Undercurrents of Colonial Legacy in Ben Okri's Stars of the New Curfew

Abstract

The focus of my research aspires to undertake how colonialism and its lingering legacy have been ruling and dominating cultural, social, religious, administrative, linguistic and academic domains of post independent Nigeria in Ben Okri's masterpiece short story collection Stars of the New Curfew. This study unravels the fact that colonial legacy and mentality have been prevalent in the local rulers which resulted in their apathy towards the sufferings of common people. The preference to speak in British colonial language to indigenous language, conversion and growing faith in Christianity and mimicking British colonial norms and values have been predominantly in practice in independent Nigeria. For the evidence, Arthur, narrator of the title piece Stars of the New Curfew, talks in English while selling drugs to the customers. In addition to it, his strong faith leads him to visit church when he undergoes through recurring nightmares to get rid of them in the same title piece. Likewise, uncontrollably growing number of prostitutes, brothels and bars in different Nigerian cities, like Lagos, town of W, depicted in Stars of the New Curfew and "In The City of Red Dust" expose mimicry of colonial norms and values. Moreover, Nigerian police organization and judiciary too follow British colonial patterns which can be visualized in the title piece, "When The Lights Return" and "In the Shadow of War." By using magical realism, Ben Okri depicts how native Africans escape in the realm of romance and fantasy when they fail to cope with complicated and harsh realities caused by colonial lingering legacy.