Chinua Achebe and Things Fall Apart Explanation of Biafrans value system with that of Yisrael

This man, the great Igbo story teller wrote fictitious stories based on the facts of Igbo life and custom. I have paralleled such customs to that of the Israelites from his most well-known work, “Things Fall Apart.”

Though fiction, “Things Fall Apart” is full of insightful things regarding Igbo culture. Unoka, Okonkwo’s father said, “That whenever he saw a dead man’s mouth he saw the folly of not eating what one had in one’s lifetime.” Judaism teaches it is a sin not to enjoy what God has given for us to enjoy.

Unoka loves the song the children sang to welcome birds back to the area. This is like the chant, like the blessing Jews pronounce in Judaism over various natural events such as birds returning in the Spring.

Breaking the Kola Nut is like breaking bread in Judaism. Okoye a friend of Unoka said, “He who brings Kola brings life.” And bread in Judaism is regarded in like manner.

Among the Igbos, the art of conversation is regarded very highly and “proverbs are palm oil with which words are eaten.” Jewish Rabbi’s and Sages feel the same way and the Proverbs of Solomon and much of the Talmud, especially the Perkei Avot is virtually all proverbial sayings that teaches us great and essential things.

Fortunately among the Igbo people a man was judged according to his worth and not according to the worth of his father.” This is like Deut. 24:16:

“The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.”

Professor Achebe also said that the Igbo elders wore beards as do Elders in Judaism.

The “Oracle of the Hills and the Caves” is similar to the consultation of the Urim and Thumim of the Levitical Priests.

The seven year locust came and the village of Umuofia was excited because they knew they could eat them and in the Torah it deems such insects as okay to eat and we see Yeshua

(Jesus) the Messiah’s cousin John the Baptist who was of the Priestly house of Levi eat locust too. (Lev. 11:22, Matt 3:4).

There is a fine spoken of man whose cow got loose and trampled a neighbour’s crop. This is likewise found in the Torah.

"If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else's field, the offender must make restitution from the best of their own field or vineyard.” – Exd. 22:5

“A man’s life from birth to death was a series of transition rites which brought him nearer and nearer to his ancestors.” This sentiment is an equally shared belief in Judaism.  

Drinking horns are mentioned quite often in the book and it is no coincidence that horns in Judaism were used to drink from and hold oil and at times used to pour out a libation to the LORD. 

When Okonkwo came to his mother’s land in exile, he was welcomed. Seven years later he departed and the elders blessed him when they broke Kola. We read from Genesis on to today, that in Judaism, children and relatives are blessed when they leave a community and strike out on their own. Likewise if someone is exiled they go to their mother’s people as Jacob when to Laban, his mother’s brother when running from his brother Esau.

There is also a film adaptation to Things Fall Apart and we see young men and women and children bow in respect to their elders when greeting them especially when Okonkwo brought his family before his uncle. We see in Scripture that Moses bowed before Jethro his father-in-law (Exodus 18:7) Jacob and his children bowed before his elder brother Esau (Gen.33:7) and

Joseph bowed before Jacob his father (Gen. 48:12). This is most definitely an ancient Hebraic custom we see demonstrated in the Igbo culture.  

Okonkwo, for accidental homicide was exiled for seven years in his mother’s homeland which is similar to, as we have previously mentioned, Jacob running to Laban, his mother’s people and we see this as similar in concept the cities of refuge (Num. 35). 

During a marital ceremony Unchendu’s eldest daughter Njide asked the bride-to-be to answer her truthfully or she would suffer or even die in child birth. This time of questioning was to see if she was till a virgin; hence, if she saved herself for her future husband. The Bride-to-be had to swear upon the patriarchal ancestral staff truthfully to answer and then a hen was sacrificed. This is in some ways like unto the bitter water ceremony when a husband suspects his betrothed or wife of unfaithfulness (Numbers 5).

Uchendu mentions a child belonging to his father’s family which is Hebraic.

In many of the blessings said in Things Fall Apart, during the blessing of the Kola, one is to ask for good health and children and not monetary wealth. If one has children, wealth will come naturally. This is a very Hebraic concept as more importance is placed on family and not riches. We see the Biblical Patriarchs naturally prosper when one obeyed God and put

family first. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were rich but greater emphasis was placed on family and the continuance of the family line.