Draft:The Last Duty
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Comment: This article lacks reliable, inline citations. Much of the prose is uncited (By prose here, I mean the text of the article, not the book) TNM101 (chat) 15:33, 22 February 2025 (UTC)
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The Last Duty is a novel set in a small Nigerian town occupied by federal troops and delves into the lives of its inhabitants as they navigate the complexities of war, loyalty, and survival. Isidore Okpewho's The Last Duty (1976) explores themes of power, corruption, and moral ambiguity during the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970). Isidore Okpewho (1941–2016) was a Nigerian novelist and critic. He is an award-winning novelist and distinguished scholar.
Plot Summary
[edit]The story revolves around four main characters: Major Ali, the occupying military officer; Toje, a wealthy businessman collaborating with the occupiers; Oshevire, a man imprisoned for allegedly aiding the enemy; and Aku, Oshevire's wife, who becomes entangled in a web of betrayal and survival. The narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives, allowing readers to piece together the truth behind Oshevire's imprisonment and the moral compromises made by each character.
Themes and Analysis
[edit]Power and Corruption: The novel examines how power dynamics during wartime lead to moral decay. Major Ali and Toje represent the corrupting influence of authority, while Oshevire's plight highlights the vulnerability of ordinary citizens caught in the crossfire.
Betrayal and Survival: Aku's character embodies the struggle for survival in a patriarchal society. Her relationship with Major Ali, though seemingly consensual, is fraught with coercion and desperation, reflecting the limited agency of women in wartime.
Moral Ambiguity: Okpewho challenges readers to question the nature of duty and loyalty. Characters are neither wholly good nor evil, but rather complex individuals making difficult choices in extraordinary circumstances.
Narrative Structure: The use of multiple viewpoints creates a fragmented yet cohesive narrative, emphasizing the subjectivity of truth and the difficulty of discerning right from wrong in times of war.
Critical Reception
[edit]The Last Duty has been widely praised for its literary craftsmanship and thematic depth. Critics have lauded Okpewho's ability to capture the psychological and social complexities of war without resorting to simplistic moralizing. Chinua Achebe In his foreword to the novel, Achebe commended Okpewho for his "unflinching portrayal of human frailty and resilience,"[1] noting the novel's relevance to postcolonial African societies. Femi Osofisan highlighted the novel's innovative narrative structure, describing it as "a mosaic of voices that collectively reveal the tragedy of war."[2]
References
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