MILITARY DICTATORSHIP IN CHINUA ACHEBE’S ANTHILLS OF THE SAVANNAH AND HELON HABILA’S WAITING FOR ANGEL: A STUDY IN NEW HISTORICISM

This study examined the portrayal of military dictatorship in Chinua Achebe's Anthills of The Savannah and Helon Habila's Waiting for An Angel. New Historicism theory was employed as a theoretical framework. The study’s objectives were to examine the portrayal of military dictatorship in Chinua Achebe’s Anthills of Savannah and Helon Habila’s Waiting for an Angel, analyze the historical and political contexts that influenced the writing of these novels, investigate the role of language in conveying the author’s message about military dictatorship among others. Through a new historical analysis of the novels, the study discovered that Chinua Achebe's Anthills of the Savannah and Helon Habila's Waiting for an Angel offer a shared assessment of military dictatorship and it’s oppressive and corrupt nature, but diverge in their portrayals of resistance, with Achebe emphasizing intellectual awakening and collective action, and Habila highlighting fragmented, survival-focused acts of defiance amidst systemic repression in 1990s Nigeria. The study recommends that Researchers and Critics should apply frameworks like New Historicism to other literary works, not only in African literature but globally, to uncover the deeper connections between literature and the socio-political environments that shape it. This approach can provide richer insights into the ways authors respond to and influence the historical moments they inhabit.