Had there been no Chinua Achebe and no Things Fall Apart, John Munonye as a novelist would have occupied a different, more elevated niche in the annals of Nigerian literary history. Yet Munonye has not been eclipsed by Achebe as an Igbo writer. The point at which the two writers converge--the issue of culture conflict--is also the beginning of their divergence. For Achebe the conflict of cultures attendant on colonial intrusion into Africa could only result in a general sense of loss for Africa, and all Achebe's heroes--including Okonkwo, Ezeulu, and Obi Okonkwo--are losers in some ways, as African culture, clan unity, religion, and language suffered setbacks during the colonial period. But while Achebe's philosophical pessimism wears the face of tragedy, Munonye's novels of culture conflict ultimately wear the face of comedy, as they record the collective gain from Africa's contact with Europe. While for Achebe the Igbo...