View of Masculinity in 'a Man of the People' by Chinua Achebe

" What mattered was that a man had treated me as no man had a right to treat another...and my manhood required that I make him pay."

It can be argued that masculinity is fluid, brought about by changes in socio-economic or political circumstances. In the novel, A Man of the People, we see such a change taking place in the novel's setting of an unnamed post-Independent African country. The characters of Chief M.A. Nanga and Odili Samalu, who are at both ends of such a fluid spectrum, may be viewed as representations of the old and new man in an African context. According to Ouzgane and Morrell (from Morrell, 2005), "[...]models of masculinity which stress responsibility, protection, provision, wisdom and communal loyalty may well be better suited to sustain life and generate harmony." This can be said to hold true for many of the characters in the novel, who hold in high esteem Nanga and others of his ilk who typify this model of masculinity. M.A. Nanga is the eponymous 'man of the people'. He wields power through his position as Minister of Culture for his country and is looked up to by his constituents who expect him to provide for them so that they can survive in whatever comforts that is awarded to them for their loyalty. Odili and Nanga butt heads as Odili, a university graduate and intellectual is disgusted by corrupt, power hungry politicians of his country, seeks a change in circumstance after being taken in and then betrayed by Nanga. Through them, we see representations of masculinity through notions of cultural or traditional power, sexual prowess and politics.

Traditionally for the African male, in order to exemplify the model of masculinity, he had to wield power over his physical domain through a show of strength and aggression over others, such as women, children and even other men who are physically, socially and politically weaker than him. In A Man of the People, we see Nanga hold true to such a model. He achieved his position as Minister of Culture by aggressively joining in the denouncement of the beleaguered Minister of Finance and others like him who, through his intellectual pursuits, was painted as similar to the country's former white masters. The citizens of Achebe's post-Independent nation, it seems, seek to recapture what they have lost while being occupied by outside powers. As such, men like Nanga represent their ideal man who can reclaim that proud ancestry. He, who possessed the ability to lead and control, commanded their respect:

By customary practice, a man's masculinity displayed in the ability to lead and control attracted respect. Individuals were obliged to respect the man who was the undisputed head and ruler of his family and possibly a member of the male leadership committee of his community. (Uchendu, 2007)

The characters in the novel who admired this ideal of masculinity viewed the intellectuals of their country deficient in this regard; therefore they failed to command their respect.

This much is seen in Achebe's Things Fall Apart where the main character of Okwonko embodies these attributes of a proud warrior with multiple wives and children, and has the respect and admiration of his community. Comparatively, his father Unoka is his direct opposite as the emotional artist who eschews violence and warfare. While the community respects Okwonko, the same is not given to Unoka. This shames Okwonko who views his father as "feminine" and a disgrace and is filled with much relief when he eventually dies (Achebe, 1958). The cook who comes to offer Nanga his services also holds to this view. While he boasts to be proficient in European cuisine, he considers cooking African cuisine unmanly and woman's work: "How man wey get family go begin enter kitchen for make bitterleaf and egusi? Unless if the man no get shame" (Achebe, p.46). Nanga as the epitome of the traditional African male is seen as a success. Social advancement and political gain are his rewards for embodying the traditional and cultural ideals of African masculinity.

Conversely, Odili is an African who is evolving into a modern post-Independent version of masculinity. We see where he struggles with some of the established norms of the society, such as, his respect for those in authority like his father. His admonishment of his father taking a fifth wife is met with disdain and reproach. Odili is forced to reluctantly make amends even the though the reader can see he is clearly in the right. He is moving away from the traditional standards of blindly following authority.

Odili comes from a family that may be considered typically African: his father has conceived many children with multiple wives. When asked by a visitor to his household, on seeing what seems to be an endless parade of children, how many children he has, one can almost imagine his proud smirk as he responds, "I don't know." Virility and sexual prowess is deemed as an indicator for masculinity by many. In the world of A Man of the People, polygamy is practised and men are considered masculine when they marry and produce many progeny.

An Igala comment that an unmarried male adult is not yet a man[...]the Yoruba statement that a man without responsibilities and challenges cannot call himself a man[...]and an Igbo proverb that a man without a wife is irresponsible[...]speak of the cultural connection between a man having a family composed at least of a wife and children and his masculinity. (Uchendu, p.285)

As for Odili, who is throughout the course of the novel unmarried, his society would not view him as a man because he has no family to be responsible for. This makes Nanga and Elsie's betrayal of him even more glaring as his unattached status is viewed as an impingement of his masculinity. His not seeing the immediate need for marriage is a move towards a more modern ideology of masculinity where marriage is made for love and not as a status symbol.

In the novel, Odili and Nanga partake in a misogynistic contest of swapping stories of conquest with the opposite sex, which culminates in Nanga usurping Odili's rights to Elsie by bedding her right under Odili's nose. This perceived ill-treatment by