The post-colonial period in African politics refers to an ongoing time frame that first began in the 1940s, when former colonies began to gain independence from the various European powers that had historically oppressed them. Across Africa, the process of decolonization chiefly took place from the 1950s through the 1990s. For many African countries, the postcolonial period has been characterized by both increased optimism and political instability. Accordingly, the settings of Sankofa include both London and Bamana, a fictional country in West Africa. Post-colonial African politics are pivotal to the plot as Anna traces her father’s rise to power from a revolutionary to a corrupt prime minister.

One movement that played a key role in decolonization is Pan-Africanism, which advocates for solidarity and the consolidation of power across the African diaspora. As an increasing number of African countries gained independence throughout the mid- to late 1900s, this hope for a utopian future, which was founded on the principles of Pan-Africanism, grew among African left-wing intellectual circles that were often tied closely to socialist politics. Chibundu Onuzo draws on this history in Kofi’s early diary entries, which describe his initiation into a student union whose members advocate for the total liberation of Africa from any vestiges of colonial ties.

These high hopes are complicated by a history of oppression and ongoing neocolonialism, which have left much of Africa politically and economically unstable. Many prominent African leaders during the post-colonial period have campaigned on lofty promises, only to install militaristic or autocratic governments once they gained power. The character of Kofi Adjei evokes many of these leaders, from former DRC president Mobutu Sese Seko (who styled himself as an anti-capitalist while receiving large sums of money from foreign powers), to Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first Prime Minister (who played a major role in liberating the Gold Coast, but later installed an authoritarian government). Despite Kofi’s similarities to these historical figures, Onuzo has stated that Kofi is not directly derived from the actions of any one person. Instead, she asserts that the story could represent the aftermath of independence in various post-colonial African states.

Onuzo uses the character of Kofi to evoke this collective narrative of disappointed expectations in revolutionary leaders, for Kofi’s 30-year-reign proves a to be mixed bag for Bamana. Kofi does successfully lead Bamana to liberation from colonial rule, furthering its infrastructure and higher education. In the process, however, he lines his own pockets generously. Despite Bamana’s abundant natural resources, Kofi fails to elevate the country’s economy, instead leaving his citizens in poverty. He also declines to prosecute clear human-rights abuses and is indirectly implicated in the murder of five young men who opposed his reelection. As Anna tries to understand where her father went wrong, Onuzo explores the many reasons behind his political failures. By setting Sankofa amidst this real-world political turmoil, Onuzo captures an important chapter of history and brings attention to vital questions about idealism, power, and corruption. Additionally, the fictional nature of Kofi’s rule and of the country of Bamana itself allows her to engage in implicit critiques of multiple real-life political situations without singling out any one country or scenario.