Civil wars have rocked many countries in the African continent for a very long time. The modern Africa is still faced with the issues of civil violence, whose cause is always tribal and religious struggles for power and economic influence. The story Allah is Not Obliged brings out this picture in its real nature. The book gives important insights into the civil wars that exist in the Modern Africa. The two important themes that come out through the civil war that the narrator fights are identity and the nature of the war. Moreover the plight of women in the course of these civil wars is well addressed in this book.
It is vital to understand the fact that tribal and religious identities normally take place in the lives of people by attaching them to some while dividing them from others. Birahima’s life is highly linked to that of others throughout the story. Throughout the story, the theme of identity is highlighted as people attempt to associate with others and distance themselves from some. Identity is defined in terms of family, tribe and religion. The civil wars and politics that arise give more shape to the identities that exist in the modern Africa as evident in the book.
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Birahima narrates that the past years have seen the dominant tribal groups in the region of West Africa engage in the fight and struggle for attaining and retaining political power. Even as religion and tribes fight against each in the modern Africa, the main direct cause is always the search for acquisition and retention of power. The story narrated by Birahima ios truly reminiscent of the power struggles among tribes that are witnessed in modern Africa. Tribes are ill-bent towards attaining political power and when it is achieved, they want to retain it forever. Political alignments in the modern Africa are normally formed along tribal lines. There are many cases of bungled elections in the modern Africa that end up in bloodshed as communities turn against each other.
While the large tribes retain political power in the various African countries, the smaller communities have been forced to revolt. Tribes are in perennial competition to control the available scarce economic resources and limited political power positions. The modern Africa is characterized by tribes that are always fighting to have their son or daughter serve as president. When a tribesman or woman is in the presidency, the tribe feels hopeful and secure over the community’s fortunes for prosperity while the others are insecure. African presidents have been made to be leaders for a given tribe, but not the entire state as required.
While citing the example of Sierra Leone, Birahima narrates the strategy that Milton Martagai used in order to win the presidency in that country. It is revealed by the narrator that he was elected the first president of Sierra Leone because of favoring the members of his tribe known as the Mendes. Ahmadou Korouma reveals this through the proverb, “that was normal; one follows an elephant in the bush in order not to be wetted by the dew” 20. This enables a reader to understand the manner in which favoritism is thriving within the modern African regimes. It is vital to note that this practice is quite retrogressive and leads to civil wars since the communities that are marginalized tend to react through a revolution. The narrator also presents the hostile competition for the presidency between two competitors who hail from different tribes. Korouma writes, “Samuel Doe was happy and triumphant, the one leader, surrounded only by officer’s from his own tribe, Krahn officers. The republic of Liberia became a Krahn state, a hundred percent Krahn state.”97.
When violence erupts, leaders of the modern African states then recruit children as soldiers to fight. The narrator in this story is hired as a child soldier in the ensuing ethnic clashes within the story. This habit highlights the worst form of child abuse that is committed by many regimes because of the greed for political power and control of economic resources. The International Criminal Court has heard cases where former African presidents have been indicted for recruiting children to fight as soldiers during the civil wars that erupt after the bungled elections.
This book does not only highlight issues of civil war in the modern Africa, but also addresses the plight of women in these instances of violence. Birahima demonstrates the manner in which women are subjected to sexual abuse during the civil war. Therefore, the role of women in this war is reduced to being instruments of sexual pleasure for the men. Korouma notes, “the women were locked up naked one on one with Colonel Papa le Bon. That was the rules of the tribal wars” 67. Furthermore, it is not only in times of war that women are exposed to brutality, but also in their homes where they are expected to submit to their rogue husbands. Women in marriage are always subjected to brutal treatment by their husbands and they are expected to be followers of men. Birahima points out that her aunt escaped to Liberia because her rogue husband was coming for her blood. This is one way that women use to find liberty in the modern Africa society. Therefore, from this book, it can be seen that the modern Africa is in need of massive advancement in order to become a mature democracy.
Reference
Kourouma, A. (2007). Allah is Not Obliged . London: Vintage.
