Anthills Of The Savannah

Anthills of the Savannah was published in 1987 during the entrenchment of military rule across West Africa. Following independence from European powers in the early 1960s, many West African nations experienced the collapse of democratic systems and the rise of military dictatorships. Nigeria, Achebe’s homeland, experienced its first military coup in January 1966, led by Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, beginning decades of military interventions in Nigerian politics.

The fictional Kangan in the novel mirrors Nigeria’s political trajectory. His Excellency’s military government resembles those of Nigerian rulers like Yakubu Gowon (1966-1975) and Muhammadu Buhari (1983-1985). Achebe wrote the novel during Buhari’s regime, known for its harsh censorship under Decree No. 4, which criminalized publishing “false statements” about officials. Ikem’s murder and the official cover-up mirror tactics used by regimes like Buhari’s against journalists and intellectuals. Likewise, the fictional State Research Council parallels Nigeria’s actual security apparatus that targeted dissidents.

The novel also draws on West African history broadly. Its portrayal of the failed referendum for life presidency reflects real events in several West African nations. In Ghana, for instance, Kwame Nkrumah became president-for-life before being overthrown in 1966, while in Togo, Gnassingbé Eyadéma seized power in 1967 and ruled until 2005.