I would say that Achebe's work provides a great insight into the understandings of colonization and imperialism from the point of view of the indigenous people.  The reading of the Ibo clan, analyzing how they perceive reality, and then examining how all of this changes when the European presence enters the tribe's village is extremely powerful.  There can be much there in terms of serving as a type of documentation about how life changed under the tenets of Colonial rule amongst indigenous people.  Using Okonkwo as a frame of reference in this process is extremely important in assessing the historical and cultural impact of Colonialism on different nations in Africa, and then can be broadened to include Asia and South America.