A Brief Introduction to Ethiopia Unbound by J.E. Casely Hayford.
Published in 1911, Casely Hayford’s Ethiopia Unbound is regarded as one of the earliest novels written by an African. Written in a language steeped in poetry and ornamented by the grace of exquisite diction, Casley’s in-depth understanding of the English language reflects in the book. Tracing the trajectory of colonialism in Africa, and the world, the author introduces the readers to the lives of his characters by connecting their individual lives to the events surrounding colonialism in Africa. Furthering his quest to unravel the intricacies and stories around colonialism, the trope of religion and religious dogmatism emerges in the book. Christianity is intensely explored in the novel, and while this is situated in the context of its weaponization against the Africans by the colonialists, Casley allows the readers to wade through his arguments and opinions by gifting us characters such as Kwamankra and Whitely.
Excerpts from the Novel
1. "And there were sons of God among them, men whom the Gods visited as of yore; for even now three continents were ringing with the names of men like Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, Blyden, Dunbar, Coleridge Taylor, and others — men who had distinguished themselves in the fields of activity and intellectuality (Hayford, 2)."
Annotation: In the novel, Kwamankra once mentions to Whitely about Ethiopia being the cradle of civilization. For me, this proves to discredit the initial thought possessed by Whitely about the intellectual triumph of white people over black people. Thus, in this quote, the author extends his resolution about the excellence of black people by mentioning the achievements of black folks. This also characterizes the black or Africans as people who are intellectually remarkable and stellar in everything they do.
2. "You know, Whitely, since I learnt your language, not as a vehicle of thought, but as a means of more intimately studying your philosophy, I have been trying to get at the root idea of the word ‘ God ’ ; and so far as my researches have gone, it is an Anglo-Saxon word, the Teutonic form being Gutha, which is said to be quite distinct from ‘ good. (Hayford, 4)."
Annotation: In this excerpt, Kwamankra engages Whitely about the idea of God and the origin of the name ‘God’. Even when Kwamankra is a pagan, he also reveres the fact that there is God. What he detests is how Christians or missionaries portray the God they worship while also involving in manipulating others. Colonialism and the acute damages perpetrated by the colonialists on African land also inform how Kwamankra views Christianity and its believers. Even when he is a pagan, he believes fervently in humanity through righteousness."
