We seem to be interested in Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe only. Nobody is saying anything about the civil war and Wole Soyinka telling Emeka Ojukwu not to go to war because "bluff is no substitute for bullet."

sweetcheecks:

Most influential African writer! How? To whom?

To your former president Nelson Mandela:

A statement of the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory said it offered its condolences to the Achebe family.

The former South African president and anti-apartheid fighter,who spent 27 years in jail, "referred to Prof Achebe as a writer 'in whose company the prison walls fell down'",the statement said.

Now please exit stage right.

You don't know Achebe but Mandela does. Wonders will never end...

sweetcheecks:
Just post one of those western media articles that calls Mandela " Father of Africa" Shym if you are not making this up. I have never heared that tittle before!

I dare you or you will be known as a lier ! He is always reffered to as " Father of a Nation".

This is disgraceful even if you do not like the man and no one is asking you to but do not lie!!!

Why would I want to lie? That ish makes me cringe every time I hear it.

Anyway, I'm multi-tasking, at the moment. I'll post the links in a bit.

Btw, no disrespect to Madiba - he isn't even the most influential South African to people from my school of thought. Steven Biko was the Don Capo and the father of black consciousness.

Ola Johnson:
CA can not be said to be the pioneer of modern literature. Where do you place D. O. Fagunwa and Amos Tutuola

These tribal tendencies are approaching the level of sheer madness.

Zet72:
Did I hear u say ws is more popular to Achebe in Africa, U are really silly & a big disgrace to whoever birthed u

Curb your emotions they look foolish on man/boy ( assuming you are one). I said I knew of Wole Soyinka not Achebe Chunebe. Do you have a problem with that?

Ola Johnson:
CA can not be said to be the pioneer of modern literature. Where do you place D. O. Fagunwa and Amos Tutuola

Firstly I do not not what is meant by "modern African literature" so I cannot say who is or is not a pioneer.Did I say that Achebe is the pioneer of modern literature ,When,where . At any rate is there a law that says there must be ONLY ONE pioneer?

Certainly if by modern African Literature we mean the practise of publishing works in books then those names along with Achebe are pioneers as they are more or less contemporaries. I am happy you mention Fagunwa because it goes to my earlier point of "Must the work be in a European language or validated by Europeand or outside Africa even" In fact is there such a thing as African literature? Does it refer to geographical origin or do any other similariies in form and content exist? . I do not see how a work in Yoruba can be better judged by any other than the Yoruba and so we must ask is Yoruba literature "African enough"

aribisala0:
In 2007, he won the Man Booker International Prize, where judge Nadine Gordimer dubbed him the “father of modern African literature”. NOT Father of African Literature. This distinction is important so that when people see it they ask what is "Modern African Literature" and so we do not disrespect our ancestors and the great literary legacies they bequeathed us.

You are the true son of your father. Well done for this statement.

shymexx:

Why would I want to lie? That ish makes me cringe every time I hear it.

Anyway, I'm multi-tasking, at the moment. I'll post the links in a bit.

Btw, no disrespect to Madiba - he isn't even the most influential South African to people from my school of thought. Steven Biko was the Don Capo and the father of black consciousness.

You are lying!

Steve Biko died before many were even born. He was one of the greatest among many SA heros,including Maqoma, Sobukwe, Thambo, Mbeki, Mxenge etc too many to count. And for info our icons has their own special place and dont compete for greatness and are not forced on the world. We SAns are self centred you see, we are extroverts whatever gets out there is worth it other was we are very happy to create, enjoy and celebrate ourselves

Ola Johnson:
CA can not be said to be the pioneer of modern literature. Where do you place D. O. Fagunwa and Amos Tutuola

I know the problem=tribalism,assuming chinua Achebe was a yoruba man it would have been widely accepted by all,,All these ones u mentioned vanished with the dimlight.

I can clearly see why our brothers are denied to rule this country going by the level of comments and tribalism I have read from here . why must everything be based on tribalism ? Many people are just born to make nonsense comments. many dont even read the interview and some that dont even know how literature caucus works are just arguing on non sense. smh . too much of ego and tribal praises.

To those alluding jealousy to WS' candid interview. Most of you suffer from the "Nigerian Disease" the man spoke in length about in the same interview. Most Nigerians hate the truth and you lot live in your imaginary world. Africa isn't Nigeria alone and labelling someone "Father of African Literature" is absolutely disrespectful to the continent. Firstly, because literature itself is a very broad subject, and the late Achebe was only great in one aspect of it. Secondly, the "Father of African Literature" title follows the same storyline about Africa never achieving anything till after the post-colonial era.

Anyway, apart from giving an honest opinion about the "Father of African Literature" title(which he did based on his consciousness and his pride as an African). The man did cover-up for the late Achebe in certain areas he could have slighted him.

The excerpts below explain everything you need to know:

Well then, this prospect that “my 1986 Nobel Prize in literature poisoned my personal relationship with a supposedly resentful Achebe” – I think I shouldn’t dodge that either. Even if that was true – which I do not accept – it surely has dissipated over time. For heaven’s sake, over twenty-five people have taken the prize since then! The problem remains with those vicarious laureates who feel personally deprived, and thus refuse to let go. Chinua’s death was an opportunity to prise open that scab all over again. But they’ve now gone too far with certain posturings and should be firmly called to order, and silenced – in the name of decency.

Yes, these are the ones who, to co-opt your phrasing, “diminished (and still diminish) Chinua’s image”. In the main, they are, ironically, his assiduous – but basically opportunistic – hagiographers – especially of a clannish, cabalistic temperament. Chinua – we have to be frank here – also did not help matters. He did make one rather unfortunate statement that brought down the hornet’s nest on his head, something like: “The fact that Wole Soyinka was awarded the Nobel Prize does not make him the Asiwaju (Leader) of African literature”. I forget now what provoked that statement. Certainly it could not be traced to any such pretensions on my part. I only recollect that it was in the heat of some controversy – on a national issue, I think.

Prof Corruption: This is the tragedy of our era that a seminal interview of this nature is kept away from front page yet same front page is populated by inanities. This is one interview that ll be referenced for years because it put to shame dishonest individuals who have extracted more dubious political mileage than artistic value from literature.

1. There's no such thing as Father of African literature because there were copious publication far and wide in Africa even before Achebe and Soyinka came to our literary firmament. We even have the likes of Amos Tutuola who had next to nothing education yet wrote a readable fiction not to talk of folks who actually had a degree in English. The piece of Prof Okanlawon ably referenced by Soyinka is perhaps the biggest repudiation of this nonsense of a thing called Father of African literature.

2.I have seen people cited examples of Shakespeare et al to pontificate that a good writer does not necessarily need to win a Nobel. Laughable. If Shakespeare had lived during Nobel era, he would not just been a winner but perhaps a multiple one. There's something wrong with the works of a perennial nominee who failed to clinch the prize.

3.It's completely wrong to domesticate the literary squabble to Nigeria. Soyinka is better known as a playwright not novelist. Like Soyinka said, if you really want to compare, compare oranges with oranges and not just apples with oranges. The right authors to situate Achebe's artistic value with are those of Toni Morrison, Edouard Glissant, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Yambo Ouologuem, Nadine Gordimer, Naguib Mahfouz which are known for fiction. Many of these folks have won the Nobel Prize which again demonstrate in salient way there's something in Achebe's embodiment of works that is making it inferior to competition from other parts of the globe.

4.Achebe's most read novel, Things Fall Apart, is not his best. Arrow of God is better in richness, deployment of literary and artistic tools. This is the red flag that many conveniently ignore in their deification of Achebe and "arrogance of expectation" of Nobel prize on the alter of Things Fall Apart. Things Fall Apart is more successful as a political tool than a literary masterpiece. It's a counter narrative to repudiate the western imperial image of Africa.
Besides, half of the book is more or less a sociological chronicle of precolonial Alaigbo populated by the richness of Igbo proverbs, maxims and idioms which are not original to Achebe. That simple fact of course would not interest a common reader out there, but to literary practitioners? It's perhaps the most important factor.

5.Soyinka's comment on civil war is what some folks have refused to come to terms with on this forum, Nairaland, that the war was "unwinnable" from day one. Bluff is different from bullet. Instead of holding a man who launched a lost war responsible for dragging the entire Igbo into such a monumental mess, they would rather blame their opponents in the same war for no other reason than their refusal to be defeated. Biafra committed atrocities during the war very much same way like Nigeria. Personal animosities should not be elevated to tribal charges.

Above all, Achebe's place as a good story teller or one of the best masters of realism in literature is assured, Nobel or no Nobel. He was a readable writer.

Ahhh!!!! Gbayi!!!!!!!!

Bluff does not substitute bullets.
Why will Ojukwu mobilise his people for a war they weren't prepared for? A war they never had the wherewithal to fight? Ojukwu killed the Igbos, and not awolowo or Gowon.
Can anybody help me in this question....is nobel prize the greatest prize of all prizes? And if yes, can we say Wole soyinka is much more better and accomplished than Chinua achebe?

sweetcheecks:
You are lying!

Steve Biko died before many were even born. He was one of the greatest among many SA heros,including Maqoma, Sobukwe, Thambo, Mbeki, Mxenge etc too many to count. And for info our icons has their own special place and dont compete for greatness and are not forced on the world. We SAns are self centred you see, we are extroverts whatever gets out there is worth it other was we are very happy to create, enjoy and celebrate ourselves

I'm not lying, woman!

Steve Biko's still alive in our consciousness. Black consciousness and the way he defined it, is definitely what will take Africa to the "promised land." Black consciousness is now an ideology, a doctrine, a struggle, and a way of life. And the man was like 26/27 years old when he coined that term and defined what it should be about. The soul of Steven Bantu Biko lives on!!! He was the greatest!!

aribisala0:
Firstly I do not not what is meant by "modern African literature" so I cannot say who is or is not a pioneer.Did I say that Achebe is the pioneer of modern literature ,When,where . At any rate is there a law that says there must be ONLY ONE pioneer?

Certainly if by modern African Literature we mean the practise of publishing works in books then those names along with Achebe are pioneers as they are more or less contemporaries. I am happy you mention Fagunwa because it goes to my earlier point of "Must the work be in a European language or validated by Europeand or outside Africa even" In fact is there such a thing as African literature? Does it refer to geographical origin or do any other similariies in form and content exist? . I do not see how a work in Yoruba can be better judged by any other than the Yoruba and so we must ask is Yoruba literature "African enough"

I have chosen, as many others, to call Chinua Achebe “Father of African Literature”. Any fool who does not like my cherished endeavor can simply jump off the cliff.

Our WS at his best. This is one of the best interviews of Prof. Wole Soyinka.

This is what I see after reading so many comments in this thread...

If you are around the Igbo all you hear are boasts about his real and imaginary accomplishments. He is very vainglory seeking; he is title crazy (he wants to be called Dr. Professor Chief this or
that).

In personality structure the typical Igbo has traits of paranoia, narcissism and antisocial personality. He is paranoid because aware of his lack of existential worth, and instead of accepting that reality, he masks it with pretended worth; he pretends to have fictional worth.

Have you ever seen a humble Igbo man who does not present himself as god almighty himself even though he is a starving man? If you listened to these people boast you would think that they are as
powerful as the gods are supposed to be!

http://www.igbofocus.co.uk/html/the_igbo_problem_can_be_fixed.html

DerideGull:


Even drooling dingbats know about Chinua Achebe. Only an imbecilic ninny would write Achebe Chunebe as Chinua Achebe. Intellectuals have midgets among them too.

Am sorry for the misspelling. My bad!

sweetcheecks:

Seriously? This was a PR exercise! Are you kidding me you people are gullable. Mandela probably does not even know who or what Chinebe was. Duh!!! Now you sit Boobo sit!! Good dog!

I suggest you stop flaunting your crass ignorance in the public arena.

sweetcheecks:

Most influential African writer! How? To whom?

Maybe the below can help:



"American publishing and media company Forbes has named Nigerian novelist, Chinua Achebe better known as Chinua Achebe as the most influential celebrity in Africa.

Achebe ranks number one out of a list of 40 most influential celebrities which also includes actors, cerebral authors, musicians, movie producers, supermodels, TV personalities and athletes selected from all across the continent of Africa. The second position is occupied by Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour, while the third position by Ivorian footballer and Chelsea FC centre forward Didier Drogba"

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/10/achebe-is-africa%E2%80%99s-most-powerful-celebrity-forbes/


This has shown that Achebe remains the greatest African that affected lives all over the world. People all over the world tagged him the father of modern African Literature because of how is depth he works affected them unlike every other write of his time. The simple fact is that soyika is very bitter and jealous of Achebe towering profile even in death.

shymexx:

I'm not lying, woman!

Steve Biko's still alive in our consciousness. Black consciousness and the way he defined it, is definitely what will take Africa to the "promised land." Black consciousness is now an ideology, a doctrine, a struggle, and a way of life. And the man was like 26/27 years old when he coined that term and defined what it should be about. The soul of Steven Bantu Biko lives on!!! He was the greatest!!

You are not getting away with this that easy! Post your Mandela is a Father of Africa article!

From the comments I have read so far, I can see that many people here suffer from the Nigerian disease of hypocrisy and intellectual ignorance, because of their conceit and deceit. Miseducation is worse than no education.

sweetcheecks:

Seriously? This was a PR exercise! Are you kidding me you people are gullable. Mandela probably does not even know who or what Chinebe was. Duh!!! Now you sit Boobo sit!! Good dog!

If he doesn't know who he is why make a statement on his passing? Lots of people die, lots of famous Africans die why no statement from Mandela if its just "PR".

Even with the fall of apartheid you people still receive substandard education lmao.

purpleclouds:

To your former president Nelson Mandela:

A statement of the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory said it offered its condolences to the Achebe family.

The former South African president and anti-apartheid fighter,who spent 27 years in jail, "referred to Prof Achebe as a writer 'in whose company the prison walls fell down'",the statement said.

Now please exit stage right.

You don't know Achebe but Mandela does. Wonders will never end...

That is the final straw that sank this envious never-do well people.

Mandela knows Achebe but he doesn't. There is no Nigerian that did not pass through Achebe works, same cannot be said of that jobless old fool.

Achebe's works broke borders, other countries of the world could see and read it. Achebe is the champion of Africa.

We have heard from the horse's mouth.Should we not now recognize and dispel the contrary views attributed to him by those with hidden agendas? Regardless of what he said some of our opinions will remain the same as if he said nothing to clear the air. I found the interview interesting and very revealing.I hope at this point if we cant summon the humility to adjust and put in proper perspective our views on the relationship and achievements of WS and Achebe then it is better we remain quiet.

bestview:


Maybe the below can help:



"American publishing and media company Forbes has named Nigerian novelist, Chinua Achebe better known as Chinua Achebe as the most influential celebrity in Africa.

Achebe ranks number one out of a list of 40 most influential celebrities which also includes actors, cerebral authors, musicians, movie producers, supermodels, TV personalities and athletes selected from all across the continent of Africa. The second position is occupied by Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour, while the third position by Ivorian footballer and Chelsea FC centre forward Didier Drogba"

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/10/achebe-is-africa%E2%80%99s-most-powerful-celebrity-forbes/

This has shown that Achebe remains the greatest African that affected lives all over the world. People all over the world tagged him the father of modern African Literature because of how is depth he works affected them unlike every other write of his time. The simple fact is that soyika is very bitter and jealous of Achebe towering profile even in death.

Its admireable to see Nigerians embracing any research or maybe when its favourable to them? I am happy to hear this sometimes South Africa misses up on all of these news. My bad again.

X-factoria:
I hope those folks from the South-Eastern part of the country, who are constantly and desperately in search of a hero, would understand this and save us all the embarrassment and the noise they make.

First, they tried to make a cowardly Ojukwu a hero, then Chinua Achebe. Maybe their heroes are still in the womb and for God's sake, no one would scold them if they don't have one.

MODS, this poster MUST be banned for using foul language, the rule says so, else everybody should be allowed to throw insults around. WTF! I got sour tones too and whenever i am upset i get a ban. Maybe because in my rage i am so proIGBO. WTF! Please ban this man to restore order!