A Man of the People Themes & Symbolism

A Man of the People Significant Topics

Sex

A Man of the People deals with sex in a variety of ways. Even the nominally Christian portions of Nigerian society practice polygamy and not merely so that important figures like Chief Nanga can have a presentable young wife to display. Hezekiah Samalu has several wives and fights with his son about adding another. More than sixty children speak for themselves. Nanga brags of his many sexual conquests and tells tales about a jealous husband who put juju on his wife's breasts to keep her faithful. Odili goes to bed with a nurse he meets at a party within an hour and they begin a long-term relationship with no intention to marry. Odili sleeps with the hostess of another party after dancing with her sensuously. Free love appears to be widespread in the Nigeria of the 1960s, and sex provokes the break between Odili and Nanga, as Nanga seduces Odili's...
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