Religion in "Purple Hibiscus" vs. "Things Fall Apart"

One of the most notables themes in Purple Hibiscus is Eugene's strong belief in Christianity and hatred for the pagan traditional Ibo religion. This is in stark contrast to the views of Okwonko in Things Fall Apart, who is a strong believer in tradition and is a firm believer in the Ibo religion. This juxtaposition between two fairly similar Nigerian men shows just how far-reaching and popular Christianity has become in Nigeria since the missionaries arrived in the 19th century. Although we see its popularity begin to increase within Umuofia in Things Fall Apart, I don't think that even in Okwonko's wildest nightmares would a sane Nigerian man hate the Ibo religion as vehemently as Eugene does in Purple Hibiscus. Eugene hates the Ibo religion so much that he won't let his kids see their grandfather for more than 15 minutes on Christmas because he "honors his ancestors before eating". Eugene is sure to remind Kamibli and Jaja not to eat any of the food at their grandpa's house as that would be embracing the "pagan customs". From a reader's standpoint, it is evident that a majority of the younger generation in Nigeria have fully embraced Christianity, while those who follow the Ibo religion are slowly beginning to die out. The difference in religion between Things Fall Apart and Purple Hibiscus truly highlights the changes in tradition that have taken place in Nigeria as a result of colonialism.