The Igbos: The Importance Of The Igbo Natives

Despite the arrogant attitude aimed at them, the Igbo natives welcomed the British into their village without suspecting their true intentions. The Igbos were very generous when the missionaries asked for a piece of land to build their church. There was only one area the Igbos gave to them where the Christians didn’t have to live amongst them, and it was the evil forest. They wondered if the Christians would die from the evil spirits within that forest, but after a certain time, they lived without any assault. The Igbos thought they had immense power, and they allowed the missionaries to come and go as they please.
It was somewhat a peaceful change between the two races, but the British took the wrong approach upon the natives. They expected gratitude and total submission from the Igbos, and claim they had come to cleanse their wrongdoings. By doing this, they unintentionally belittled the importance of the Igbo culture in their own land. For example, the Igbos were most offended when the British showed great disrespect to their ancestors. It would have been better if the missionaries held the Igbo people at a high regard and treat them as human beings, and not as uncivilized creatures. It’s ironic how unchristian the British were towards the Igbos, because Christians were to respect all religions and civilizations around the
When Okonkwo returns from exile, he is not at all pleased with his son for abandoning his religion. To Okonkwo’s eyes, Nwoye disrespects him in the worst possible way. Nwoye became a Christian for multiple reasons, and the primary one is when Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna, who was like a brother to Nwoye. People who were war trophies were killed as sacrifices, due to religious purposes. Christianity prevents murder, and Nwoye was very attracted to its doctrines. Okonkwo doesn’t act upon his son’s choice. He only ends up disowning his first-born