Sum up what we learn about the situation in Nigeria and how it affects Obiefuna’s life as depicted in the extract.

Analyze the way Obiefuna is portrayed. Focus on narrative techniques and use of language.

Choose one of the following tasks:

The extract depicts Nigeria as an increasingly hostile and dangerous environment for gay people after the passing of the bill criminalizing same-sex relationships. The first arrests have already taken place, with young men suspected of being gay being arrested at a house party. In the following weeks, the situation escalates as gay men and men who are perceived as effeminate are increasingly targeted in arrests and public attacks. Homophobic attitudes are not limited to the authorities but are also widespread among ordinary people and university students. This becomes particularly evident when a male student is publicly harassed by university security simply for “walking like a girl”. While only a small minority condemns this treatment, most students support or even encourage it.

This situation has a profound impact on Obiefuna’s everyday life and mental state. He becomes increasingly afraid that he himself might be exposed and persecuted. He obsessively follows reports about arrests and attacks, even though doing so intensifies his fear and despair. His anxiety also manifests itself physically and psychologically, for example in nightmares and panic.

As a result, Obiefuna changes his behaviour at university. He tries not to attract attention, avoids openly expressing his opinions and becomes suspicious of the people around him. When his classmates ask him whether he supports the harassment of the male student, he agrees in order to protect himself. Although this gains him his classmates’ approval, he subsequently feels deeply guilty because his public response contradicts his actual beliefs and identity.

His relationship with Miebi provides him with a private refuge from this hostile environment. Miebi reassures him that he is safe with him and refuses to let society determine how he lives. However, even Miebi’s optimism cannot completely comfort Obiefuna. Instead, Obiefuna wishes that Miebi were more cautious and shared some of his fear. Thus, the political and social situation forces Obiefuna to live in a constant conflict between self-protection and the desire to remain true to himself.

In the extract from Chukwuebuka Ibeh’s novel Blessings, Obiefuna is portrayed as an anxious and vulnerable young man whose life is increasingly dominated by the fear of homophobic persecution. At the same time, he appears morally sensitive and self-reflective. Through a third-person limited point of view, recurring imagery, descriptions of physical reactions and the contrast between Obiefuna and Miebi, Ibeh illustrates the psychological effects of living in a hostile environment.

One important narrative technique is the third-person limited point of view, which closely follows Obiefuna’s perceptions and thoughts. As a result, the reader experiences the political situation mainly through its psychological impact on him. After reading about the arrests, for example, Obiefuna develops a “nebulous sense of doom” and feels that “his own reckoning was close” (ll. 12–13). The word “doom” suggests that he expects something terrible and almost inevitable to happen to him. His anxiety is also reflected in his nightmares, in which Sparrow suddenly points at him and “a sea of shocked eyes” turns in his direction (ll. 14–16). Thus, the narrative perspective gives the reader direct insight into Obiefuna’s fear of being exposed.

This fear is reinforced through the recurring motif of eyes and being watched. When Obiefuna first sees the newspaper report, he notices the arrested men’s “eyes” which are “bewildered and shining with a fear that was almost palpable” (ll. 4–5). He later finds himself unable to “blink those eyes away” (l. 11). Their fear therefore becomes a reflection of his own. Significantly, the image of a “sea of […] eyes” appears not only in his nightmare (ll. 15–16), but again when his classmates suddenly look at him and expect him to comment on the harassment of another student (ll. 37–39). By repeating this image, Ibeh connects Obiefuna’s nightmares with reality. Being seen becomes threatening because it could lead to suspicion and exposure.

Moreover, Obiefuna’s fear is presented through physical reactions and imagery. He wakes from his nightmares with his “clothes damp with sweat” (l. 16), and while reading reports about the persecution of gay men, he has to pause “to fill his lungs with air” (ll. 21–23). His emotional suffering is particularly evident in the simile describing each news story as “a sharp probing of an unhealed scar” (ll. 21–22). The image of an open wound suggests continuing psychological pain, while “sharp probing” emphasizes that repeatedly reading the news makes this pain worse. Nevertheless, he is “addicted, unable to stop” (l. 22). Obiefuna is therefore trapped in a vicious circle: he searches for information because he is afraid, but the information increases his anxiety.

His fear also determines his behaviour at university. Obiefuna tries to remain unnoticed: “he kept his head down” (l. 25) and has learned “to listen without speaking”, even using an earpiece “to make him seem unavailable” (ll. 33–34). These details show that silence has become a strategy of self-protection. At the same time, his growing suspicion is demonstrated by the fact that he watches other people and tries to decide who might be “a commenter on those blogs” (ll. 27–28). The simile describing hatred as “a giant rock right in front of him, immovable” (ll. 28–29) further emphasizes that he feels unable to escape the homophobia surrounding him.

The classroom scene reveals Obiefuna’s central inner conflict between self-protection and his moral beliefs. When another student asks whether he agrees with the harassment of a boy for “walking like a girl” (ll. 31–32), Obiefuna blurts out, “Surely” (ll. 37–39). The narrator immediately comments: “A simple word” (l. 39). This short sentence emphasizes the contrast between the simplicity of his answer and its serious consequences. His response earns him “approving murmurs”, “a few handshakes” and “renewed respect” from his classmates (l. 40), meaning that his conformity successfully protects him from suspicion. However, it also makes him participate in the discrimination he himself fears.

His reaction afterwards demonstrates that Obiefuna is morally conscientious and highly self-critical. He immediately tells Miebi what happened and judges himself harshly: “I was disgusting” (ll. 42–43). Even when Miebi reassures him that he was “in a difficult position” (l. 45), Obiefuna insists that he “could have said nothing” (l. 46). Furthermore, he does not want Miebi “to absolve him of blame” because he “needed to do something with his guilt” (ll. 49–51). His strong feelings of guilt show that his public statement does not represent his actual beliefs. Instead, Ibeh portrays him as someone forced to compromise his values in order to remain safe.

Finally, the contrast between Obiefuna and Miebi highlights the extent of Obiefuna’s anxiety. Miebi provides a private sense of security, reassuring him: “you’re home with me. Right here” (ll. 56–57). Obiefuna even relaxes while listening to “the rhythm of Miebi’s heartbeat” (l. 55). However, he also wishes that Miebi would “demonstrate a little fear” and “worry a bit more” (ll. 58–60). While Obiefuna is constantly aware of possible danger, Miebi moves through life with “signature optimism” and “quiet and forceful defiance” (ll. 61–63). The final metaphor describing Miebi as a man who “danced to his own beat” and followed an “internal rhythm” (ll. 64–65) presents him as self-determined. This contrast emphasizes how strongly the hostile outside world has taken control of Obiefuna’s inner life.

Overall, Ibeh portrays Obiefuna as a frightened but morally sensitive young man caught between self-preservation and authenticity. The close narrative perspective, the recurring motif of eyes, physical descriptions of anxiety and threatening imagery make his fear tangible to the reader. At the same time, his guilt after agreeing with his classmates reveals that he has not accepted society’s prejudice. The contrast with Miebi ultimately emphasizes Obiefuna’s struggle to live according to his own values in an environment in which revealing his true identity could put him at risk.

When Nigeria gained independence from Britain in 1960, there were great hopes that the country would develop into a stable democracy and use its enormous potential to improve the lives of its people. More than six decades later, Nigeria has undoubtedly made progress. However, the dream described by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has only partly become reality, as political instability, poverty, inequality and social conflict continue to shape the country.

On the one hand, Nigeria has made significant political progress. After decades marked by military coups and military rule, the country returned to civilian government in 1999 and has since maintained democratic institutions and regular elections. This represents an important achievement. Nigeria has also become an influential African state due to its large population, economy and political importance in West Africa. In this respect, the hope that Nigeria would become a leading African nation has at least partly been fulfilled.

Nevertheless, Nigerian democracy continues to face serious challenges. Corruption, weak institutions and distrust in political leadership have repeatedly limited democratic development. Elections alone do not guarantee that citizens experience democracy as fair and effective. The #EndSARS protests of 2020, for example, demonstrated the frustration of many young Nigerians with police brutality and a political system they felt did not sufficiently protect them. The violent response to parts of the protests also showed that the relationship between citizens and state institutions remains problematic.

The dream of overcoming poverty and underdevelopment has been even more difficult to achieve. Nigeria possesses major natural resources, especially oil, and has one of Africa’s largest economies. It has also developed dynamic sectors such as technology, finance, entertainment and telecommunications. However, this economic potential has not benefited everyone equally. Poverty, unemployment and considerable social inequality remain major problems. Access to reliable electricity, healthcare and high-quality education is still difficult for many Nigerians. Consequently, economic growth cannot automatically be equated with social development.

Nigeria’s development must also be assessed in terms of security and social cohesion. The country has faced terrorism and violent conflict, particularly through Boko Haram and other extremist groups in the north-east. In addition, regional, ethnic and religious tensions continue to challenge national unity. These problems have caused displacement, insecurity and loss of life and have made development particularly difficult in affected regions.

At the same time, Nigeria has achieved remarkable cultural success. Nigerian literature, music and film have gained enormous international recognition. Nollywood has become one of the world’s most important film industries, while Afrobeats artists have reached global audiences. Nigerian writers have also played an important role in international literature. In this sense, Nigeria has developed considerable cultural influence and has helped shape international perceptions of modern Africa.

However, cultural and social development also reveals contradictions concerning equality and individual freedom. Women, LGBTQ+ people and other groups still experience discrimination. The criminalization of same-sex relationships, as reflected in Blessings, illustrates the gap between democratic ideals and the reality experienced by some citizens. A democracy cannot be judged solely by elections; it must also be judged by the extent to which minorities and individuals can live freely and safely.

Overall, Tinubu’s description of Nigeria’s founding dream has only partly become reality. Nigeria has established itself as an important political, economic and especially cultural force in Africa and has maintained civilian democratic government for more than two decades. Yet poverty, inequality, corruption, insecurity and discrimination show that the promises of independence remain unfinished. Nigeria therefore has enormous achievements and potential, but becoming the country envisioned at independence remains an ongoing task rather than a completed success.

Sometimes Silence Is a Choice Too

I don't know if you will remember me. I was in the classroom that morning.

You stood there while almost everyone laughed at you. You said what was happening to that boy was wrong, even when people jeered at you and refused to listen. I remember watching you and thinking that you were brave.

Then someone asked me what I thought.

I said, “Surely.”

One word. That was all it took.

People nodded at me. Some shook my hand. Suddenly, I had their respect. And you looked at me as if you could see exactly what I had done.

I have thought about that look ever since.

I could tell you that I was afraid. That would be true. These days, fear seems to follow some of us everywhere. You hear people talking in taxis, classrooms and libraries. You read about arrests and people being attacked because somebody thinks they look or behave the “wrong” way. After a while, you begin to wonder who is listening, who is watching and what one wrong sentence might cost you.

So you learn to keep your head down.

But I am beginning to understand that fear can make us help the very injustice we are afraid of.

You stood up for someone when it would have been easier to laugh with everybody else. I did the opposite. I protected myself by agreeing with people I knew were wrong. I cannot pretend that this makes me proud.

Still, I also know that telling frightened people simply to be brave is not enough. Standing up for yourself can have consequences in Nigeria, especially when the law itself does not treat everybody equally. People should not have to become heroes just to live honestly and safely.

But perhaps change begins when somebody refuses to accept humiliation as normal. Sometimes that means protesting in the streets. Sometimes it means challenging an unfair law. And sometimes it is simply one person in a classroom saying: No. This is wrong.

That morning, you were that person.

I wasn't.

Maybe writing this is a small beginning.

We cannot build a just country by deciding that some Nigerians deserve less dignity than others. Equality means nothing if it only applies to people the majority approves of. And justice means nothing if fear forces people into silence.

I am still afraid. I don't think that will disappear because I wrote one anonymous post.

But I don't want fear to decide everything I say anymore.

Thank you for standing up when I didn't.

— Anonymous