LEADERSHIP QUESTION AND CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE’S LANGUAGE USE IN HALF OF A YELLOW SUN: THE ACCOMMODATIONIST APPROACH

Abstract

It is generally believed that writers do not write in a vacuum. They draw their inspirations from the society in which they live and are part of. As writers, they are powerful observers with the intention of discovering some societal practices that favour or disrupt normal life. In their bid to capture the society the way it is, and to proffer solutions to all or some of the vices, language becomes a power resource material in their hands. Language is a two edged sword which can be used to detect the social vices and at the same time effect corrective measures. Chimamanda as a literary writer is not left out in these bid. Through her Half of a Yellow Sun, a lot of issues about leadership were raised. The researcher purposefully selected five conversations or excerpts to show various leadership attributes of leaders. Four research questions were raised. The accomodation theory formed the theoretical framework under which the analysis was based. Suggestions were proffered as to what constitute good leadership at all levels of the society - the family, the school, the government, the general public, the church, in relationships and so on. This framework which is based on convergences and divergences suggests that in every human relationship, the way each person treats the other person in terms of acceptance or rejection endears them to each other or one another or puts each other/one another off. From the foregoing the researcher discovered that human relationships are sustained when humans accommodate each/one another convergently but when humans diverge, relationships are destroyed and this can lead to conflict in the society which is a threat to good leadership. This suggests why most leaders at all levels of the society have failed in their various leadership positions. Finally, the researcher suggested that leaders at every level of the society should learn to accommodate convergently so as to help them succeed in their various leadership positions.