Oil and Water: European Colonialism's Clash with African Livelihood

The goal of colonialism on the African continent seems to elude people for decades to come after the fact. Somehow, we still cannot wrap our heads around the multitude of cultures and states on the continent. Somehow, we cannot wrap our Western minds around the fact that maybe colonialism does not mix with the goals and beliefs of the African peoples. In particular, we struggle to recognize that colonialism was not a civilizing mission, nor a mutual exchange, but an imposition. It was a violent and systematic disruption of African self-determination. Although fiction, Arrow of God by Chinua Achebe draws on the history of colonialism to show the profound impact on his home country of Nigeria, and colonialism’s relationship with indigenous life. Alongside our textbook from Kevin Shillington and Halie Selassie’s profound speech to the League of Nations in 1936, we will examine the ways colonialism cannot mix with the self-sufficiency, human values, goals, and beliefs of African life. 

Arguably, the whole point of Arrow of God by Chinua Achebe is that the implementation of colonial systems over indigenous peoples' systems creates long term chaos and strife. 

“…I can tell you that there is no escape from the white man. He has come. When Suffering knocks at your door and you say there is no seat left for him, he tells you not to worry because he has brought his own stool. The white man is like that…” (Achebe, 118)

The white man and his ways are mentioned constantly throughout the story (197 times to be exact) and are in direct clash with the local community in a very black and white manner. These foreign systems are not integrated with African life, they are forced upon it. This is most clearly seen in Oduche, Ezeulu’s son, who is sent to a missionary school. Instead of becoming a bridge between the two worlds, Oduche rejects his heritage entirely. His transformation illustrates the binary conflict in the novel: one cannot straddle both African tradition and European modernity without teetering one way or another. There is no gray or middle ground, during the story. The European ways and African culture act like oil and water, and cannot mix. Another example is during the Yam Festival. Once again, the two religions oppose each other and the missionaries do not take the festival seriously. Rather than respecting the significance of the festival, the colonial powers exploit it as an opportunity to proselytize. Another system that the British undermined during the story are the indigenous power structures. “‘By that time he should have learnt good manners. I won’t have my natives thinking they can treat the Administration with contempt.’” (Achebe, 202) The English policemen directly count on undermining and somewhat humiliating the quote “native”. This reflects colonial agendas as in many examples, such as the quote mentioned, the goal is to humiliate, dominate, isolate, and reorder society under imperial, racist values. In sum, Achebe draws on his lived experience to create a story that walks us through how colonialism takes root with rots African communities. 

Haile Selassie infamously says in his speech, “It is us today. It will be you tomorrow.” Overall, highlighting the hypocrisy that underlies colonialism on the African continent. “Also, there has never before been an example of any Government proceeding to the systematic extermination of a nation by barbarous means…” (Selassie, 1936) Selassie highlights the “barbarous” means os systematic extermination of African people, both further proving that colonial rule needs to destroy indigenous power structures, and thus that colonialism is not compatible with indigenous life and community. “Italian aircraft hurled upon my armies bombs of tear-gas.” (Selassie, 1936) Some of the manners used to colonialize Ethiopia was by far barbarous means and deeply inhumane. Now, these efforts would be considered a war crime against humanity. If these texts show us anything, it’s that colonialism as a whole is inhumane. The former emperor also acknowledges that part of the hypocrisy behind colonialism. When Italy invaded Ethiopia, they were blatantly ignoring national sovereignty. Colonialism ignores and defies African governance and community. Former Emperor Haile Selassie’s speech continues to be a popular text throughout time because his words ring alarmingly true. He takes the time to call out the hypocrisy that accompanies European colonialism, and outlines the many acts of colonialism that were done to Ethiopia. More than anything, what the Italians did intended to destroy African authority, sovereignty, and life.

Finally, Kevin Shillington highlights some of the ways Africans resisted colonial rule. The resistance to European colonialism, more than anything, shows that Africans did not invite or accept colonial rule. Ethiopia, a common denominator within these texts, fully resisted Italian colonial rule and continued to be an independent nation through both masterful political and war tactics. The French in West Africa sent out a cavalry numbering 30,000, including the new Maxim guns and gunships. Within West Africa, many indigenous nations resisted militarily for well over twenty years. Europeans had many advantages, such as the Maxim gun, and Africans continued to resist even with inferior weaponry, such as muzzle-loading hunting guns. (Shillington, 621-636) While Achebe and Selassie use more metaphorical examples to show the resistance of Africans and the incompatibility of European rule, Shillington shows us the hard facts and written history. 

In tandem, these three sources weave a complex web telling the stories of European colonialism through an African lens. The end result however, is the realization that there is an underlying view that African self-sufficiency and community, including their human values, goals, and beliefs, were irreconcilable with colonial power. Between the three texts, we see recurring themes of humiliation, weakening authority, and ravage culture. Written as a slow-growing illness in Chinua Achebe’s Arrow of God, Halie Selassie calls this out in his speech. 

“When the danger became more urgent, being aware of my responsibilities towards my people, during the first six months of 1935 I tried to acquire armaments. Many Governments proclaimed an embargo to prevent my doing so, whereas the Italian Government through the Suez Canal, was given all facilities for transporting without cessation and without protest, troops, arms, and munitions.” (Selassie, 1936)

This quote I felt necessary to show because it shows the humiliation and dismantling of African authority. When the emperor’s hand was forced to protect his land and people, after he clearly stated he did not wish for war, he was punished. Italian’s remanined without consequence despite other nations acknowledging that the European nation had violated the Covenant. The decision to punish Ethiopia for Italy’s wrong-doings is unfair and clearly shows the necessity to eradicate African authority within the process of colonialism. 

Another similarity to explore is within Selassie and Shillington. They both explore themes of discontent and resistance under European colonial pressure. Selassie’s speech to the Leauge of Nations itself is an act of strength and defiance. One could argue that the novel Arrow of God is another act of defiance, however, that is a deeply metaphorical act of defiance. Utilizing literature and the power of story-telling to tell the story of the oppressed. Shillington, as briefly mentioned before, utalizes facts and written history to describe the resistance of the African population. Other resistance’s that Shillington describes were not as successful as Ethiopia versus Italy. For example, in 1896 in modern day Nambia, eastern Herero and Mbanderu chose to resist against German tax and indigenous labor demands. Unfortunately, the rebellion was crushed and made way for more white settlements. (Shillington, 674-675) Another harrowing example of a crushed resistance is in Mozembique against Portuguese rule. The Yao attempted to fight Portugese rule, however, instead of outright crushing the rebellions as what happened in Nambia, the Portugese exploited Africans to fight against each other. The Portugense are also responsible for the selling and trading of ivory and slaves, and while locals pleaded to other European governments, appeals were ignored. (Shillington, 670-673) In closing, the themes of these sources overlap and allow us to continue to examine the ways colonialism ruptures African life. 

In conclusion, Chinua Achebe’s Arrow of God reveals the cultural erosion and identity crises caused by colonial imposition, while Haile Selassie’s speech exposes the brutality and hypocrisy of imperial power through lived testimony. Kevin Shillington’s historical account reinforces these themes with hard facts to support the documented resistance all over the African continent. Together, these sources underscore that colonialism was not only incompatible with African human values, community, self-suffiency, and goals it actively worked to dismantle them.

Works Cited:

Achebe, Chinua. Arrow of God. Penguin Books, 2016. 

BlackPast. “(1936) Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, ‘Appeal to the League of Nations.’” BlackPast.Org, 21 May 2008, www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/1936-emperor-haile-selassie-ethiopia-appeal-league-nations/. 

Shillington, Kevin. History of Africa. Bloomsbury Academic, 2022.