Things Fall Apart: Okonkwo's Perspective

I viewed Ikemefuna as a son. Ikemefuna had been with our family for three years, so I really didn’t count on things changing. When Ezeudu told that the oracle ordered him dead I was shocked. I didn’t know what to do. I thought maybe Obierika would know what to do, but I was even more confused after leaving his compound. How could I let someone just kill this boy who called me father, but I wasn’t willing to let anyone call me a coward. So I did what had to be done, I told Ikemefuna that he was going home. I knew that Ikemefuna had mixed emotions about this situation, I too had mixed emotions but it was time for him to go now. I knew Nwoye had looked up to Ikemefuna, but I didn’t think he would take it this hard. Although I saw nothing, I could sense that Nwoye was very hurt by this decision, and the way he looked at my face told me that he knew what was to happen to this boy, whom he called a brother. The day that we got rid of Ikemefuna was a day that I will never forget. The men all came to my compound. We were all dressed up in our finest cloths. The men brought palm-wine, which Ikemefuna was to carry. We started that the journey with everyone talking to with one another. We walked and it seemed like with every step I got even more nervous. It was too late to chicken out. Everyone would think that I was a coward if Ikemefuna was not killed. I was sweating just thinking about it. How was I supposed to do such a horrified act? Ikemefuna was like a son to me and for me to just all of a sudden break that bond was the hardest thing I ever had to do. But it was the only choice I had. I was not about o be ridiculed and called a coward or womanly. My father was a failure and I refuse to be one, just as he was, so I had to kill Ikemefuna. When it came to the time to kill Ikemefuna one of the men coughed. As soon as he did this Ikemefuna was forced to look straight ahead. Ikemefuna knew something was not right. The demeanor of the men had changed. Within minutes