Sandayo's money

Sandayo's money symbolizes different things to different people, but for Chike it is a symbol of the possibility of a new life, one where he could have success, self-respect, and perhaps even earn Oma's love. He is particularly attuned to these thoughts shortly after Sandayo's arrives at the apartment, as he is feeling morose about his lack of employment prospects. After Chike and the others have decided to spend the money on fixing the schools, Chike feels that improving the students' lives could be "a sort of atonement" (130) for the violence in which he was complicit during his time in the Nigerian Army.