Nora Slaughter

A Wake For Okigbo
Chinua Achebe
For whom are we searching?
For whom are we searching?
For Okigbo we are searching!
Nzomalizo!
Has he gone for firewood, let him return.
Has he gone to fetch water, let him return.
Has he gone to the marketplace, let him return.
For Okigbo we are searching!
Nzomalizo!
For whom are we searching?
For whom are we searching?
For Okigbo we are searching!
Nzomalizo!
Has he gone for firewood, may Ugboko not take him.
Has he gone to the stream, may Iyi not swallow him!
Has he gone to the market, then keep from him you
Tumult of the marketplace!
Has he gone to battle,
Please Ogbonuke step aside for him!
For Okigbo we are searching!
Nzomalizo!
They bring home a dance, who is to dance it for us?
They bring home a war, who will fight it for us?
The one we call repeatedly,
there’s something he alone can do
It is Okigbo we are calling!
Nzomalizo!
Witness the dance, how it arrives
The war, how it has broken out
But the caller of the dance is nowhere to be found
The brave one in battle is nowhere in sight!
Do you not see now that whom we call again
And again, there is something he alone can do?
It is Okigbo we are calling!
Nzomalizo!
The dance ends abruptly
The spirit dancers fold their dance and depart in midday
Rain soaks the stalwart, soaks the two-sided drum!
The flute is broken that elevates the spirit
The music pot shattered that accompanies the leg in
its measure
Brave one of my blood!
Brave one of Igbo land!
Brave one in the middle of so much blood!
Owner of riches in the dwelling place of spirit
Okigbo is the one I am calling!
Nzomalizo!
https://sueddie.wordpress.com/2014/12/30/a-wake-for-okigbo-a-poem-by-chinua-achebe/
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Chinua Achebe was born in Ogidi, Nigeria on November 16, 1930. He grew up under a government system founded by the white christian missionaries who had arrived to colonize the area before he was born. This inspired his groundbreaking book Things Fall Apart, which discusses the cultural clash of the white missionaries and the Igbo tribe. He became friends with another poet named Christopher Okigbo, and started a foundation called Citadel Press, which served as an outlet for African-oriented books for kids. Then the Nigerian Civil War broke out, and Achebe's friend Okigbo died fighting in it. This tragedy inspired him to write this poem, as well as traveling to the US where he gave speeches to raise awareness about the war. 

 https://www.biography.com/people/chinua-achebe-20617665

 The speaker(s) are looking for a man named Okigbo, and they pray for his safety if he has gone to get water or firewood, because only he can lead the tribe's dances and be the bravest warrior in battle. Finally, after looking everywhere and still not finding him, they come to the tragic conclusion that their dear friend was dead. There seem to be multiple speakers, all searching for Okigbo. They are other members of the village who know and honor him. The figurative language comes toward the end to show mourning for Okigbo's death. When the spirit dancers leave, it is a sign that all the excitement has ended. "The flute is broken that elevates the spirit" means that no more music can be played to give people happiness. "Owner of riches in the dwelling place of spirit" means that Okigbo lives in the spirit world (the afterlife) now has plenty of valuables as a reward for his great deeds and courage on earth. The enjambment in the 4th stanza after "Has he gone to battle" provides suspense that perhaps he has and he died. The stanzas show the progression of searching for Okigbo before they realize he is dead, which is represented in the last stanza. The tone is suspenseful and then it becomes depressing. The speakers are grieving, and that is reflected in the tone. The tone gives the reader a glance into the emotions of the speakers. The theme is the tragedy of searching for a lost friend and realizing he is dead.
  

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