Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon,
has expressed his doubted on Prof. Chinua
Achebe’s chances of making money from his
new book, There was a Country. The elder
statesman’s concern is not as a result of the
controversy which the book has generated. Rather, it is as a result of the activities of
pirates in the country – or so he wanted to
paint it. Gowon was speaking in Abuja on Thursday at
the presentation of the Reform of the
Copyright System in Nigeria organised by the
Nigerian Copyright Commission. He said he
wondered if the renowned novelist would
make money from his intellectual property, saying it had been pirated. The 78-year-old said he saw hawkers selling
copies of the book in Abuja recently. In his
words: “When I was coming to the hotel
yesterday (Wednesday) I saw people selling
copies of Achebe’s book, you know the one I
am talking about… I don’t know if the chap knew I was the one inside the car – he wanted
to get my attention… I said to myself, ‘so this
book has already been pirated and is being
sold in the streets?’… I don’t know if Achebe
will be getting any penny from that book.” Achebe in the book, containing his civil war
memoir, accused the Federal Government
under Gowon and the late Chief Obafemi
Awolowo, then Minister of Finance, of using
hunger as a weapon of war against the Igbo.
He had earlier described Achebe’s civil war memoir as the most controversial publication
on the war.
www.informationnigeria.org/2012/11/there-was-a-country-i-dont-know-if-achebe-will-be-getting-any-penny-from-that-book-gowon.html

O boy see scarcasm at its finnese.






The most painful part is that the book was/ is being pirated by his ibo brothers in Alaba market and onitsha underbridge.

Gowon should shut up his gworo-rotten mouth. Prof Achebe is made already. His older publications are still fetching him money. Prof did not write because he wants money but feels that the notes he jotted down during the war does not go in vein.
Am happy, the book has reached Nigeria now.
@Gowon, we are waiting for your own book. Don't tell us that you lost your own memoirs in the crises between Hausa/Fulani and native Plateau people. They have not burnt your house yet.

I think he should just mind his bussines.

GOWON........THIS IS WHRE YOU BELONG
A DUNCE_ is an idiot who is specifically incapable of learning, GOWON IS acting in a self-defeating or significantly counterproductive way,

I do not really insult people but i can tell you that this man called Gowon is an idiot,his talking about making money with the book,rather than thinking of generation unborn to read the content of the book if pirated or not pirated,to know about you evil days
I'm told that one's ability to reason helps on standardized tests.Can GOWON improve his ability to reason well

I believe that everything happens for a reason,as that book was written for a reason,GOWON because of your myopic nature,shortsighted lacking understanding of that book,that is why you open your mouth to talk of making money.you name is sorry

THE FIRT DUTY OF A MAN IS TO THINK FOR HIMSELF”
ALL IS NOT ABOUT MONEY
THE BOOK MUST REMAIN GENERATION TO COME AS A LEGACY BY PRO. CHINUA ACHEBE

Gowon is such an arsehole! Who told him Achebe wrote the Book to make money? The message has been passed already.Does he think achebe is as corrupt as he is? When 50cents offered Chinua Achebe a million dollars just for "Things Fall Apart" trademark,did he accept it? If Gowon were in his shoes,as corrupt as he is,he would have collected the money. Stewpid old fool! I pray he meets his waterloo soon.

I told you people Gowon needs to be shot. How I wish I can take his life stupid old man

Goddamn omo Igbo are gonna spoil market for the agbiya professor.
Gowon know say when aba boys handle the book, pages in the book 'll be multiplied by two
Even the Remix of the d book 'll be made.

Omo Igbo, akpu choppers

Laughing in ebonyi

This nearly got me choked with laughter. Ibo boys don spoilt market for the agbaya professor. Owo wo igbo

Tomorrows History has already been written,Gowon is a fool and a fool for ever..

Da infamous: Tomorrows History has already been written,Gowon is a fool and a fool for ever..

Hug a transformer.

So he thinks its about money.
You see why Nigeria is stunted ?

So this man with all his exposure and experience THINKS ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY !!!

Na God go save us for Naija.

berem: Gowon is such an arsehole! Who told him Achebe wrote the Book to make money? The message has been passed already.Does he think achebe is as corrupt as he is? When 50cents offered Chinua Achebe a million dollars just for "Things Fall Apart" trademark,did he accept it? If Gowon were in his shoes,as corrupt as he is,he would have collected the money. Stewpid old fool! I pray he meets his waterloo soon.

I wonder who it was that started this false rumour that 50cents offered Chinua Achebe a million dollars just for "Things Fall Apart" trademark . Achebe doesn't own any such trademark. And I am yet to see a writer who doesn't hope to make money at all from his book. Find one and you have found a lun.atic

I laff in irunmole

Igbo boys wan ensure say Achebe dies wretched

felifeli:

I wonder who it was that started this false rumour that 50cents offered Chinua Achebe a million dollars just for "Things Fall Apart" trademark . Achebe doesn't own any such trademark. And I am yet to see a writer who doesn't hope to make money at all from his book. Find one and you have found a lun.atic

Hey monkey who open door for you ,those of you that came from remote village,upon all the help nairaland is given you to update your brain but you are still having a learning disability,keep reading so that your brain can develop NOW SEARCH INFORMATION ABOUT CHINUA ACHEBE AND 50CENT
THEN I NEED YOU REPLY

ejiyke2007:

Hey monkey who open door for you ,those of you that came from remote village,upon all the help nairaland is given you to update your brain but you are still having a learning disability,keep reading so that your brain can develop NOW SEARCH INFORMATION ABOUT CHINUA ACHEBE AND 50CENT
THEN I NEED YOU REPLY

Ode take banana. 50cents was just pitying the ignorant and senile old Ibo fool so that Achebe does not die mad which will unfortunately soon happen. He should be cursing himself now for not accepting the $1m dash especially now that all he is likely to get from his new book will be about 50cents.

Read following and READ EVERYTHING TO THE END. If you still don't get it ask someone who has more than primary school certificate to explain it to you.

http://flcenterlitarts./2011/09/14/50-cent-outclasses-chinua-achebe-in-conflict-over-book-movie-title/




50 Cent outclasses Chinua Achebe in conflict over book, movie title.

According to the usually reliable U.K. newspaper, the Guardian, Chinua Achebe, Africa’s most distinguished novelist, unleashed his lawyers on American rap star 50 Cent over the title of a new movie entitled Things Fall Apart.

Of course, that’s also the title of Achebe’s 1957 novel, regarded today as a masterpiece of post-colonial world literature. 50 Cent’s movie, written and financed by the rapper, is the uplifting story of a football player who struggles to overcome cancer.

50 Cent attempted to appease Achebe by offering a million dollars for the use of the title, but the author spurned it as an insult, saying the novel was published 17 years before the rapper was born. It’s “listed as the most read book in Africa,” Achebe said, “and won’t be sold for even one billion dollars.”

In the end, 50 Cent capitulated, changing the title of his movie to All Things Fall Apart.

Now this may look like a triumph of high art over low, of a distinguished novelist thumping the head of an upstart pop star. This would be entirely misleading. Instead, it’s a case of a fabulously wealthy and influential popular entertainer generously recognizing the claims of a revered elder — even when he does not have to.

The problem with the way the Guardian plays the story is its use of that word “forced,” coupled with the strong implication that 50 Cent caved in under threats of legal action.

In fact, titles cannot be copyrighted. Achebe has no legal standing to challenge 50 Cent’s use of the title in a court of law — where such a challenge would be summarily tossed out. I’m not a lawyer (thank God!) and I don’t play one on TV, but check out the United States Copyright Office FAQ and see if you can come to any other conclusion: “Copyright does not protect names, titles, slogans, or short phrases.”

Furthermore, Achebe did not originate the phrase “things fall apart,” but borrowed it from William Butler Yeats’ [/b]famous poem, The Second Coming — making his claims of ownership more than faintly ridiculous.

So who comes off better in this contretemps — [b]the elderly chest-thumping author, or the pop star who respectfully abandons a title to which he is clearly attached, even though he cannot be compelled to do so?

As for the headline writers at the Guardian: I am very, very disappointed.

This may sound absurdly high minded, but I believe most readers learn more from newspapers, magazines, and books than they ever do in the classroom. Writers — journalists especially — have a professional obligation to get things right, even the little things.

By using the word “forced” when “persuaded,” or “pressured,” or even “shamed” would have been more accurate, the Guardian badly leads astray any reader who has not yet learned the facts of copyright law, which is likely a large portion of its readership.

As Mark Twain said, “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is really a large matter — it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”

Piracy have come to stay in Nigeria. In this case, it is a good evil as it will help bring the evil perpetration of Gawoon and Awaloawa to the door steps of the present and unborn generations. Gawoon, after eviction by Murtala, went back to school. It's glaringly obvious he learnt nothing. As the principal actor in the Internationally supervised genocide against my people, put your views and experiences in print....stop using piracy as an excuse. He who has no money for Stout says he's not drinking coz it's bitter.

felifeli:

I wonder who it was that started this false rumour that 50cents offered Chinua Achebe a million dollars just for "Things Fall Apart" trademark . Achebe doesn't own any such trademark. And I am yet to see a writer who doesn't hope to make money at all from his book. Find one and you have found a lun.atic

http://beta.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/sep/14/chinua-achebe-50-cent

Chinua Achebe forces 50 Cent to rename movie

50 Cent has been undone by one of Africa's greatest novelists, Chinua Achebe. The rapper's latest movie has been renamed ahead of its release, due to a conflict with Achebe's most famous work.

Things Fall Apart, published by Achebe in 1958, is Nigeria's most famous English-language novel. It has sold more than 8m copies worldwide. Unfortunately, 50 Cent was not aware of this. He spent much of 2010 shooting a film of the same name, the story of an American football player diagnosed with cancer. "It's a project that I wrote, produced and financed myself," he explained last year. Directed by Mario Van Peebles, it premiered at the Miami film festival in March and is expected to be released soon.

Unfortunately for Fiddy, his film will not keep its original title. After being contacted by Achebe's legal team, 50 Cent allegedly offered $1m to hold on to the title. Achebe, 80, took this as an insult. "The novel with the said title was initially produced in 1958 (that is 17 years before [50] was born)," replied his lawyers, according to Naijan. "[It is] listed as the most-read book in modern African literature, and won't be sold for even £1bn." The film has now been renamed to All Things Fall Apart.

That issue is irrelevant here. We are talking about the lies of achebe. So please make some sense.

Read above rejoinder to your Guardian article.
It puts everything in better perspective.

nku5:


http://beta.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/sep/14/chinua-achebe-50-cent

Chinua Achebe forces 50 Cent to rename movie

50 Cent has been undone by one of Africa's greatest novelists, Chinua Achebe. The rapper's latest movie has been renamed ahead of its release, due to a conflict with Achebe's most famous work.

Things Fall Apart, published by Achebe in 1958, is Nigeria's most famous English-language novel. It has sold more than 8m copies worldwide. Unfortunately, 50 Cent was not aware of this. He spent much of 2010 shooting a film of the same name, the story of an American football player diagnosed with cancer. "It's a project that I wrote, produced and financed myself," he explained last year. Directed by Mario Van Peebles, it premiered at the Miami film festival in March and is expected to be released soon.

Unfortunately for Fiddy, his film will not keep its original title. After being contacted by Achebe's legal team, 50 Cent allegedly offered $1m to hold on to the title. Achebe, 80, took this as an insult. "The novel with the said title was initially produced in 1958 (that is 17 years before [50] was born)," replied his lawyers, according to Naijan. "[It is] listed as the most-read book in modern African literature, and won't be sold for even £1bn." The film has now been renamed to All Things Fall Apart.