Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe - Politics (10)

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Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe - Politics (10) - Nairaland

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Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by bestview: 3:56pm On May 19, 2013

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by bestview: 3:57pm On May 19, 2013

Below are foriegners who recognized Achebe as the father of modern African literature. The who is soyika his bitterness to change this fact known all over the world.

Chinua Achebe, 'the father of modern African literature', talks to Ed Pilkington about inventing a new language, his years in exile from his beloved Nigeria - and why he changed his name from Albert

It seems a strange place to find the writer credited above all others with inventing the modern African novel. Nadine Gordimer, one of the many writers indebted to Achebe for the ground that he broke, described him last month as the "father of modern African literature". She was one of the judges who awarded Achebe, now 76, this year's Man Booker international prize, given every two years for an exceptional lifetime's achievement. A writer as driven and as political as Achebe neither needs nor solicits such recognition, yet he is grateful to receive it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/jul/10/chinuaachebe

Ayo Coly has taught Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart in all of her courses since she began as an associate professor of African and African American Studies at Dartmouth six years ago, and she has found that nearly every one of her students read the book in high school.

That is as clear a picture as she can give of the significance of the Nigerian author who came to be known as the father of African literature, and who had numerous ties to Dartmouth. Achebe died Thursday, March 21, 2013, in Boston. He was 82.

http://now.dartmouth.edu/2013/03/dartmouth-professor-honors-the-father-of-african-literature/

Chinua Achebe, described as the “father of modern African literature” who inspired generations of writers across the continent, has died at the age of 82.

The Nigerian author of Things Fall Apart, considered the essential novel on African identity and nationalism, passed away at a hospital in the US city of Boston after a brief illness.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/father-of-modern-african-literature-achebe-82-dies-after-short-illness-8545670.html

1 Like

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Nobody: 4:00pm On May 19, 2013

Now, it he has become Father of MODERN African literature. It is a bit coercing to post what would generate some tribal heats all rather strange argument here, but I will have to restrain myself not to do that. It is clear the father of African literature thing has nothing important and there is no single award or trophy by it that the person in question would even want to be called such.

Let us talking about who Chinua Achebe really was. I think that is more important than father of African literature.

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Nobody: 4:01pm On May 19, 2013

phantom: ....funny enough i just googled 'father of african literature' and i laughed my butt off at the results from page 1 inwards.there was just one dissenting voice......guess who?? .
i respect WS but truth is hes just like the rest of his kinsmen.....just a lot better at hiding his!

Is it not the single statement he made once that was replicated by different news media online? You are very myopic my friend.

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by bestview: 4:02pm On May 19, 2013

I like you people to lay more emphasis on this highlighted and see how this man Acbebe affected lives all over the world, which made the world call him Father of modern African Literature. What has the world had to say about soyika if not political noble prize and inventor of the dreaded campus cultism.

"Chinua Achebe, described as the “father of modern African literature” who inspired generations of writers across the [/b]continent, has died at the age of 82.
The Nigerian author of Things Fall Apart, considered the [b]essential novel on African identity and nationalism, passed away at a hospital in the US city of Boston after a brief illness".

The bolded equally gave credence to the fact that Achebe is unarguably the father of African Literature.

1 Like

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Obiagu1(m): 4:04pm On May 19, 2013

Sorry folks, you can argue till the end of the world but the only viable discussion will remain: Achebe is the Father of African Literature. No other name will be associated with Father of African Literature.

The more Wole Soyinka disputes this fact, being a writer himself, the more people see him as a very jealous man.

No one crowns people with such titles as King of this, Father of that. People just get associated with such titles and that perception remains till the end.

To Wole Soyinka, sorry, you were never associated with King or Father of anything and don't fight someone, when he is dead, because you were not recognized as such and you can't force people to recognize you.
Go and erect a statue of your Nobel price in your room and sleep with it, at least you got something to keep you company in your lonely room.

Cheers!

7 Likes

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by CyberG: 4:04pm On May 19, 2013

nnenna.1:
Why are people ignoring the big elephant in the room?

Achebe deserving the title of father of modern African literature is the not my biggest worry in that interview.

Hmmm....what else did you see?? LWTMB again!! grin

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Nobody: 4:04pm On May 19, 2013

Afam4eva:
That was my concern too. It may not have been borne out of jealousy but i think he shouldn't have been the one to say it because a lot of people will misconstrue his statement.

The man explained himself succinctly without slighting his late friend. And he did his best possible to cut-corners when he was pushed to walls, in the interview, to say anything that would come of as being jealous. He also came down hard on Nigerians on both sides of the divide.

Perhaps, you need to read the interview again - and this time, read it carefully. wink

1 Like

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by bestview: 4:06pm On May 19, 2013

all4naija: Is it not the single statement he made once that was replicated by different news media online? You are very myopic my friend.

You misunderstood phantom. He actually meant that the entire media was awash with Achebe being the Father of Modern African Literature until soyika came with his personal confusion and vendatta. grin

But he, soyika cannot change the title given to Achebe by the world. grin

3 Likes

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Nobody: 4:06pm On May 19, 2013

fujirice: Simple question, "would Prof. WS make such utterances if he had been reffered to with the aforementioned tittle 'father of African literature'?"
I pray dis was not borne out of jealousy.

Yes, he would. I respect Soyinka for being truthful to himself in most capacity. He even lower his Nobel Prize while talking about why he disagree on the term.

Stop guessing and think he wouldn't

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Afam4eva(m): 4:06pm On May 19, 2013

shymexx:

The man explained himself succinctly without slighting his late friend. And he did his best possible to cut-corners when he was pushed to walls, in the interview, to say anything that would come of as being jealous. He also came down hard on Nigerians on both sides of the divide.

Perhaps, you need to read the interview again - and this time, read it carefully.

Soyinka is a very intelligent man and knows how to tackle such questions. I'm not worried for him but for the intellectually deficient peeps who will take his statement out of context.

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by DIVINE78: 4:07pm On May 19, 2013

Well... CA didnt win the nobel prize in literature for a reason; his works were pedestrian and only meant for teenagers and other non sophisticated audiences while on the other hand WS's works are popular among erudite scholars. They are both great authors though.

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by bestview: 4:10pm On May 19, 2013

Obiagu1: Sorry folks, you can argue till the end of the world but the only viable discussion will remain: Achebe is the Father of African Literature. No other name will be associated with Father of African Literature.

The more Wole Soyinka disputes this fact, being a writer himself, the more people see him as a very jealous man.

No one crowns people with such titles as King of this, Father of that. People just get associated with such titles and that perception remains till the end.

To Wole Soyinka, sorry, you were never associated with King or Father of anything and don't fight someone, when he is dead, because you were not recognized as such and you can't force people to recognize you.
Go and erect a statue of your Nobel price in your room and sleep with it, at least you got sometime to keep you company in your lonely room.

This one got me threw on the ground. hahahahahahahahhaha
Cheers!

2 Likes

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Nobody: 4:11pm On May 19, 2013

Afam4eva:
Soyinka is a very intelligent man and knows how to tackle such questions. I'm not worried for him but for the intellectually deficient peeps who will take his statement out of context.

He could have said Achebe was jealous of his Nobel prize, by using Achebe's words against him. He could have called him a tribalist for tribalising his issues with Awolowo - but he didn't do that. Give props where it's due.

He, Achebe, said this about Soyinka's Nobel prize(excerpt from the interview):

"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."

^^^Just take a look at what Achebe said, and how WS covered up for him. If anyone's jealous - it's definitely not WS.

You lot need to understand that art is competitive.

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by bestview: 4:11pm On May 19, 2013

Obiagu1: Sorry folks, you can argue till the end of the world but the only viable discussion will remain: Achebe is the Father of African Literature. No other name will be associated with Father of African Literature.

The more Wole Soyinka disputes this fact, being a writer himself, the more people see him as a very jealous man.

No one crowns people with such titles as King of this, Father of that. People just get associated with such titles and that perception remains till the end.

To Wole Soyinka, sorry, you were never associated with King or Father of anything and don't fight someone, when he is dead, because you were not recognized as such and you can't force people to recognize you.
Go and erect a statue of your Nobel price in your room and sleep with it, at least you got sometime to keep you company in your lonely room.

Cheers!

This one got me threw on the ground. hahahahahahahahhaha

1 Like

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Nobody: 4:11pm On May 19, 2013

bestview:

You misunderstood phantom. He actually meant that the entire media was awash with Achebe being the Father of Modern African Literature until soyika came with his personal confusion and vendatta.

But he, soyika cannot change the title given to Achebe by the world.

Only in your twisted mind you asserted such biased claim. Please, get something doing with your life than trying to cajole yourself into what you don't have single understanding of.

Mind you, Chinua Achebe is not a recipient of the highest award in literature, the Noble Prize for literature, which Wole Soyinka can boast - if necessarily required of him.

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Nobody: 4:12pm On May 19, 2013

X-factoria:

You didn't quite comprehend WS sayings. All those examples you gave (in bold) are genres of music. I'm glad you didn't say any of those guys is the father of music. Saying Achebe is the Father of African literature is myopic because Achebe only writes fiction which is just one branch of literature. There are playwriters and others who do completely different things. If people like you are desperate to make Achebe a King, the best you can do is make him a father of fiction or "storytelling" but after reviewing his work against those other African storytellers that WS mentioned. Don't just sit down with your limited understanding of literature and make pronunciations that give you away as lacking in education.

I wouldn't want to dwell on who did wat and who won wat, dat is an argument for children who take sides with their favorite characters, Father of african literature isn't a title or an award and it wasn't coined by the igbos either, it was a phrase used in recognition of the fact that the name Chinua Achebe is the most popular name in African literature and am not saying he was the best, Go ask a kenyan, a Ghanian, an Ivorian, a South African or anybody from the African continent outside Nigeria, he afterall wrote the most read book in the history of African literature, the thing is, if you ask anybody about African literature, the first name they call is Achebe, am not saying he was actually the father of African literature, achebe himself never claimed so, since its not an official title, I don't see why it should be a topic for debate, and I don't know why an intelligent man like soyinka should dwell on it, the fact that he takes such unofficial titles "issued by no one in particular" seriously shows he feels intimidated by that, which ought not be so, he is afterall the first nobel laureate in Africa and still the only Nigerian to be honoured as such.

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by phantom(m): 4:14pm On May 19, 2013

all4naija: Is it not the single statement he made once that was replicated by different news media online? You are very myopic my friend.

my friend you are the one being shallow......my point is that out of all the google results,the only one saying 'achebe is NOT the father of african literature' is from wole.do you get it now or do i have to draw pictures

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Nobody: 4:15pm On May 19, 2013

DIVINE78: Well... CA didnt win the nobel prize in literature for a reason; his works were pedestrian and only meant for teenagers and other non sophisticated audiences while on the other hand WS's works are popular among erudite scholars.

Really? and yet he is the Father of Modern African Literature. nonsense comment from you!

1 Like

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Nobody: 4:15pm On May 19, 2013

Obiagu1: Sorry folks, you can argue till the end of the world but the only viable discussion will remain: Achebe is the Father of African Literature. No other name will be associated with Father of African Literature.

The more Wole Soyinka disputes this fact, being a writer himself, the more people see him as a very jealous man.

No one crowns people with such titles as King of this, Father of that. People just get associated with such titles and that perception remains till the end.

To Wole Soyinka, sorry, you were never associated with King or Father of anything and don't fight someone, when he is dead, because you were not recognized as such and you can't force people to recognize you.
Go and erect a statue of your Nobel price in your room and sleep with it, at least you got something to keep you company in your lonely room.

Cheers!

While your dead sweats it out in hell without any mouth to defend himself. Seriously, Achebe is not a good writer to me. He writes with a mind of tyrant. If Chinua Achebe is the father of African literature it means there is something very wrong with Africans. That means the father has not laid down a good legacy to point as ground shaking for the future generation.

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by phantom(m): 4:16pm On May 19, 2013

bestview:

You misunderstood phantom. He actually meant that the entire media was awash with Achebe being the Father of Modern African Literature until soyika came with his personal confusion and vendatta.

But he, soyika cannot change the title given to Achebe by the world.

1 Like

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Nobody: 4:18pm On May 19, 2013

phantom:
my friend you are the one being shallow......my point is that out of all the google results,the only one saying 'achebe is NOT the father of african literature' is from wole.do you get it now or do i have to draw pictures

That is what I meant and the replicated news by the media online. What is wrong if he is the only one who said so? It is clear he knows Achebe better than the others. Go and sleep your trouble-making self somewhere, my friend.

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Obiagu1(m): 4:24pm On May 19, 2013

all4naija: Only in your twisted mind you asserted such biased claim. Please, get something doing with your life than trying to cajole yourself into what you don't have single understanding of.

Mind you, Chinua Achebe is not a recipient of the highest award in literature, the Noble Prize for literature, which Wole Soyinka can boast - if necessarily required of him.

Wole Soyinka could win 10 Nobel prizes for all I care but he is not recognized as Father of African Literature.
Father of African Literature is a recognition and not a crown, fortunately for Achebe, he got that.

A good pop singer/song writer with multiple awards and record sells who goes on a rampage disputing Michael Jackson as the King of Pop Music will be seen as a jealous and crazy man.

This is where Soyinka is heading to unfortunately.

3 Likes

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Crayola1: 4:25pm On May 19, 2013

all4naija: While your dead sweats it out in hell without any mouth to defend himself. Seriously, Achebe is not a good writer to me. He writes with a mind of tyrant. If Chinua Achebe is the father of African literature it means there is something very wrong with Africans. That means the father has not laid down a good legacy to point as ground shaking for the future generation.

How does one write like a tyrant. English has suffered a death by a thousand cuts with some of you. cheesy

1 Like

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by viexcey(f): 4:29pm On May 19, 2013

If you are arguing on "father of african literature" then What do you to say about Zik of Africa? undecided

2 Likes

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Nobody: 4:31pm On May 19, 2013

Obiagu1:

Wole Soyinka could win 10 Nobel prizes for all I care but he is not recognized as Father of African Literature.
Father of African Literature is a recognition and not a crown, fortunately for Achebe, he got that.

A good pop singer/song writer with multiple awards and record sells who goes on a rampage disputing Michael Jackson as the King of Pop Music will be seen as a jealous and crazy man.

This is where Soyinka is heading to unfortunately.

Most of you can not differentiate between Father of African literature and father of MODERN African literature. So, it is clear many of you are just arguing about what you know nothing much about. Why will I have a debate with such people is something I can't relate with in this particular thread.

Re: Wole Soyinka's Interview About Chinua Achebe by Nobody: 4:32pm On May 19, 2013

viexcey: If you are arguing on "father of african literature" then What do you to say about Zik of Africa?

Bwahahahaha

That's the most ludicrous and asinine title ever bestowed on anyone.

Zik was more of his own pocket - he wasn't even the father of his people. grin

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