Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?

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Nairaland Forum  |  Entertainment  |  Literature/Writing (Moderator: StephenP)  |  Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
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Author Topic: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?  (Read 12157 views)
Mad_Max (f)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #128 on: January 26, 2009, 06:56 PM »

Quote from: doyin13 on January 25, 2009, 08:10 PM
Yep. . .I do.

I think The Interpreters is the most underrated piece of Nigerian Fiction ever written, well maybe I should say
that I have read anyway.

You really like that book.  Grin
Gamine (f)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #129 on: January 30, 2009, 06:41 PM »

Chinua Achebe, definately

when it comes to the Quality of the literature. . .

Wole Soyinka is just more popular, because he is like the Fela

of the Literary world, no surprise that they are cousins
Major001 (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #130 on: January 31, 2009, 11:53 PM »

I think it's absolutely absurd to compare both authors.why? cos they're both exceptional within thier genre-or style of writing. Achebe is a master storyteller anyday while soyinka is a master dramatics, also, anyday. They both write fantastically well.
Maryam (f)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #131 on: February 06, 2009, 05:55 PM »

Read alot of Wole Soyinka's book, i prefer him
They are both great writers though
vikiviko (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #132 on: February 10, 2009, 01:47 PM »

Chinua Achebe's Things fall apart is my all  time favourite of africa books. so he 's my best
Gerd Meuer
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #133 on: March 27, 2009, 02:44 PM »

are they - Achebe and Soyinka - participating in some Olympics ?

or is this the usual Nigerian Ogaism ? Yes, it is !

Thus stupid and nonsensical ! Stop it !

there is no such thing, sorry, person as the BEST writer.


Oyingbo German


who has translated them both

and many others ,

Da man is too difficult.doc
* Da man is too difficult.doc (31 KB - downloaded )
stateboy
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #134 on: March 27, 2009, 04:17 PM »

Chinua Achebe
Pepeye (f)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #135 on: March 27, 2009, 07:53 PM »

They are so very different but good
For moi Chinua  Achebe will do

Oxone (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #136 on: April 25, 2009, 07:08 PM »

its obvously Chinua Achebe. No Contest
Vladmir 2
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #137 on: May 02, 2009, 07:33 PM »

For prose I prefer Achebe while for drama I prefer Soyinka.Does this make any sense?Achebe is greater than Soyinka when it comes to prose and vice versa.
chiogo (f)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #138 on: May 02, 2009, 11:12 PM »

Quote from: vikiviko on February 10, 2009, 01:47 PM
Chinua Achebe's Things fall apart is my all  time favourite of africa books. so he 's my best
Same here. We even read it in school here.
Andre Uweh (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #139 on: June 28, 2009, 01:34 AM »

Achebe is not interested in nobel laurete award. They know he will humiliate them if they offer him one. Ask Obasanjo what Achebe did with him.
Ajisafe, you know deep down in your mind that Achebe ranks first before your brother Wole. Yet you will not admit it.
Ndipe (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #140 on: June 29, 2009, 08:56 PM »

Quote from: Andre Uweh on June 28, 2009, 01:34 AM
Achebe is not interested in nobel laurete award. They know he will humiliate them if they offer him one. Ask Obasanjo what Achebe did with him.
 Ajisafe, you know deep down in your mind that Achebe ranks first before your brother Wole. Yet you will not admit it.

Says who?
$osisi (f)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #141 on: June 29, 2009, 09:00 PM »

I love Chinua achebe because I've read his books.Wole Soyinka was  not a recommended text up till the time I dropped literature in class 3 Grin
The man won a Nobel so he must be very good.
slap1 (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #142 on: June 30, 2009, 12:55 PM »

Both of them are jolly good writers of separate genres or, better still, style. While Achebe considers, to a great extent, the use of simple diction as a way of sending his thoughts home, Soyinka literally “closes” his eyes and proves to whoever reads him that he is a master of The Word. So, for those who like simple diction, Achebe is the best, just like Soyinka is the darling of those in love with complicated and expensive diction. But in my opinion, with the Nobel Prize, Soyinka surely stole the show although Achebe has out-sold him. In terms of popularity Achebe is ultimate. Mind you, I’m very Igbo, not Ibo.
russellino
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #143 on: June 30, 2009, 01:49 PM »

Chinua Achebe without a doubt
Crystal25
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #144 on: July 04, 2009, 09:02 PM »

 we will be doing both writers a great diservice by comparing them. Like all  art work, our perception of literature is highly subjective and a matter of personal preference. I have tremendous respect for both men and will continue to celebrate them as two of African's i dare say the world's greatest.
Crystal25
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #145 on: July 04, 2009, 09:09 PM »

 we will be doing both writers a great diservice by comparing them. Like all  art work, our perception of literature is highly subjective and a matter of personal preference. I have tremendous respect for both men and will continue to celebrate them as two of African's i dare say the world's greatest.
Boyolity
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #146 on: July 06, 2009, 10:21 AM »

Me like Soyinka becos he write witha sense that makes you read his books several times before getting the point. Achebe is good for kids growing up and not grown up readers like me. Methinks no competition, Methinks Soyinka is for matured readers like meeeeeeeeeeeee?HuhHuhHuhHuh/
Prof JYK (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #147 on: July 13, 2009, 02:00 AM »

soyinka rules.
a not too distant second is achebe.

collosi indeed.
Jarus (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #148 on: July 13, 2009, 06:47 PM »

Unfortunately, I don't read novels. Can't judge.
Andre Uweh (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #149 on: July 13, 2009, 07:11 PM »

Things fall apart has sold more than one hundred million copies It has also been translated into 52 languages worldwide.
What does that inform you?.
$osisi (f)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #150 on: July 13, 2009, 08:26 PM »

Quote from: Andre Uweh on July 13, 2009, 07:11 PM
Things fall apart has sold more than one hundred million copies It has also been translated into 52 languages worldwide.
 What does that inform you?.

100 million? Shocked Shocked
most students here in the USA read things fall apart as a required text in high school
Andre Uweh (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #151 on: July 13, 2009, 11:00 PM »

Chinua Achebe's things Fall Apart is read In almost all the post primary schools in India. This is a country with about a Billion people. It is widely read in Russian schools but in Russian language. It is read in Kenya, Ghana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Namibia, Botswana, Gambia etc.
Frankly speaking, this wondrous novel has sold for more than 100 million copies.
For more information, contact Heinemann Educational books.
Ndipe (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #152 on: July 13, 2009, 11:08 PM »

If Things Fall Apart has sold 100 million copies, you can be rest assured that the literary world would have taken note of it. From my understanding, since it's publication, it's sold over 10 million copies.
hayan (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #153 on: July 20, 2009, 07:57 AM »

I have read with dismay how people in attempting to be objective about this topic has ended up experessing personal vendetta and vituperation. Wole Soyinka is great, Chinua Achebe is great. But are literary icons and we should give it to them.

An objective student of literature would have bias for Soyinka because he is into all genre of literature, unlike Achebe.

As for me, Noble laurette is not a political award by PDP!
No2Atheism (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #154 on: July 20, 2009, 08:06 AM »

i could careless i hate literature novels but to be frank i am really expecting tribalistic people to start through chairs and bottles because of this topic soon. I am already seeing the handy work of Andrew,
Turiano (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #155 on: July 22, 2009, 03:47 PM »

They are bot genius.
Riff-Raff
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #156 on: August 04, 2009, 01:22 AM »

for me its cyprian ekwensi
Mad_Max (f)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #157 on: August 04, 2009, 01:52 AM »

Hai Cyprian Ekwensi! I ate up his books as a kid. Loved Juju Rock and Jagua Nana.
Soyinka is a terrible novelist. Not in the same league as Achebe. Not even close. His plays are so-so. His real strength and genius is in non-fiction, like The Man Died, one of the greatest books ever written by man. I almost suffocated with pride when I read it. That's what he won the Nobel Prize for.
julian_H (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #158 on: August 20, 2009, 03:26 PM »

stop the bickering: both of them are good in their own way
pcicero (m)
Re: Best African Author: Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?
« #159 on: August 26, 2009, 11:19 PM »

I'm yet to be convinced that Achebe is as good as WS. he is a pathetic wimp
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