THE ANATOMY OF COUP D'ETAT IN ANTHILLS OF THE SAVANNAH (1988) BY CHINUA ACHEBE

Abstract

Achebe’s Anthills of the Savannah dissects the lifestyle of coups d’état and power paranoia in Kangan, a fictional place. The novel traces the arc from idealistic promises to tyrannical collapse explaining the systemic failure of leadership. The coup begins with Colonel Sam, the President, Major Ried and Chris Okriko which finally overthrew a corrupt civilian regime. They promise of peace, loyalty and reforms for democratic nation which turns to corruption and disillusion explain Nigeria’s 1966 events. Sam, in the beginning gain charisma and stability amid chaos. Disloyalty festers Sam’s abandonment of the reforms for personal dictatorship which centralizes power through paranoia-fueled purges. The present paper is an exploration of this leadership failure to respect his promises and the way these changes have produced the coup. The authoritarianism of Sam makes legitimacy the question of leadership in postcolonial state. In consequence, state violence remains one of the key themes in the novel. As a matter of fact, rights eroding under restrictions marks the censorship silences of journalists, poets and creates arbitrary arrests terrorizing citizens. The fracture between governors and leaders creates the space and time of uncertainty.