On the face of it there was no kind of logic or meaning in the song. But as Obi turned it round and round in his mind, he was struck by the wealth of association that even such a mediocre song could have. First of all it was unheard of for a man to seize his in-law and kill him. To the Ibo mind it was the height of treachery. He was pleased with his exegesis and began to search in his mind for other songs that could be given the same treatment.
Obi is a student of literature, a reader and interpreter of texts.
I shall not consider the details of his fictional character nor the functions they have in the novel, but simply avail myself of this figure to highlight the process of translating cultures in which he here engages. Significantly, what first emerges from Obi's translation is the fact that the song is itself concerned with the problematical crossing of boundaries and allegiances, that is, with treachery and betrayal. This, however, is also the language of Achebe's novel in which all communication is rendered, even for Igbo characters whose words are being translated. My point is that the translator must acknowledge this complicity and may not situate himself at a privileged position outside the field of contesting powers in which translation functions. One might well see the example as a warning that the invalidation of the traditional Igbo code of ethics is connected to the interference of English and that the process of translating culture may result in the breaking and falling apart of these cultures.