Clearly,reading a review of the new Achebe's book by Noo Saro-wiwa leave you with a fair understanding of the content of the book.the book could never have made a huge sale if the publisher does not design a marketing slant to the book itself.Having studied a few books on how to market books and promote its sales,I knew that the controversial part of the book on Awo stating 'It is my impression that Awolowo was driven by an overriding ambition for power, for himself and for his Yoruba people. There is, on the surface at least, nothing wrong with those aspirations. However, Awolowo saw the dominant Igbos at the time as the obstacles to that goal, and when the opportunity arose – the Nigeria-Biafra war – his ambition drove him into a frenzy to go to every length to achieve his dreams. In the Biafran case it meant hatching up a diabolical policy to reduce the numbers of his enemies significantly through starvation — eliminating over two million people, mainly members of future generations.' was deliberately given a wide publicity by the publisher as a marketing stunt!
In fact,the people who supported or opposed this otherwise controversial part of the book admitted that they have not read the book!So,who then started the fire and for what objective?The likely suspectS are those that are the primary beneficiaries of the controversy-Achebe the author and the publishers!
The concept of promoting books sale by inserting controversial content is very old and clearly is being used by Achebe and his publishers because suddenly everyone suddenly 'wants to buy the book'!

The low side of this achebe's action is that-he and his publishers are profiting from the calamity of the igbo's loss of children to starvation caused by the biafran soldiers who were ambushing, hijacking and consuming food supplies meant for the civilians during to war.The action of these biafran soldiers was deliberately avoided in history but pictures showing them to be well fed throughout the war is a proof that they were the ones starving the children.I sincerely feel sad for those starved but it is only the wicked descendants of those soldiers that will support such actions.There should be a list and pictures of those soldiers on the internet.These soldiers,including chinua achebe, were the ones that starved the children while they fed their own wives and children throughout the war,definitely,not awolowo!if they really love those children,they should have allowed food supplies get to them or end the war early enough to avert the death of those people.The biafran soldiers and their descendants on nairaland are wicked and heartless.They were the murderers.
While old wound is being revisited and those who lost loved ones during the war are being reminded of their loss and acrimony between igbos and the yorubas is being peddled online and offline, ACHEBE AND HIS PUBLISHERS SMILE TO THE BANKS!

INFACT,the book is not even a compelling read as much as Segun Adeniyi's book on Yardua's death, prof. claude Ake's books on nigerian politics or 'Nigeria-this house has fallen' by the famous german author,yet,in the next few days,the sale of achebe's book will be more than the copies those 3 important books sold altogether.Achebe can not be condemning ordinary igbos' materialistic nature on one hand and be making money and benefiting from the acrimony as a fruit of his labour.The insertion and promotion of that offending line is to make money-simple!

Even in the face of factual evidence,



[b]There was a lot more to it and the fact that Achebe and most of our igbo brothers and sisters always conveniently forget to mention the other half of the story is something that causes some of us from outside igboland considerable concern and never ceases to amaze us. The bitter truth is that if anyone is to be blamed for the hundreds of thousands of igbos that died from starvation during the civil war it was not Chief Awolowo or even General Yakubu Gowon but rather it was Colonel Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu himself. I say this because it is a matter of public record and a historical fact that the Federal Government of Nigeria made a very generous offer to Ojukwu and the Biafrans to open a road corridor for food to be ferried to the igbos and to lessen the suffering of their civilian population. This was as a consequence of a deal that was brokered by the international community who were concerned about the suffering of the igbo civilian population and the death and hardship that the blockade was causing to them. Unfortunately Ojukwu turned this down flatly and instead insisted that the food should be flown into Biafra by air in the dead of the night. This was unacceptable to the Federal Government because it meant that the Biafrans could, and indeed would, have used such night flights to smuggle badly needed arms and ammunition into their country for usage by their soldiers. That was where the problem came from and that was the issue. Quite apart from that Ojukwu found it expedient and convenient to allow his people to starve to death and to broadcast it on television screens all over the world in order to attract sympathy for the igbo cause and for propaganda purposes. And this worked beautifully for him.

Ambassador Ralph Uweche, who was the Special Envoy to France for the Biafran Government during the civil war and who is the leader of Ohaeneze, the leading igbo political and socio-cultural organisation today, attested to this in his excellent book titled ‘’Reflections On The Nigerian Civil War’’. That book was factual and honest and I would urge people like Achebe to go and read it well. The self-serving role of Ojukwu and many of the Biafran intelligensia and elites and their insensitivity to the suffering of their own people during the course of the war was well enunciated in that book. The fact of the matter is that the starvation and suffering of hundreds of thousands of igbo men, women and children during the civil war was seen and used as a convenient tool of propaganda by Ojukwu and that is precisely why he rejected the offer of a food corridor by the Nigerian Government. When those that belong to the post civil war generation of the igbo are wondering who was responsible for the genocide and mass starvation of their forefathers during the war they must firstly look within themselves and point their fingers at their own past leaders and certainly not Awolowo or Gowon. The person that was solely responsible for that suffering, for that starvation and for those slow and painful deaths was none other than Colonel Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the leader of Biafra, himself.[/b]


this elderly achebe,still could make money from such calamity that befell the igbos.it is really sad.

suddenly,every igbo person in yorubaland may now be viewed with suspicion and all the while,he makes cool money in his comfortable abode in the US!! He deliberately avoided the otherside of the truth or perhaps,the editor/publisher deliberately removed the truth that it was Ojukwu and his soldiers that starved the igbos during the war.either way,achebe is making money from mischief at 81.He is acting like a foolish old man who 'gains' the whole world and loses his soul.he is an adagba m'adanu for allowing his love for money to overide his prime spot in history as a competent reference or authority in objective reasoning.the moment he decided to attack awo and his people personally,he has shifted the intellectual debate that should accrue from his views.That is why he is also being attacked personally,the yorubas have taken the battle to him,not to the generality of igbos ,at least for now.

remembering achebe's pretense at promoting african values through his earlier work in 'things fall apart',one would think he respects and preaches african tradition of respect for the dead.that he is aware that Awo is dead and not around to speak his own side,achebe could have at least included or mention or reference awo's rebuttal to that allegation during his life time so readers of his book can mke a balance comparism and decide on what to believe,clearly,the Yorubas did not fall for it.He,achebe, deliberately 'omitted' Awo's rebuttal so that the book can sell.o ma se

I am sure that,even as I type this ,someone , probably a mugu in my own estimation,is buying or ordering for the book despite its obvious defect in historical objectivity and achebe gets a royalty commission alert!haba,IBO( I BEFORE OTHERS mentality at work!).I will not make achebe richer,i will not buy that book!!He can continue to rip off his fellow igbo folk in their mystery for all I care,I will not buy a book of mischief until he replaces the missing side of the truth which is that the biafrans soldiers under ojukwu's command prevented foodfrom getting to those that died.The man can continue to make millions of dollars from mischief,massaging the ego of some igbo folks.

I have often wondered why this achebe man,despite the popularity of his 'things fall apart' could still not get a nobel prize for literature even 25 years after Wole Soyinka got it.In fact,I thought the nobel award selection team is only bidding its time until I realize that ACHEBE was,is and has never been a nobel prize material.His books are purely for subsistence,he writes and promotes his books to make mass sales and earn royalty to satisfy his love for filthy lucre.I now know why Wole Soyinka is far far ahead of achebe,despite being younger than Achebe and his books less commercially rewarding than Achebe's.Achebe and his 'smart alec' publishers should even lobby the low-rate south east governors to make it a textbook for their ibo students.shiorrr

onomeasike: Even in the face of factual evidence,



[b]There was a lot more to it and the fact that Achebe and most of our igbo brothers and sisters always conveniently forget to mention the other half of the story is something that causes some of us from outside igboland considerable concern and never ceases to amaze us. The bitter truth is that if anyone is to be blamed for the hundreds of thousands of igbos that died from starvation during the civil war it was not Chief Awolowo or even General Yakubu Gowon but rather it was Colonel Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu himself. I say this because it is a matter of public record and a historical fact that the Federal Government of Nigeria made a very generous offer to Ojukwu and the Biafrans to open a road corridor for food to be ferried to the igbos and to lessen the suffering of their civilian population. This was as a consequence of a deal that was brokered by the international community who were concerned about the suffering of the igbo civilian population and the death and hardship that the blockade was causing to them. Unfortunately Ojukwu turned this down flatly and instead insisted that the food should be flown into Biafra by air in the dead of the night. This was unacceptable to the Federal Government because it meant that the Biafrans could, and indeed would, have used such night flights to smuggle badly needed arms and ammunition into their country for usage by their soldiers. That was where the problem came from and that was the issue. Quite apart from that Ojukwu found it expedient and convenient to allow his people to starve to death and to broadcast it on television screens all over the world in order to attract sympathy for the igbo cause and for propaganda purposes. And this worked beautifully for him.

Ambassador Ralph Uweche, who was the Special Envoy to France for the Biafran Government during the civil war and who is the leader of Ohaeneze, the leading igbo political and socio-cultural organisation today, attested to this in his excellent book titled ‘’Reflections On The Nigerian Civil War’’. That book was factual and honest and I would urge people like Achebe to go and read it well. The self-serving role of Ojukwu and many of the Biafran intelligensia and elites and their insensitivity to the suffering of their own people during the course of the war was well enunciated in that book. The fact of the matter is that the starvation and suffering of hundreds of thousands of igbo men, women and children during the civil war was seen and used as a convenient tool of propaganda by Ojukwu and that is precisely why he rejected the offer of a food corridor by the Nigerian Government. When those that belong to the post civil war generation of the igbo are wondering who was responsible for the genocide and mass starvation of their forefathers during the war they must firstly look within themselves and point their fingers at their own past leaders and certainly not Awolowo or Gowon. The person that was solely responsible for that suffering, for that starvation and for those slow and painful deaths was none other than Colonel Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the leader of Biafra, himself.[/b]


this elderly achebe,still could make money from such calamity that befell the igbos.it is really sad.

Monkey, what is your problem with Prof Achebe?. He saw war, took part in war, lost relatives and family members very close to him. As a writer, do you expect him not to write about this dark history of his people. Let me tell you, Achebe is a richman and he is not writing for the money. So get a life, brain-dead monkey.

onomeasike: I have often wondered why this achebe man,despite the popularity of his 'things fall apart' could still not get a nobel prize for literature even 25 years after Wole Soyinka got it.In fact,I thought the nobel award selection team is only bidding its time until I realize that ACHEBE was,is and has never been a nobel prize material.His books are purely for subsistence,he writes and promotes his books to make mass sales and earn royalty to satisfy his love for filthy lucre.I now know why Wole Soyinka is far far ahead of achebe,despite being younger than Achebe and his books less commercially rewarding than Achebe's.Achebe and his 'smart alec' publishers should even lobby the low-rate south east governors to make it a textbook for their ibo students.shiorrr

Another rossikfool in making,i pray and hope you do not start claiming igbo soon when the war of this topic start heating you up. Pls don't quote me rather ask Rossikfool what i mean.

just recently,perhaps sensing that sales of 'things fall apart' is falling and he needs to make the forbes lists of billionaires,this man acting in cohort with his publishers organized a grand rebranding of the book,the man,in a rare commercial ingenuity,celebrated the 50th birthday of the book in a grand style .methinks,the rebranding effort did not work and the need to unleash this literary perfidy.He is teaching younger ibo elements that commercial literature is much more than passion for literary excellence.I hope he spends more years on earth to read his obituary while enjoying the royalty he makes from gullible buyers of the book.

although,unlike wole soyinka,achebe was from a poor uneducated parents,achebe like a typical anambra man,will do anything to make money.During the war,he was fully aware and involved in the broadcast of children starved by biafran soldiers as a war propaganda tool but when he needed money and the rebranding of 'things fall apart' has failed,he developed amnesia,he wants to ride on the popularity of awo to make money,he wrote a book not on awolowo but deliberately inserted the offending line to make money.I will not buy the book.I am glad to hear yoruba leaders saying they will not buy the book.achebe should continue to rip off his gullible customers.The incontrovertible truth is that Achebe was one of the people who turned a blind eye to ojukwu's heartless decision to steal food from the civilians.

although,unlike wole soyinka,achebe was from a poor uneducated parents,achebe like a typical anambra man,will do anything to make money.During the war,he was fully aware and involved in the broadcast of children starved by biafran soldiers as a war propaganda tool but when he needed money and the rebranding of 'things fall apart' has failed,he developed amnesia,he wants to ride on the popularity of awo to make money,he wrote a book not on awolowo but deliberately inserted the offending line to make money.I will not buy the book.I am glad to hear yoruba leaders saying they will not buy the book.achebe should continue to rip off his gullible customers.The incontrovertible truth is that Achebe was one of the people who turned a blind eye to ojukwu's heartless decision to steal food from the civilians during the war.

onomeasike: although,unlike wole soyinka,achebe was from a poor uneducated parents,achebe like a typical anambra man,will do anything to make money.During the war,he was fully aware and involved in the broadcast of children starved by biafran soldiers as a war propaganda tool but when he needed money and the rebranding of 'things fall apart' has failed,he developed amnesia,he wants to ride on the popularity of awo to make money,he wrote a book not on awolowo but deliberately inserted the offending line to make money.I will not buy the book.I am glad to hear yoruba leaders saying they will not buy the book.achebe should continue to rip off his gullible customers.The incontrovertible truth is that Achebe was one of the people who turned a blind eye to ojukwu's heartless decision to steal food from the civilians during the war.

Hater take this:

I will pay anything to have the marketing plan for this book.This achebe oldman deliberately endorsed the marketing plan that as soon as the book is concluded,circulate this offensive paragraph on awo ,the controversy begins and watch orders for the book rise.Even an internet rookie can lay hands on awo's response on the internet,this agbaaya ignored it.With elders like achebe in iboland,they can never ever be united.even if biafra succeeds,this man tear biafra apart,he would make money from aguleri-umuleri war by writing a commercial story in favor of one of the sides.even at 81,he appears to need more money than a teenager!!

onomeasike: I will pay anything to have the marketing plan for this book.This achebe oldman deliberately endorsed the marketing plan that as soon as the book is concluded,circulate this offensive paragraph on awo ,the controversy begins and watch orders for the book rise.Even an internet rookie can lay hands on awo's response on the internet,this agbaaya ignored it.With elders like achebe in iboland,they can never ever be united.even if biafra succeeds,this man tear biafra apart,he would make money from aguleri-umuleri war by writing a commercial story in favor of one of the sides.even at 81,he appears to need more money than a teenager!!

Are you by chance the monkey I fed with peanuts at the zoo yesterday?. You behave like one.

I saw this comment in commentary section of sun newspapers website..
Onu OtileOctober 8, 2012 at 12:26 pm - Reply


Nigerians!!! World Watch Org has ordered 4million of this book and it will be sold at reduced price. We followed the events of the war and we agree with what the book is saying.


very gullible people,the money they can not use to support ibo people dying in refugee camps located in achebe's anambra,they are making a billionaire out of filthy-rich achebe.and still,achebe will not bring the money he makes from selling mischief to iboland.at least we have heard of wole soyinka's prize for this and that,okorocha's prize for this and that,not achebe,not the anambraman,they do not toy with their money.unfortunately,the anambra man sees himself as the prime ibo.Achebe is making money even as I write,ripping off his fellow ibos!!

CLOSED CLOSED CLOSED

despite all the money he has made and he is still going to make from commercialising mischief,till date,I stand to be corrected,till date no single tangible thing can be associated with this man in the whole of iboland,even in his native anambra state.I am sure he is also one of the people that had promoted that story that all ibos originate from anambra state,no doubt,he and other anambra indigenes had benefited generously from this.Right now as I write,his people in anambra state have been been severely ravaged by flood.Other well meaning ibo leaders have donated materials to help this people,achebe will never.Achebe is desperate to make money even at 81.

onomeasike: despite all the money he has made and he is still going to make from commercialising mischief,till date,I stand to be corrected,till date no single tangible thing can be associated with this man in the whole of iboland,even in his native anambra state.I am sure he is also one of the people that had promoted that story that all ibos originate from anambra state,no doubt,he and other anambra indigenes had benefited generously from this.Right now as I write,his people in anambra state have been been severely ravaged by flood.Other well meaning ibo leaders have donated materials to help this people,achebe will never.Achebe is desperate to make money even at 81.

what is your problem?

if soyinka wrote the same book would you have complained.


sidon.

I suspect that those whose fathers served in the biafran army can not be exonerated.Anytime you come across one,know that he is probably one of those miadviced soldiers who obeyed Ojukwu's order that food provided by Awo for the civilians be stolen.[b]I have a great hunch that most of the most vociferous ibos on nairaland like Ngidigha,OnlyunTRUTH,Obiagu et al are the descendants of those soldiers that starved the civilians.[/b]They kept feeding the peolple lies to curry their favor.It is this legacy of peddling falsehood that they inherited from their fathers like Achebe.I pity a society that have the likes of achebe as leaders,they are called worthless elders.

onomeasike: I suspect that those whose fathers served in the biafran army can not be exonerated.Anytime you come across one,know that he is probably one of those miadviced soldiers who obeyed Ojukwu's order that food provided by Awo for the civilians be stolen.[b]I have a great hunch that most of the most vociferous ibos on nairaland like Ngidigha,OnlyunTRUTH,Obiagu et al are the descendants of those soldiers that starved the civilians.[/b]They kept feeding the peolple lies to curry their favor.It is this legacy of peddling falsehood that they inherited from their fathers like Achebe.I pity a society that have the likes of achebe as leaders,they are called worthless elders.

ohhh...you were saying what...?

GhostFaceKiller:

what is your problem?

if soyinka wrote the same book would you have complained.


sidon.

if Soyinka had written this book,he would have being more responsible than this vanity-loving professor.Infact,Soyinka is too much.A rookie journalist or author will not act in such a silly manner.He made a weighty allegation against a dead man without a single mention of the man's response when he was alive even though he is fully aware that the rebuttal exists.The fallout of his carelessness is now attained epidemic prorpotion among gullible ibo lads.He,like typical anambra man,can not make a rational decision when he stands to make money.With his irresponsible behaviour,he has put even relationships in jeopardy and made those of us who look up to him to suffer serious disappoibtment.What would achebe lose if he had insisted that Awo's rebuttal be included in the book.Apparently,he knows the book will not sell and he wont make money.If you have elders like achebe,I am sorry,you dont have responsible elders in anambra!

onomeasike:

if Soyinka had written this book,he would have being more responsible than this vanity-loving professor.Infact,Soyinka is too much.A rookie journalist or author will not act in such a silly manner.He made a weighty allegation against a dead man without a single mention of the man's response when he was alive even though he is fully aware that the rebuttal exists.The fallout of his carelessness is now attained epidemic prorpotion among gullible ibo lads.He,like typical anambra man,can not make a rational decision when he stands to make money.With his irresponsible behaviour,he has put even relationships in jeopardy and made those of us who look up to him to suffer serious disappoibtment.What would achebe lose if he had insisted that Awo's rebuttal be included in the book.Apparently,he knows the book will not sell and he wont make money.If you have elders like achebe,I am sorry,you dont have responsible elders in anambra!

is AWO not human? is he God?
go and worry about the impending boko jihad coming soon to a baale near you and live the man alone. or is he not guaranteed his freedom of speech?

Ngodigha1:
Monkey, what is your problem with Prof Achebe?. He saw war, took part in war, lost relatives and family members very close to him. As a writer, do you expect him not to write about this dark history of his people. Let me tell you, Achebe is a richman and he is not writing for the money. So get a life, brain-dead monkey.

Yeah right!!! Achebe is just another 'I will do anything for money' igboid. A typical igbo trader. It is now evident that igboid nation don't think clearly before they act.

I and many others I know will not buy this book,we will not make this irresponsible elder richer.with his insatiable appetite for filthy lucre,he has technically rubbished effort by ibos to get the 2015 presidency and additional state.Who will vote an ibo as president with this achebe proaganda that they foolishly endorsed!!While there are elders like Emeka Anyaoku,Gen nwachukwu,prof Ike,igwe of Oko,prof Laz Ekwueme in iboland,it is,typical of ibos,irresponsible one like achebe that appears as a sore thumb.His love of money took the better part of him.Imagine homes where the man is ibo and the wife yoruba,the man would now feed his ibo children with this nonsense from achebe and the children will still remain comfortable among their maternal relations?

you need to imagine the proportion of security challenge this would have unleashed if the Yoruba give the ibos in their midst the 'fulani' treatment.innocent lives,promising and brilliant souls may have been killed by now.It is an indication that God loves us in this country!!If this is the kind of character that they promote and worship as elders in iboland ,iboland is accursed.The ibos will never ever be trusted with people like achebe promoting their standard cultural values.

onomeasike: you need to imagine the proportion of security challenge this would have unleashed if the Yoruba give the ibos in their midst the 'fulani' treatment.innocent lives,promising and brilliant souls may have been killed by now.It is an indication that God loves us in this country!!If this is the kind of character that they promote and worship as elders in iboland ,iboland is accursed.The ibos will never ever be trusted with people like achebe promoting their standard cultural values.

you are nothing but hot air full of hate.

GhostFaceKiller:

you are nothing but hot air full of hate.

I will rather be nothing than become a-good-for-nothing agba oshika,an elder who thrives in creating disension and acrimony.So many ibo,since after the war,had been blessing to this nation and the yoruba inclusive.from kanu ndubuisi,a former govnor of Lagos who even served and governed lagos better than oyinlola-a yorubaman,the likes of Ben Akabueze who will soon make history as the best and longest serving commissioner of economic planning and budget,Joe igbokwe,ACN spokesman and DG of an important LASG agency and so many hardworking trusthworthy ibos in yoruland.Where do you place the contributions of these great people who the yoruba have come to love and respect.At least to them,a responsible achebe should have included the awo's rebuttal so younger elements and gullible ibolads like you would appreciate the basis of the sacrifice being made by ibos living outside iboland and of those who died in the war.This achebe will be the nemesis of the ibo nation.By now,he must have sold many copies and made money but how can he right the wrong.This kind of elders will destroy biafra even if there was such a country.

Nigerians should understand that even though they wish igbos to be all wiped out doing the war by now you people will not see any igbo person on NL to chat with.So you have to understand your atrocities and cold blooded massacre committed and still committing by you people till date better go and ask GOD for cleansing and forgiveness for the country to progress,stop playing GOD...

onomeasike:

I will rather be nothing than become a-good-for-nothing agba oshika,an elder who thrives in creating disension and acrimony.So many ibo,since after the war,had been blessing to this nation and the yoruba inclusive.from kanu ndubuisi,a former govnor of Lagos who even served and governed lagos better than oyinlola-a yorubaman,the likes of Ben Akabueze who will soon make history as the best and longest serving commissioner of economic planning and budget,Joe igbokwe,ACN spokesman and DG of an important LASG agency and so many hardworking trusthworthy ibos in yoruland.Where do you place the contributions of these great people who the yoruba have come to love and respect.At least to them,a responsible achebe should have included the awo's rebuttal so younger elements and gullible ibolads like you would appreciate the basis of the sacrifice being made by ibos living outside iboland and of those who died in the war.This achebe will be the nemesis of the ibo nation.By now,he must have sold many copies and made money but how can he right the wrong.This kind of elders will destroy biafra even if there was such a country.

you make me sick with all this hate. I hope I never meet you in real life. You are one pathetic and for sure one ugly individual.

Do the world a favor and die.

let him go on poisoning your wretched mind while he makes his money.It is the ibos that making the old vanity-loving professor richer.Ask your father or fathers to appease the soul of those innocent children they starved.This is the part of the truth achebe does not want you to know.Since the war ended,has the love among ibos grown or has the love an iboman has for iboland grown?Even achebe would not come to anambra.Just like,okonkwo sacrificed Ikemefuna and suffered the consequence.Your fathers who starved those dead people will suffer huge consequences which include that they and their descendants will not find peace in their abode in iboland,their joy will be scattered abroad and they shall fight one another whenever opprtunity for progress presents itself.You and your fathers must atone for your wickedness.