If you don't appreciate what you have, strangers will do so for you.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsAzcgKVI5g

Achebe is appreciated in Nigeria. It's only the 5 loudest nairalanders that care to degrade themselves and trap themselves in contempt by trying to attack one of Africa's greatest men to defend a politician who isn't known outside of Nigeria and in 60+ years of living didn't change life for Nigerians what so ever outside of giving them someone to vote for (though when given a chance to vote, they chose another over him).

Achebe has changed to course of African history. He has made it possible and normal to write about africa and an african. Something that seems and sounds so normal to us didn't exist before him. There was always a western context that we had to see ourselves from. If it wasn't demonizing ourselves, it was falsely praising ourselves and over playing our 'glory' by linking ourselves to things the west values.

then came a man who wrote of honorable Africans than did dishonorable things at times like any human beings. He wrote honestly about the ills of his own culture as well as it's values. He gave us a context to see ourselves and with his knowledge, immortalized some of Africa's greatest traditions by putting them down on paper for the world. In my high school in America, it is standard requirement that students read Things Fall Apart once they have reach an advanced level in the 11th grade (SS3 i believe). The day before the book reading starts they are made to learn how to pronounce the names in the book.

there are 4-5 people on Nairaland that place politics above humanity and their only understanding of progress is having someone from their group of 10s and millions of people get a government post and send his children abroad to school and wife abroad for surgery. Politicians don't represent progress in Africa and Achebe has presented something greater for and from Nigeria than independence it's self. Freedom of the mind. Ownership of our narrative and our history. Ka chi gozie ndi oma.

.

Wow

.

I feel proud of late Achebe even when he's late.

onto the next one

He was a prolific writer

Human beings shaa they prefer the dead more than the living,may his soul rest in peace .

Great man.

Prof Chinua Achebe!

One of the bravest men Africa EVER produced.

I read the book, 'there was a country' and now i understand why Nigeria would NEVER be the same.

I HOPE the spirit showed by the IGBO during those perilous times you spoke about never dies out.

If we are ever to be great as a country, mediocrity must never take the place of meritocracy. Nigeria has done that before and we all are still paying for it.

Chinua Achebe!!!

Your spirit lives ON!

Nice

As in Brown University? one of the ivy league schools?
Am impressed!

Like seriously who told you we do not appreciate what we had? and even if we do not like you claim, Haven't it been said that a prophet is not honoured at home?" But mind you, Achebe is well respected in Africa nay the world. He is a literary icon/figure,Genius,master-story teller and a critic who cannot be ignored even if you chose to.
Respect to the legend!!!
Even though he may have had his flaws,it just represents the fallibility of the homo sapiens referred to as humans, who err.

*doffs hat*

Exactly the same way he would have bn easily forgotten if he only lived for Nigeria; its sad but the country is s*ucked....we all are. Maybe we can start building new morals & values with our children. I blame every thing to narrow thinking of the black man even though civilisation caused the changes, we should have bn wise enough to know where to stop it. China did it, the arab emirate is doing it. Why can't Nigeria? Narrow thought of blacks.

A mind so great.
Beauty, even in death.
A resonance that echoes tales told and retold.
Glory far beyond comprehension for the feeble minded.
A pen more ferocious than the finest of steel.

Achebe, you came, saw and unequivocally conquered.
The world dare not forget.
R.I.P

[quote author=]Achebe is appreciated in Nigeria. It's only the 5 loudest nairalanders that care to degrade themselves and trap themselves in contempt by trying to attack one of Africa's greatest men to defend a politician who isn't known outside of Nigeria and in 60+ years of living didn't change life for Nigerians what so ever outside of giving them someone to vote for (though when given a chance to vote, they chose another over him).

Achebe has changed to course of African history. He has made it possible and normal to write about africa and an african. Something that seems and sounds so normal to us didn't exist before him. There was always a western context that we had to see ourselves from. If it wasn't demonizing ourselves, it was falsely praising ourselves and over playing our 'glory' by linking ourselves to things the west values.

then came a man who wrote of honorable Africans than did dishonorable things at times like any human beings. He wrote honestly about the ills of his own culture as well as it's values. He gave us a context to see ourselves and with his knowledge, immortalized some of Africa's greatest traditions by putting them down on paper for the world. In my high school in America, it is standard requirement that students read Things Fall Apart once they have reach an advanced level in the 11th grade (SS3 i believe). The day before the book reading starts they are made to learn how to pronounce the names in the book.

there are 4-5 people on Nairaland that place politics above humanity and their only understanding of progress is having someone from their group of 10s and millions of people get a government post and send his children abroad to school and wife abroad for surgery. Politicians don't represent progress in Africa and Achebe has presented something greater for and from Nigeria than independence it's self. Freedom of the mind. Ownership of our narrative and our history. Ka chi gozie ndi oma. [/quote] He is dead he lives on.... RIP

who is chiunua achebe?

Kingsley OGBITI: He was a prolific writer

He wasn't. A prolific writer is one that writes in the three genres of literature - drama, prose and poetry - like Wole Soyinka.

That day dreamer!

Ola Johnson:
He wasn't. A prolific writer is one that writes in the three genres of literature - drama, prose and poetry - like Wole Soyinka.

Bigot!!!! So dats d meaning of being a prolific writer? Well,I don't blame u,I blame d substandard education u achieved and I blame d past govt for that....fool

onyewec3:


Bigot!!!! So dats d meaning of being a prolific writer? Well,I don't blame u,I blame d substandard education u achieved and I blame d past govt for that....fool

You've just described yourself after a long ignorance of whom you're, Onyewe? You see, you name says it.

BIAFRAN NATIONAL ANTHEM
Land of the rising sun, we love and cherish, beloved homeland of our brave heroes; we must defend our lives or we shall perish,
We shall protect our hearth from all our foes; but if the price is death for all we hold dear,
Then let us die without a shred of fear.
Hail to Biafra, consecrated nation, Oh Fatherland, this is our solemn pledge: Defending thee shall be a dedication, spilling our blood we'l count a privilege;
The waving standard which emboldens the free shall always be our flag of liberty.
We shall emerge triumphant from this ordeal, and through the crucible unscathed we'll pass;
when we are poised the wounds of battle to heal, we shall remember those who died in mass;
Then shall our trumpets peal the glorious song of victory we scored o'er might and wrong.
Oh God, protect us from the hidden pitfall, Guide all our movements lest we go astray; Give us the strength to heed the humanist call:
''To give and not to count the cost'' each day; Bless those who rule to serve with resoluteness, to make this clime of land of righteousness.
I hate Britain, I never liked russia right from when I was still a foetus, I hate Nigeria till I die. I love israel, france, portugal, Norway, tanzania, haiti, etc
I love Wole soyinka, I love CHINUA ACHEBE AND mostly love my PARENTS.

Ola Johnson:
He wasn't. A prolific writer is one that writes in the three genres of literature - drama, prose and poetry - like Wole Soyinka.

Go and seek a refund from the schools you have attended so far.

Prolific writer means intellectually creative person who writes professionally.
Chinua Achebe was a prolific writer.

A great man... Perhaps, the greatest Nigerian of all times. Adieu Achebe, the Legend, the oracle of African Literature!

jmoore:
Go and seek a refund from the schools you have attended so far.

Prolific writer means intellectually creative person who writes professionally.
Chinua Achebe was a prolific writer.

I know your problem, it's your name - Jamboree. You play a lot. Get serious and pity your parents. They spend money to see that you're educated. In literature, a prolific writer is one that writes in all three genres.

9jadelta: who is chiunua achebe?

A literary god who changed the black race by reconnecting them to their roots.

charcoalblaq: Prof Chinua Achebe!

One of the bravest men Africa EVER produced.

I read the book, 'there was a country' and now i understand why Nigeria would NEVER be the same.

I HOPE the spirit showed by the IGBO during those perilous times you spoke about never dies out.

If we are ever to be great as a country, mediocrity must never take the place of meritocracy. Nigeria has done that before and we all are still paying for it.

Chinua Achebe!!!

Your spirit lives ON!

I totally concur with you. I am also reading the book: I am short of words to describe it. How many of the so-called critics know that the first mention of Awo in the book is one of praise for his political astuteness?

Ola Johnson:
He wasn't. A prolific writer is one that writes in the three genres of literature - drama, prose and poetry - like Wole Soyinka.

They have come again o. Soyinka is a Master of Drama but FLOPPED in prose and poetry. Achebe WAS a grandmaster of Prose. Soyinka was more like a jack of all trades

Riba_man:

I totally concur with you. I am also reading the book: I am short of words to describe it. How many of the so-called critics know that the first mention of Awo in the book is one of praise for his political astuteness?

Any Nigerian that fails to read that book will never understand why we are the way we are. Nigeria's stunted growth is well explained in the book. I have read the book and have saved it for all my children.

Ola Johnson:
He wasn't. A prolific writer is one that writes in the three genres of literature - drama, prose and poetry - like Wole Soyinka.

Huh?

I thought a prolific writer was one who just produced a lot of work.

A quick course over the writings of Soyinka and Achebe shows that they are evenly matched in the number of works published.

And the most prolific writers in the world typically specialize in one genre of literature.

Barbara Cartland is noted to be an all time prolific writer with over 700 novels published but her works are mostly romance novels.

Enid Blyton wrote over 600 books but these were children's books.

Then there is Agatha Christie with mystery novels, R.L. Stine with Horror novels for kids, Issac Asimov with science fiction, all with published works in their hundreds.

You then have folks like James A. Michener (specializes in historical epics) who have published way more works than either Soyinka or Achebe with an average book spanning over 1000 pages each.

A lot of these prolific writers are not regarded as literary geniuses by the way.