Plaintiff Opening Statement

1/24/17
To the honorable Judge and Jury,
Think, for a moment, of the expansive continent of Africa. Great, rushing rivers, thick forests of
palm trees, open expanses of desert, and the hot African sun. In this unforgiving landscape,
hundreds of tribes of indigenous peoples made their homes. One such tribe is the clan of
Umuofia. Umuofia is a great village, known throughout the other local villages for its strong
warriors and militaristic prowess. The Umuofian people had a complicated religious system and
calendar. They celebrated many festivals and ceremonies, and they had a deep understanding
of the world around them. They had a justice system, and their clansmen were like brothers.
The people of Europe had a very different view of Africa. They saw the expansive continent only
for its resources and riches, and sought to advance their own countries through the exploitation
of Africas raw materials. Europeans also felt that it was their duty to educate and civilize the
indigenous tribes, which they viewed as savage. One year, British missionaries came to the
village of Umuofia to spread Christianity. They set up their church and a government, attempting
to control and convert the Umuofian people. Many of the missionaries viewed the world as
black and white. And black was evil. The missionaries disrespected the culture of the
Umuofians, and treated them like animals. They enslaved and killed many men.
We are gathered here today to hear the story of Okonkwo, a man of great strength and honor.
Okonkwo lived in Umuofia and had taken two titles. He was well respected among his
clansmen, and often given important jobs to undertake. Although Okonkwo had a humble
beginning, he grew to be a leader of his clan through hard work and determination. He
persevered through adversity and proved himself to be a powerful man. When British
missionaries came to his clan, their actions caused Okonkwos life to fall apart. He lost his
eldest son to their blasphemous religion, they didnt allow him a fair trial when he was arrested,
and his religious beliefs were disrespected and ignored. Okonkwos clansmen, who were once
so strong and manly, fell prey to the words of the white man. Okonkwo became a victim of
British rule, and ended up taking his own life.

Today the Plaintiff will call five witnesses. Each of these individuals will prove to you that
Okonkwos death was wrongfully caused by the actions of the British missionaries. Before the
missionaries came to his clan, Okonkwo was a strong leader who would have never dreamed of
taking his own life. Yet a series of events, propagated by the British, left Okonkwo with little
hope. The witnesses will tell you of the Umuofians belief about suicide. They will tell you about
Okonkwos relationship with his wives and friends. And they will tell you about the horrific nature
of British rule in their clan.
The Defense will try to convince you that Okonkwo was unstable and abusive. They will try to
show that his actions were unnatural. But these points are simply not true. Sure, Okonkwo
made mistakes, but he always took responsibility for them. Okonkwo acted in a way that was
normal for the people of his clan, and he was greatly revered. Okonkwo aimed to be strong his
whole life, yet he ended it with the weakest possible action. What could be the reason for this,
other than the cruelty and insolence of the British missionaries?
After both sides have made their case, I urge you to be empathetic. How would it feel to have
your entire world disregarded as savage, and turned upside down by foreign missionaries? How
would it feel to be in Okonkwos place, devoid of hope and the will to live? I implore you,
honorable Jury, to find the British government guilty of wrongfully causing Okonkwos death.
Thank you.