Half of a Yellow Sun: Part 2, Chapter 7 Summary & Analysis

The narrative follows Ugwu now, and a few years have passed. Ugwu is visiting his family at their village and talking to his sister Anulika. She is engaged to a man named Onyeka, and Ugwu is suddenly repulsed by the idea of his sister as sexually mature. Ugwu prepares to leave and says goodbye to his family. Anulika walks with him to the main road, and on the way they meet Nnesinachi.

Ugwu hasn’t seen Nnesinachi in four years, but he recognizes her immediately. She hugs him and then flirts with him. After he leaves Anulika comments on her behavior, and Ugwu asks if Anulika has slept with Onyeka. Anulika confirms it. Recently Ugwu has been having an emotionless sexual relationship with Dr. Okeke’s housegirl Chinyere. Ugwu bids Anulika farewell while complaining about the village food, and she says that he has forgotten where he came from and become a “Big Man.”

Ugwu returns to Nsukka. Odenigbo and Olanna are there, and they have a baby they call Baby. Ugwu tells them that Anulika will be married soon, and he helps Olanna feed Baby. Olanna tells Ugwu that her cousin Arize, who is pregnant, will come to Nsukka to have her baby. Odenigbo is listening to the radio in the other room, and he suddenly hushes them.

A voice comes on the radio: it is Major Nzeogwu of the army, saying that there has been a coup and the government is overthrown. The Major promises to respect everyone’s rights, rid the nation of corruption, and to make people proud to call themselves Nigerians. After the announcement Baby calls for “Mummy Ola” and Ugwu tickles her.

There is more talking on the radio, and the deputy president says “the government is handing over to the military.” The prime minister and the premiers of the North and West are all missing. There are many guests in Odenigbo’s house, and most of them are overjoyed at the coup. They make fun of the politicians who were killed, which included Chief Okonji the finance minister.

The BBC is calling it an “Igbo coup,” as it is mostly Northerners who were killed, but Professor Ezeka says that it was mostly Northerners in government, which was the fault of the English. Odenigbo praises Major Nzeogwu for having a “vision,” even though another (American) guest accuses the Major of being a communist. Meanwhile Ugwu remembers a quarrel from months before, some vague turmoil that resulted in Richard not coming around anymore.

Olanna is the only one not excited about the deaths of the politicians, and Ugwu thinks about how “politicians” are like a lower form of life. That night Chinyere knocks on his window and he lets her in. As they have sex he pretends she is Nnesinachi, and he wonders if she is imagining that he is someone else as well. When he sees her during the day, she doesn’t even smile.