I so much love the way in which Mazi Achebe, without guns,rifles or bombs, yet he shoots and hauls his targets many fits above the ground before smashing their big old fat and boneless heads against a very rocky surface with his bitter facts.

He criticised them for what he described as “hubris, overweening pride and thoughtlessness, which invite envy and hatred or even worse that can obsess the mind with material success and dispose it to all kinds of crude showiness.”

He added that “contemporary Igbo behavior(that) cab offend by its noisy exhibitionism and disregard for humility and quietness.

Sayth the man who wrote this

“I have written in my small book entitled The Trouble with Nigeria that Nigerians will probably achieve consensus on no other matter than their common resentment of the Igbo,” he wrote under the heading, A History of Ethnic Tension and Resentment. He traced the origin of “the national resentment of the Igbo” to its culture that “gave the Igbo man an unquestioned advantage over his compatriots in securing credentials for advancement in Nigerian colonial society.”

He observed that the Igbo culture’s emphasis on change, individualism and competitiveness gave his ethnic group an edge over the Hausa/Fulani man who was hindered by a “wary religion” and the Yoruba man who was hampered by” traditional hierarchies.”

He therefore described the Igbo, who are predominantly Catholic, as “fearing no god or man, was “custom-made to grasp the opportunities, such as they were, of the white man’s dispensations. And the Igbo did so with both hands.”

He delved into history with his claim, asserting that the Igbo overcame the earlier Yoruba advantage within two decades earlier in the twentieth century.

“Although the Yoruba had a huge historical and geographical head start, the Igbo wiped out their handicap in one fantastic burst of energy in the twenty years between 1930 and 1950.”

He narrated the earlier advantage of Yoruba as contingent on their location on the coastline, but once the missionaries crossed the Niger, the Igbo took advantage of the opportunity and overtook the Yoruba.

‘The increase was so exponential in such a short time that within three short decades the Igbos had closed the gap and quickly moved ahead as the group with the highest literacy rate, the highest standard of living, and the greatest of citizens with postsecondary education in Nigeria,” he contended.

Yesterday it was Elechi Amadi today it is Chinua Achebe! Why are the elderly of today not choosing their words with wisdom? Am IGBO by the way and I don't see myself as superior to others neither do I see others as superior to me! Things have indeed fallen apart.

Nigerians do not hate Igbos. Nigerians ignore igbos because of the noise they make and also their thieving tendencies.

who cares what he thinks, he might be suffering from Alzheimer disease, or dementia or even aging for all care.

I am at a lost, I don't know why a man on his way to his grave will deliberately want to leave disaffection behind, with every sense of respect Prof. where is the wisdom of old age in all you doing , I advice Prof. To Think about the legacy he want to leave behind.

Why do igbo pple like making so much noice, I tink we shud jail dem all in kirikiri maximum prison

i still believe hausas dominate every space of our national life except the topmost position(presidency).but have we known peace since then even as other tribes kept mute throughout their decades of misrule of this country? swap hausa with the igbo that has been shoved aside over the years,this country would ve become somalia part 2 for a loooog time.

Statements like will make ppl hate d igbos more. This man is fast loosing regards who's achieved inn life.

He is only fanning the hatred.

When has believing in yourself and that no measure put against you whether by your religion or government(colonial hardship or barriers) became "looking down" on others?

Coldfeet: Yesterday it was Elechi Amadi today it is Chinua Achebe! Why are the elderly of today not choosing their words with wisdom? Am IGBO by the way and I don't see myself as superior to others neither do I see others as superior to me! Things have indeed fallen apart.

The Envy and hatred of Igbos was evident and obvious under our colonial masters yet they supported 'One Nigeria'. . . Achebe is definitely a 'bad loser'. . . Let him keep his fictions coming, you never can tell, one of these days he might just life-long wish of N**** L******* Prize.

Huu huu! Another yeye reason to continue doing the hate which you always love to display blindly?

bknight: Statements like will make ppl hate d igbos more. This man is fast loosing regards who's achieved inn life.

He is only fanning the hatred.

It is a well established fact that Nigerians are PATHOLOGICAL HATERS OF TRUTH.

If there is a terminal disease called Truthocoma, Nigerians definitely suffer from this disease.

What Nigerians don't know is that Achebe is a man over 80 years old, and his latest Book THERE WAS A COUNTRY from which most of these people draw quotes, was not written today.

The man took his time, over MANY YEARS to chronicle and package the truth, and POWERFULLY DELIVERED IT TO DEVASTATING EFFECT.

I am Igbo, and I TOTALLY AGREE WITH HIS ASSESSMENT OF IGBO in that book.
Why can't Nigerians FOR ONCE IN THEIR PATHETIC LIVES accept the OPEN TRUTH WHICH KEEPS THEM AWAKE AT NIGHTS?

I would advise every Igbo person to pick up a copy of that book, read and meditate on it, and get ready to take on Nigerians.

Ignorance cost us dearly in the past. You do not have any more reason to remain ignorant.

If Nigerians have sworn to hate and never accept the truth, the least you can do is embrace the truth and get ready for their next round of evil plots.

Here I stand!

okosodo: Hausa goat, e go soon set 4 una head

I de tell you.

I think this prof shd keep quiet someone shd tell him to come back to Nigeria and stop hiding in America saying differenthru bush everyday or is he getting delusional. Ppl interact on individual level and not as a group. Can I relate to the whole of Bini thru one person, no. Ppl are individuals and different. sha everybody is entitled to his own opinion. The prof is still living in the pastsomebody needs to wake him up

Come to think of it, the claim by the prof that the cause of the Igbo being able to attain their "cultural superiority" and leapfrog the other ethnicity and nationalities was due to a "sudden burst of energy...in a space of about 10 years...," is not only myopic and childish, it is laughable at best. Someone should inform the prof, that a people's cultural bent does not change, most definitely not the fundamentals of a culture, and certainly not in a space of a mere ten years!

In any case, if the prof would stick to that funny view or belief or claim, what happened to/where were these people of which he writes centuries before this "sudden burst of energy?" And what makes him (the prof) so sure that that "sudden burst of energy" would not soon wane/fade/out-developed, et cetera, thus allowing other ethnicity/nationalities to, in turn, "leapfrog" his own clan, so to speak?

Funny man with this he is, this prof. Moreover, the only permanent thing in life, wisdom has taught us, is change.

One thing is very sure, the man is senile and has lost it.
He is what we call an agbaya in yoruba land (am waiting for response to this).
This man is creating unnecessary enmity for his kinsmen and worse still, they too would take it as the gospel truth and become impossible.
In fact, the ibos are gods managing nigeria with us.
The man is even a religious bigot and with his doctorate doesn't seen to know the history of christianity.
He is too myopic to even acknowledge a single virtue from other tribes, while the only offense of his people is because they are too good and show it too the world.

No need worrying yourself my dear, cos there is no "KIRIKIRI PRISON" as bad as your nigeria in the whole wide world,even the name nigerianistan is scary.

yeye4live: Why do igbo pple like making so much noice, I tink we shud jail dem all in kirikiri maximum prison

Ashebe is a senile cripple who doesnt knw that already

Noiseless2: When has believing in yourself and that no measure put against you whether by your religion or government(colonial hardship or barriers) became "looking down" on others?

The same rhetoric made Hitler wipe out the Jewellers Jews in Europe...

This man has lost it! How can you gauge the success/achievement of a group on individualism? - Achebe isn't really an intelligent man after all...Perhaps, that's why it's easier for other groups to manipulate Igbos and cause divisions among them...

Looking at the scheme of things in Nigeria from the outside, Igbos are a nomadic people, hence why they are more hardworking/industrious when they move to settle outside their abode to survive - that isn't rocket science... The same can be said about Nigerian immigrants in Europe and America, when you compare their individual success rate to those who're indigenous to those places... Does that make them 'special' humans? Hell NO! It's just the human survival spirit at work...

With that being said, have Igbos achieved more than other ethnic groups in Nigeria? Hell No!! I can also argue that Hausa/Fulani are the most underrated people in Nigeria because you need a higher level of intelligence and savviness to be able to hold a country as big as Nigeria on the choke-hold with inpunity - the way they have done..

However, all the Southern ethnic groups at par with one another in terms of achievement and success vis-a-vis their population...

Finally, Achebe is either senile, unintelligent, or just dishonest...

But our one and only Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka did not disagree with Prof. Chinua Achebe.

Quoting some paragraphs will not do until you have read the whole book.

May I recommend you also read my own more nationalistic and more realistic book
In the House of Dogs [Kindle Edition]
http://www.amazon.com/In-House-Dogs-ebook/dp/B0065KCBE2

“In the House of Dogs” is an unapologetic mirror of the contemporary Nigerian society with polemical commentaries and essays with humorous anecdotes on the Nigerian; focusing on critical issues of education, romance, marriage, religion, politics and other matters in twelve chapters by a single narrator.

Previewers have compared it to Chinua Achebe’s "The Trouble with Nigeria", but noted that it has more depth since it has addressed more contemporary issues on the facts of life in Nigeria in the first decade of the 21st century within universal perspectives.

alj harem: one would agree with me that this man is an IDEEEEIOT. Take it or leave it

I usually don't insult icons but this achebe of a man is a big mumu. Ideeiot

. Pot calling Kettel Black,and insulting an elderly man that is old enof to be ur grandfather.21st century fool!!!!

To be honest, Igbos need to work as a cohesive unit - and strive to survive as a group, rather than making noise about their individualism... Stay divided and people would continue to manipulate you - and use you at will... No group in history has survived based on individuality/individual success and being nomadic - you guys will end up like the Gypsies of Europe... That's the honest truth!!

Individualism is good in short term - but you can never survive as a group with that mentality...

You might as well commit suicide whenever you hear the word Igbo, the fact remains the Igbos don't want to belong in the same country with your likes so get over it.

shymexx: The same rhetoric made Hitler wipe out the Jewellers Jews in Europe...

This man has lost it! How can you gauge the success/achievement of a group on individualism? - Achebe isn't really an intelligent man after all...Perhaps, that's why it's easier for other groups to manipulate Igbos and cause divisions among them...

Looking at the scheme of things in Nigeria from the outside, Igbos are a nomadic people, hence why they are more hardworking/industrious when they move to settle outside their abode to survive - that isn't rocket science... The same can be said about Nigerian immigrants in Europe and America, when you compare their individual success rate to those who're indigenous to those places... Does that make them 'special' humans? Hell NO! It's just the human survival spirit at work...

With that being said, have Igbos achieved more than other ethnic groups in Nigeria? Hell No!! I can also argue that Hausa/Fulani are the most underrated people in Nigeria because you need a higher level of intelligence and savviness to be able to hold a country as big as Nigeria on the choke-hold with inpunity - the way they have done..

However, all the Southern ethnic groups at par with one another in terms of achievement and success vis-a-vis their population...

Finally, Achebe is either senile, unintelligent, or just dishonest...