CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
There were many men and women in Umuofia who did not feel as strongly as Okonkwo
about the new dispensation. The white man had indeed brought a lunatic religion, but he
had also built a trading store and for the first time palm-oil and kernel became things of
great price, and much money flowed into Umuofia.
And even in the matter of religion there was a growing feeling that there might
be something in it after all, something vaguely akin to method in the overwhelming
madness.
This growing feeling was due to Mr. Brown, the white missionary, who was
very firm in restraining his flock from provoking the wrath of the clan. One member in
particular was very difficult to restrain. His name was Enoch and his father was the
priest of the snake cult. The story went around that Enoch had killed and eaten the
sacred python, and that his father had cursed him.
Mr. Brown preached against such excess of zeal. Everything was possible, he
told his energetic flock, but everything was not expedient. And so Mr. Brown came to
be respected even by the clan, because he trod softly on its faith. He made friends with
some of the great men of the clan and on one of his frequent visits to the neighbouring
villages he had been presented with a carved elephant tusk, which was a sign of dignity
and rank. One of the great men in that village was called Akunna and he had given one
of his sons to be taught the white man's knowledge in Mr. Brown's school.
Whenever Mr. Brown went to that village he spent long hours with Akunna in
his obi talking through an interpreter about religion. Neither of them succeeded in
converting the other but they learned more about their different beliefs.
"You say that there is one supreme God who made heaven and earth," said
Akunna on one of Mr. Brown's visits. "We also believe in Him and call Him Chukwu.
He made all the world and the other gods."