Colonialism

The theme of Colonialism is at the heart of the novel, 'Half of a Yellow Sun.' Set in Africa, most notably Nigeria, during the 1960s, it chronicles the upheaval caused by colonialism in the areas of culture, economy, religion, and even interpersonal relationships. The very fabric of the Nigerian way of life was coming unraveled. The focus of the novel is on the time period of 1966-1970, and Nigeria had won its independence from British colonial rule. However, having been one of their territories for so many years, much of the old ways, the typically Nigerian ways, were challenged, muted, or banned, outright. Nearly 300 different ethnicities were brought together to form Nigeria, the largest being the Igbo tribes in the Southeast. The other major tribes included the Yoruba in the Southwest, and the Hausa in the North.

Having declared itself independent in 1960, Nigerian politics were...