THE HEADSTRONG
HISTORIAN
AMANDA AND MASITA SUMMARY
Nwamgba is to marry Obierika however there are concerns from Nwamgba’s family that Obierika’s
side of the family have low rates of fertility. However Nwamgba was determined to marry him and
had faith that all would work out. The couple are happy together, but they suffer many miscarriages
before giving birth to a son- Anikwenwa.
Tragically, Obierika dies and Nwamgba suspects her two greedy cousins were behind the death.
Anikwenwa is sent to the Catholic Mission so he can be taught English. She wants to empower her son
so he will able to defend himself in the future against her good for nothing cousins.
Anikwenwa does well at school and completes further study, which is very exciting. On the down side,
the more he becomes educated the more he distances himself from his Nigerian roots and culture. The
story covers three generations of the family, and there is a sense of hope by the end, with the strong
bond between grandmother and granddaughter (Grace), who is at her beside when she dies.
THEMES
Family/Rela2onship Religion 1. STORY IS ABOUT EMPOWERMENT AND CHANGE,
BUT ALSO ABOUT LOSS AND GRIEF. IS IT POSSIBLE
TO MOVE FORWARD AND BE EDUCATED WITHOUT
LOOKING ONE’S CULTURAL ROOTS? DISCUSS.
- It is all depends on individual self. Kids who studies at a different environment from where he or she came
from, would take up the new culture learnt. Like Anikwenwa who was sent to the Catholic
missionaries at a young age, and he grew up learning their culture and he refuses to get involve in his culture
ceremonies and drew himself away from the village.
2. LIST THE CHARACTERS IN THE STORY AND DESCRIBE
THEIR STRENGTH.
•  Nwamgba: The main character of the story. Obierika’s wife. Anikwenwa’s mother and Grace’s grandmother.
She deeply loves her husband and enjoys a happy relationship with him.
•  Obierika: Nwamgba’s late husband. Died in the story.
•  Anikwenwa: Nwamgba and Obierika’s son. Anikwenwa ‘s strength. The second generation character. He
became a Christian and abandon his old culture. He was baptized with the name Micheal.
Okafo and Okoye: Obierika’s cousins who treated him like a brother. Nwamgba dislike them because she
suspected them for her husband’s death.
•  Grace/Afamefuda: Anikwenwa and Mgbeke’s daughter. The third generation character. She become a
history teacher to tell stories about the destruction of Nigeria.
•  Mgbeke/Agnes(Christian name): Anikwenwa’s wife and Nwamgba’s daughter-in-law.
•  Father O’Donnel
•  Ayaju: Nwamgba’s friend
•  Father Shanahan
3. STORY SHOWS US THE ASCRIBED TO MEN IN THE
NIGERIAN CULTURE, YET IT IS THE WOMEN IN THIS
STORY WHO ARE OUTSTANDING. TO WHAT EXTEND DO
YOU AGREE?
I agree as women in Nigeria stands up for themselves shows when Nwambga insisted on marrying her
husband even though her family doesn’t want to marry her off to Obierika yet she ignored them and seek her
father’s blessings. Also, in the story it shows how women are more likely to embrace their culture than men
and it is shown when Nwambga shows resentment when her son converted into Christian and when her
grand-daughter potrayed herself as a submissive person like her grand-mother and changed her name to
‘Afamefuna’. This shows the role of women in the society empowers the men.
4. AFRICAN COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN INUNDATED WITH
CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES WHO OFFERED EDUCATION
AND SOME SUPPORT, AS LONG AS THE ‘NATIVES’
CONVERTED TO THEIR FAITH, LEARNED ENGLISH AND
TO A CERTAIN EXTENT LEFT BEHIND THEIR
CULTURAL ROOTS. THIS HAS BEEN GREATLY
CRITICIZED TODAY FOR ETHICAL REASONS. WHAT DO
YOU THINK?
I think that this can be reflected upon what Nwambga’s son did when he converts himself to Christianity because
he was basically surrounded by people of different identity, different faith and beliefs. And he converted his faith
and left his cultural roots behind so that he could fit in and be superior to other Nigerians and so he embraces
Christianity. On the other hand, Adichie wants to remind readers that importance of Nigerian culture and how
over times the culture has died and fade due to the Christian missionaries back in the days and how Nigerians
had no other choice but to embrace Christianity just so they could accept the education and other support
offered.
5. WHY ARE THE PEOPLE SO EAGER TO LEAVE BEHIND
THEIR OLD CULTURE TO EMBRACE A NEWER,
DIFFERENT CULTURE SUCH AS AMERICA CULTURE?
There are many reasons why people are so eager leave behind their old culture:
•  Other countries like America is a country full of freedom
•  Some of the people from their country are developing into a new culture and some are still in
their old culture and do not to be left out
•  They want to escape from their past of distress and embrace a new life.
•  Some are interested in that particular such as Anikwenwa is interested in different culture and
left his old culture
6. DESCRIBE THE TONE THROUGHOUT THE STORY.
The tone of this story made us feel sad because Nwambga was in depression because of her
husband’s death, but in an angry tone Nwambga blames Obierika’s cousin for his death.
7. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TITLE OF
THE STORY?
The significance of the title ‘The Headstrong Historian’ is the third generation
character/Nwamgba’s granddaughter Grace became a history teacher at an
elementary school in Agueke, who tells a history of Nigeria and peruse the story
about the destruction in the villages of Nigeria.
QUOTES
“It was Grace, who feeling an odd rootlessness in the later years of her life…would go
to the courthouse in Lagos and officially change her first name from Grace to
Afamefuna.” – pg.218
“Obierika died- a man who had been hearty and laughing and drinking palm wine…she
knew that they had killed him with medicine.” –pg. 202
“She clung to his corpse until a neighbour slapped her let go…” –pg. 202
“Micheal, I baptized you in the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit.” –
pg. 209
“Father O’Donnell baptized her Grace, but Nwamgba called her Afamefuna.” –pg. 214