No longer at ease by Chinua Achebe

1. No Longer At Ease
By: Chinua Achebe

2. In 1960, while they were still dating, Achebe dedicated to
Christie Okoli (wife) his second novel, No Longer at Ease, about a
civil servant who is embroiled in the corruption of Lagos. The
protagonist is Obi, grandson of Things Fall Apart's main character,
Okonkwo.
No Longer At Ease
By: Chinua Achebe

3. No Longer At Ease
Summary
The novel begins with Obi Okonkwo being tried for taking
bribe during a time when Obi Okonkwo worked for the Scholarship
Board which offered scholarships for deserving students to travel
overseas to study. Once Obi Okonkwo has taken over job at the
Scholarship board, there is an attempt by a man who tries to offer
bribe to Obi Okonkwo so as to obtain a scholarship for his little
sister. Obi Okonkwo survives this attempt but he is later visited with
a second. The second: Obi Okonkwo is visited by the girl herself
and the girl attempts to bribe Obi with sexual favors in return for the
scholarship. Again, Obi Okonkwo does not succumb to it.

4. No Longer At Ease
Summary
Before Obi Okonkwo could travel for his four year British
education, the members of the Umuofia Progressive Union (UPU)
gather money for Obi’s travel. Obi Okonkwo was to study law as it
was the hope of the UPU but we see Obi switch his major to
English and so he arrives back in his village with an English
certificate in his brief case.

5. No Longer At Ease
Summary
As the novel advances, Obi Okonkwo develop a romantic
relationship with Clara Okeke. Clara Okeke is an osu or an outcast
by her descendants. Obi Okonkwo wanted to marry Clara yet his
parents does not agree. Marrying an osu meant going contrary to
the traditional set up of the Igbo people. Whiles Obi’s Christian
father opposes Obi’s intent; his mother threatens to kill herself
should Obi marry an osu. Clara relays to Obi that she is pregnant
when Obi had told her of the disagreements by his parent for the
two to marry. Obi arranges for an abortion for Clara but Clara gets
complications and would not see Obi afterwards.

6. No Longer At Ease
Summary
By the end of the novel, Obi is taking a bribe and he
assures himself that that will be last one he would take. He is
arrested and then tried as was the case of the opening chapter.

7. No Longer At Ease
Conclusion
Bribery and corruption
Love
Family and tradition
Discrimination