Jaja of Opobo

mannerisms, values, and personality. Each generation continues to spread this cycle of societal guidelines. Society tends to ignore the individual in favor of idyllic images and responsibilities people abide by. Family is often the cause of social self-consciousness. Parents can become forceful when trying to abide by societal guidelines. When Papa threw the missal at Jaja, "It . . . swept the beige, finger-size ceramic figurines of ballet dancers in various contorted postures to the hard floor…

Though chronologically happening in the middle of the plot, the opening line of Purple Hibiscus is “Things started to fall apart at home when my brother, Jaja, did not go to communion…” From this point on, Jaja takes a stand against his father’s power over him. In chapter nine, Jaja’s cousin, Obiora asks where his name comes from. Jaja reveals his real name is Chukwuka. Aunty Ifeoma tells the story of Jaja of Opobo, a king who refuses to sell his soul when the British take over Nigeria. Obiora…

2. Colonialism & the Ekwunokwu [Ekumeku] War In the Nigerian geo-political experience, literature is replete with accounts of indigenous resistance to colonial incursion. Often cited are cases of the Caliphate, Ijebu, Ibadan, Benin Kingdom, Kings Jaja of Opobo and Nana of Itsekiri, but little is recorded of the Ekwunokwu [Ekumeku] War involving Anioma against the British colonialists. Following the Berlin Conference of 1885, the area that came to be known as ‘Nigeria’ came under British sphere…