Things Fall Apart by Chinua: Funeral Speech - Paper Example

My dad, Okonkwo was a great warrior. A famous hero in Igbo village, Okonkwo was an envy to some of us who were not courageous enough to take after him. A man well known for his bravery and a leader who was ready to lose his life just so that he could save that of his people are just but a few of his unique traits. My dad made me believe in hard work and the idea that I am the driver of my life. He despised laziness, and always hated weakness (Chinua, 1958). His love for the Igbo people and his ambitious nature made him stand out not only to me but also to the whole community.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

What I admire most and will always remember about my father was that he never settled for less. He was born in a poor family but despised and hated poverty with all his being. He was determined to be his own man and never wanted to go through the same struggle that his father, Unoka, went through. He was a man who charted his path from a poor background that did not enjoy the simple privileges that life had to offer, to a well-respected man in the Igbo tribe, the nine villages, and beyond. His hard work was evident in everything that he put his hands on, and his self-belief was impeccable, to say the least. He made sure that he became the most successful farmer and one of the wealthiest at that in Umuofia having two barns of yams (Okafor, 2004).

He was a strong man, not only physically but also emotionally. He despised people who exhibited any form of weakness and hated those who were lazy. I remember how he used to cane me for turning out to be weak. He wished the best for me. My father wished that I could be like him, strong enough to stand up on my own. He wanted a strong son, one who could take over him and cement the mark that he had left in the hearts of the people of Igbo and Umuofia as a whole. I may have turned out to be a disappointment, but am sure that what he wished for me was for my good and that of our people. My father instilled the spirit of hard work in us, as he would always make sure that we gave our best while working on the farm (Chinua, 1958).

My father, Okonkwo, was a great fighter, a warrior who made his name known beyond the nine villages. His strength was unexplainable, and his might was felt all over. At a tender age, he became one of the best wrestlers, rising to fame when he defeated Amilinze the Cat. During his lifetime, he was able to win two titles by fighting in two inter-tribal wars and was considered a hero by his people (Okafor, 2004). If only I could be half the man he was, he would be a very proud man, wherever he is.

Before his death, he decided to take the battle to the white man's doorstep courageously. He wished for his people, the Igbo people to be liberated from the chains of the white colonial master (Okafor, 200). He was full of love for his people. I am nothing short of proud for who my father was and the fact that I am his son, the son of a real warrior, a brave man, a hard working person and a figure with qualities in his youthful years that I can never imagine achieving in my entire life. May the gods see you through in your next phase of life.

Your Son

Nwoye.

References

Chinua, A. (1958). Things fall apart.

Okafor, C. (2004). Igbo Cosmology and the Parameters of Individual Accomplishments in Things Fall Apart. Emerging Perspectives on Chinua Achebe, 1, 85-96.