Double Yoke

Ms Emecheta has in a way that is uniquely hers delivered a message about the double yoke of modernity and tradition. The setting is mainly the University of Calabar in Nigeria where the author also was a Professor. It is a coming of age story of two undergraduates who are in love. It deals with the choices they make under the circumstances. As a sub theme it details university life in Nigeria,love of strange titles and also a dubious counsellor and resultant betrayal. The events that occur in this book though a work of fiction are glaringly true.

Double Yoke is not simply an African novel, it is a timeless classic. The story of course is one of seemingly simplistic ideals: women in Postcolonial Africa have to bear the double burden of trying to remain culturally traditional while also trying to further themselves with education to be able to provide for their financial future. However, the author is actually writing about the need for males to change in order to more fully understand this modern African woman. No longer can African males hope to secure an innocent school girl and be satisfied with her limited ambitions. The modern African male must transform himself in order to satisfy himself and his mate. The need for a sexual revolution of the entire male species worldwide is what message this reader gained. The poetic prose and wonderful characters gift wrap the package containg this universal request.