Professor Chinualumogu Achebe one of the most respected Nigerians in living memory died in Boston Massachusetts, USA of an undisclosed illness. Best known as the author of Africa’s most popular literary work “Things Fall Apart” Professor Achebe was also a staunch critic of the Obasanjo and Jonathan Administrations as well.

Born in Ogidi a rural community located in present day Anambra State, he grew up in a typically Igbo rural setting where story telling was a vital part of Child upbringing explaining his early penchant for story telling which was planted in him by his father and uncles.

The young Achebe started formal Education at age 6 when he was enrolled by his parents at St. Philips Central School where he proved to be a brilliant pupil. He thereafter went to the prestigious government secondary school in Umuahia where he spent 4 years instead of 5 due to an early double promotion he earned in his first year.

Chinua then proceeded to the University College now known as the University of Ibadan where he studied English, History and Theology although he was initially granted a full government scholarship to study medicine due to his high marks scored at the entrance examination.

Achebe’s career as an author started in 1950 when he wrote his first published literary piece “Polar Undergraduate” which was published in a Newspaper but had his first written short story “in a village church” as the launch pad into his famous story telling career.

Legacy

Late Professor Achebe will be fondly remembered for his hard stance against corruption and elitism in Nigerian politics. He retired from active politics in the early 1970s to take up an academic career in the United States and turned down several national honors (Commander of the Federal Republic) from both the administration of Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan in 2004 and 2011 respectively.

He was the first Nigerian to win a National Merit Award in October 1979. Perhaps his greatest legacy is Things fall Apart, the best read African Novel (over 8 million copies sold and translated to over 50 languages) which not only earned him world wide acclaim as one of the world’s most gifted novelist but a literary scholar who portrayed African tribal life accurately to a western audience.

His other famous works include: No Longer at Ease (1960), Arrow of God (1964), A Man of the People (1966) and Anthills of the Savannah (1987).

Professor Achebe died in a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts of an undisclosed illness aged 82. He’ll be missed.

http://www.abujafood.com/people/the-biography/1171-life-and-times-of-chinua-achebe-november-16-1930--march-21-2013.html

may his soul RIP.