Ezeudu, one of Okonkwo’s friends, suddenly died tragically and so they had a very traditional burial ceremony. Ezeudu had been one of his true friends; he was the one who told Okonkwo that he should not go to Ikemefuna’s, a boy who was bound to be sacrificed whom Okonkwo grew very fond of, killing. And Ezeudu was right; he shouldn’t have. While the clan was at the funeral performing ritual after ritual, Okonkwo’s gun explodes killing one of Ezeudu’s sons. Due to this, Okonkwo and his family are exiled from Umuofia or seven. Okonkwo finds himself returning to his mother’s village to attempt to continue their lives.
It is curious because Okonkwo did not take Ezeudu’s advice and maybe this was the form of revenge his spirit takes towards the situation. Okonkwo appears to be the perfect example of the man who worked for a ‘cause’ his entire life just to see it all get ripped out from under his nose. Though this does not only take away all the material things Okonkwo has worked for but his faith in humanity and will itself. However, what happened to Okonkwo was inevitable. It would be as silly trying to stand in front of a tsunami shouting STOP! Yet, Okonkwo, as a middle-aged man is left to start a new life and the best he can do is move on.
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