Beware Soul Brother

“Beware Soul Brother” (1971) is a poem by Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe (1930-2013). The poem was published as part of Achebe’s book of poems Beware Soul Brother and Other Poems (1971), published in the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970). The poem is written in free verse, and like all of Achebe’s writing, it combines elements of traditional Igbo culture with elements of Western culture and Christianity. The Nigerian Civil War was the primary inspiration on Achebe when writing the poem, but the larger issues of colonialism and the postcolonial era in Africa weighed heavily on Achebe in all his writing. In this poem specifically, Achebe speaks to issues of life and death, and the necessity for his people to recognize those who value their lives and those who only value their land and resources. The poem, along with the entire book of Achebe’s verse, is not well known. Instead, Achebe is mostly remembered for his novel Things Fall Apart (1958), which is one of the most famous and critically-lauded novels ever written. Achebe is also remembered for his literary criticism and advocacy for Africa.

Poet Biography

Achebe was born on November 16, 1930, in Colonial Nigeria. When Achebe was born, Nigeria was a conglomeration of various tribes and ethnic groups that the British had incorporated into one colony. This melding of different cultures inevitably led to great conflict, as was the case in many colonial countries.

Achebe was born into an intersection of traditional Igbo life and Odinani belief, and Western Christian belief and education. Achebe’s father was a teacher and a pastor, but the family still honored traditional practices in their town. This intersection between two conflicting cultures would stick with Achebe for his entire life, and he would later incorporate both cultures into his writing, including in Things Fall Apart and “Beware Soul Brother.”

From an early age, Achebe was an avid reader, and his early interest in writing and reading resulted in him becoming an excellent student. Achebe’s education was elite for his time and country, and he eventually studied English at Nigeria’s first college. It was here that Achebe learned to love writing, inspired mainly by his interest in presenting an authentic Nigerian experience to counter the stereotypes and racist depictions in books written by Western authors.

After college, Achebe taught English for a short time before starting a job as a writer for the Nigerian Broadcasting Service. While working there, Achebe completed Things Fall Apart. Upon publication, the book became an international sensation, leading to promotions for Achebe and a growing role as a voice for Igbo people, Nigeria, and Africa as a whole.

During the Nigerian Civil War in the late 1960s, Achebe worked in Biafra as he helped lead the breakaway country’s cause, but eventually the violence of the war forced Achebe and his family, including his wife, Christiana Chinwe Okoli, to leave Africa for a time.

After Biafra lost the Nigerian Civil War, Achebe returned to Nigeria to work at the University of Nigeria. For the rest of his life, Achebe would spend his time teaching, writing, editing, and advocating for various political causes.

In 1990, Achebe was paralyzed while riding in his car. Despite being limited to a wheelchair for the rest of his life, Achebe continued to write and teach in America until his death in 2013.

Poem Text

Achebe, Chinua. “Beware Soul Brother.” Beware Soul Brother and Other Poems, Nwankwo-Ifejika, 1971.

Summary

Achebe opens the poem by writing in the first-person plural, describing himself and his soul brothers as men of song who measure their lives according to a dance. The men have experienced loss and sorrow; so much so that even death, identified as “the Cross” (Line 7), would not be “a dead end nor total loss” (Line 8). Here, Achebe accompanies the image of the cross with the traditional Igbo image of the abia drums.

Achebe then warns his soul brothers, saying that on the day of death, there will be people waiting for them to die. These people, Achebe warns, are not benevolent and will be “lying in wait” (Line 16) for the people’s land and resources.

In response to this, Achebe reminds his soul brothers that their ancestors are “wiser” (Line 22) than people think they are. He reminds them of the Odinani goddess Ala, who rules over the underworld and the ground. He says it was wise for his ancestors to give her dominion over the arts as well as death, for in death, men must also return all that they’ve created. He calls the ground where men return in death a place of “safety” (Line 31) and “strength” (Line 32).

Achebe ends the poem with a final warning to his soul brothers. He warns them not to become “disinherited” (Line 35), comparing disinheritance to a hen who refuses to place both feet on the ground in an “unfamiliar” (Line 36) place. To stop this from happening, he advocates for his people to protect their land from those who would do it harm. He asks his soul brothers to do this if not for themselves, then for their children who will want a place to dance and a future to look forward to.