Nostalgia and Dystopia in Chinua Achebe’s There Was a Country (2012)

Abstract

This paper explores the psychoanalytic experience of nostalgia in a dystopian society as depicted in Chinua Achebe’s There Was a Country (2012). Achebe’s memoir provides an account of Nigeria’s sociopolitical landscape during and after its independence, particularly focusing on the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970) and the loss of Biafra. The study applies psychoanalytic theories, particularly Werman’s (1977) conceptualization of nostalgia as an ambivalent phenomenon comprising cognitive and affective elements. Freud’s theories on mourning and melancholia also provide insights into Achebe’s lamentation over Nigeria’s postcolonial trajectory. This paper argues that nostalgia, as presented in Achebe’s memoir, serves as both a means of mourning and a mechanism of resistance against the dystopian realities of postcolonial Nigeria. The study situates Achebe’s reflections within the broader discourse of postcolonial literature and political history, demonstrating how his narrative engages with the tensions between historical memory, political corruption, and the yearning for an irretrievable utopia.