged his weapon into the dirt between the legs of the pale man who seemed as though he looked death in the eyes; he had.
Okonkwo yelled a fierce warrior cry, meant to strike fear into all who heard it. He refused to cry or admit defeat. Okonkwo had never felt more like a woman than he did at this moment. The entire village of Umofia and the white men stood in a combination of fear and confusion as he parted through the crowd making his way back to the compound.
In Okonkwo's solitude, he made a small fire to warm himself as the evening fell. Many people including enzema and his wives came to visit him, but he refused their presence as he was in deep prayer to the ancestors for advice.
Onyekachi Okonkwo, soccer player FC Zurich
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Onyekachi Okonkwothrough his meditated trance of thought, Okonkwo pondered his father and Unchendu back in Mbanta. He felt nothing like either one of them.
Through his life, he felt so distant from his family and other clans-men. He proved bravery, manhood, and strived to show everyone in Ibo land his worth to the tribe. It was not until now Okonkwo realized how foolish he had been by putting so much of his life to proving his worth, rather than gaining it through knowledge and wisdom.
While Okonkwo was in exile, he longed to return to Umofia, to show off his worth again. It seemed he thought time would stand still and wait for his return. As Unchendu tried to explain to his nephew he loved as a son; "Those days and these days are much different".
In those days, Ibo people watched for each other and gave strength to one another through respect. Until the Europeans brought Christianity to Africa, it was a land of wonder, sharing, tradition and moreover, respect.
Because Okonkwo disliked change and valued his home and culture, this was his first defeat.
Okonkwo called for Ekwefi to fetch Obierka. Okonkwo suddenly had a feeling of being wise, he could see the stars in the night sky and hear every noise around him. His fists were not clenched tightly like they were every day before today.
A deep voice said from the doorway of Okonkwo's obi; "My great wise friend, I feel you have found peace".
Okonkwo let a sigh of relief and told Obierka about his stress in life not to be a lazy debtor like his father. And not to be a weak womanly man, to be a man of award and strength. Okonkwo was hushed by a stern smile on Obierka's face.
"My greatest friend, we have not been defeated by the Christians, the only battle we were fighting was the one amongst ourselves. I haven't realized it until today when you walked away from the messengers. Things have not fallen apart in Umofia, they are beginning to come together. It is like Uchendu told us in Mbanta, those days are different from these days.
Things change that we cannot help. It is our glory to keep strong our values and ancestors values. Perhaps we will become allies with the Christians and they will learn our ways as we live in their homeland's ways. When the sun goes down at night, we know it will come back after first cock crow. Do not let these people keep us from seeing the sun, let them see it with us." As the sun rose, Okeriaka and Okonkwo were still talking about the new Ibo land the British called "Nigeria".
"Perhaps..." said Obierka, our chi guided us to this. No man is more a man than another, perhaps the efulefu's chi guided them to the Christians to become peace makers. If they were not our brothers and cousins I believe they would be dead from our anger against the Christians. My friend, I believe you would be dead as well if your chi had not brought you to wisdom this afternoon." Okonkwo interrupted and said; "NO! You cannot kill men who will not die!" My Enzima's son's sons will know me, I will not die.
From that day on, the Africans learned the ways of the British and strove to help them understand as well. Peace had been reached, but there remains much understanding of the world.
Onyekachi Okonkwo
English: Christian Bible, rosary, and crucifix.
Onyekachi Okonkwo