In chapter 3 of Things Fall Apart, the reader is let into Okonkwo's past and given insight as to how Okonkwo became a successful yam farmer. When Okonkwo was a young man, he was born into nothing; his father was a lazy farmer who had great difficulty yielding crops, and, as a result, when Okonkwo grew into manhood, he was not given as much as many other young men his age. Embarrassed by his father and determined to make a life for himself, a young Okonkwo set out to make a successful yam farm of his own.

Having nothing, Okonkwo was forced to become a share-cropper. He humbly asked Nwakibie, a very successful farmer in the village, to borrow seed yams for his own farm. Okonkwo's plan was to respectfully return two-thirds of his yielded crop to Nwakibie, keeping only a third himself. Surprised and proud of Okonkwo's sincerity, respect, and ambition, Nawakibie not only complied with Okonkwo's request, but offered him double the amount of seed yams he originally asked for, allowing Okwonkwo to attempt to begin his own farm.