doyin13:

Yep. . .I do.

I think The Interpreters is the most underrated piece of Nigerian Fiction ever written, well maybe I should say
that I have read anyway.

You really like that book. 

Chinua Achebe, definately

when it comes to the Quality of the literature. . .

Wole Soyinka is just more popular, because he is like the Fela

of the Literary world, no surprise that they are cousins

I think it's absolutely absurd to compare both authors.why? cos they're both exceptional within thier genre-or style of writing. Achebe is a master storyteller anyday while soyinka is a master dramatics, also, anyday. They both write fantastically well.

Read alot of Wole Soyinka's book, i prefer him
They are both great writers though

Chinua Achebe's Things fall apart is my all time favourite of africa books. so he 's my best

are they - Achebe and Soyinka - participating in some Olympics ?

or is this the usual Nigerian Ogaism ? Yes, it is !

Thus stupid and nonsensical ! Stop it !

there is no such thing, sorry, person as the BEST writer.


Oyingbo German


[color=#990000][/color]who has translated them both

and many others ,

Chinua Achebe

They are so very different but good
For moi Chinua Achebe will do

its obvously Chinua Achebe. No Contest

For prose I prefer Achebe while for drama I prefer Soyinka.Does this make any sense?Achebe is greater than Soyinka when it comes to prose and vice versa.

vikiviko:

Chinua Achebe's Things fall apart is my all time favourite of africa books. so he 's my best

Same here. We even read it in school here.

Achebe is not interested in nobel laurete award. They know he will humiliate them if they offer him one. Ask Obasanjo what Achebe did with him.
Ajisafe, you know deep down in your mind that Achebe ranks first before your brother Wole. Yet you will not admit it.

Andre Uweh:

Achebe is not interested in nobel laurete award. They know he will humiliate them if they offer him one. Ask Obasanjo what Achebe did with him.
Ajisafe, you know deep down in your mind that Achebe ranks first before your brother Wole. Yet you will not admit it.

Says who?

I love Chinua achebe because I've read his books.Wole Soyinka was  not a recommended text up till the time I dropped literature in class 3
The man won a Nobel so he must be very good.

Both of them are jolly good writers of separate genres or, better still, style. While Achebe considers, to a great extent, the use of simple diction as a way of sending his thoughts home, Soyinka literally “closes” his eyes and proves to whoever reads him that he is a master of The Word. So, for those who like simple diction, Achebe is the best, just like Soyinka is the darling of those in love with complicated and expensive diction. But in my opinion, with the Nobel Prize, Soyinka surely stole the show although Achebe has out-sold him. In terms of popularity Achebe is ultimate. Mind you, I’m very Igbo, not Ibo.

Chinua Achebe without a doubt

we will be doing both writers a great diservice by comparing them. Like all art work, our perception of literature is highly subjective and a matter of personal preference. I have tremendous respect for both men and will continue to celebrate them as two of African's i dare say the world's greatest.

we will be doing both writers a great diservice by comparing them. Like all art work, our perception of literature is highly subjective and a matter of personal preference. I have tremendous respect for both men and will continue to celebrate them as two of African's i dare say the world's greatest.

Me like Soyinka becos he write witha sense that makes you read his books several times before getting the point. Achebe is good for kids growing up and not grown up readers like me. Methinks no competition, Methinks Soyinka is for matured readers like meeeeeeeeeeeee?/

soyinka rules.
a not too distant second is achebe.

collosi indeed.

Unfortunately, I don't read novels. Can't judge.

Things fall apart has sold more than one hundred million copies It has also been translated into 52 languages worldwide.
What does that inform you?.

Andre Uweh:

Things fall apart has sold more than one hundred million copies It has also been translated into 52 languages worldwide.
What does that inform you?.

100 million?
most students here in the USA read things fall apart as a required text in high school

Chinua Achebe's things Fall Apart is read In almost all the post primary schools in India. This is a country with about a Billion people. It is widely read in Russian schools but in Russian language. It is read in Kenya, Ghana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Namibia, Botswana, Gambia etc.
Frankly speaking, this wondrous novel has sold for more than 100 million copies.
For more information, contact Heinemann Educational books.

If Things Fall Apart has sold 100 million copies, you can be rest assured that the literary world would have taken note of it. From my understanding, since it's publication, it's sold over 10 million copies.

I have read with dismay how people in attempting to be objective about this topic has ended up experessing personal vendetta and vituperation. Wole Soyinka is great, Chinua Achebe is great. But are literary icons and we should give it to them.

An objective student of literature would have bias for Soyinka because he is into all genre of literature, unlike Achebe.

As for me, Noble laurette is not a political award by PDP!

i could careless i hate literature novels but to be frank i am really expecting tribalistic people to start through chairs and bottles because of this topic soon. I am already seeing the handy work of Andrew,

They are bot genius.

for me its cyprian ekwensi

Hai Cyprian Ekwensi! I ate up his books as a kid. Loved[i] Juju Rock [/i] and Jagua Nana.
Soyinka is a terrible novelist. Not in the same league as Achebe. Not even close. His plays are so-so. His real strength and genius is in non-fiction, like The Man Died, one of the greatest books ever written by man. I almost suffocated with pride when I read it. That's what he won the Nobel Prize for.

stop the bickering: both of them are good in their own way

I'm yet to be convinced that Achebe is as good as WS. he is a pathetic wimp