maestroferddi:
Quit running from pillar to post...

Whose work easily goes as the best/most literary work ever written from black Africa?

That person is Chinua Achebe.

Any other consideration hardly matters.

And who decided that? Who is behind the hype? It is the same West you people accuse of snubbing Achebe.

Without the West, would Things Fall Apart have become so popular?

So, learn to argue objectively. When you think of the West as a monolith, you must be careful in speaking against it especially if you have enjoyed its help once.

BluntBoy:


And who decided that? Who is behind the hype? It is the same West you people accuse of snubbing Achebe.

Without the West, would Things Fall Apart have become so popular?

So, learn to argue objectively. When you think of the West as a monolith, you must be careful in speaking against it especially if you have enjoyed its help once.

You have evidently lost the plot.

You are inadvertently contradicting yourself...

If there is something I have achieved here, it is taking my time to ferret you out of the hole of pretension.

Your motives have been laid bare for all to see...infantile insecurities, envy, insularity and intolerance.

Achebe has achieved an irreversible global recognition...There is nothing your ilk can do about it.

maestroferddi:
You have evidently lost the plot.

You are inadvertently contradicting yourself...

SMH

How have I contradicted myself?

BluntBoy:


You are very shallow

I am not picking on your use of words for the sake of it. But when the words lack substance, then they are a waste. That is my point. Using big words to cover up inadequacies is a waste to the reader. When I read Soyinka, I see the sense. But you, you are merely rambling.

Guy why elevate pointlessness to a pedestal?

You are becoming clownish, I must point out...

maestroferddi:
Guy why elevate pointlessness to a pedestal?

You are becoming clownish, I must point out...

We all know who would sound clownish between you and I. It is like listening to Soyinka and Patrick Obahiagbon. Obahiagbon is always sounding clownish. And that is how you would sound

BluntBoy:




We all know who would sound clownish between you and I. It is like listening to Soyinka and Patrick Obahiagbon. Obahiagbon is always sounding clownish. And that is how you would sound

I have been able to articulate my points here.

I have not complained about any words you can muster. Just accept your lexical inadequacies and lets move on.

Stop trying to deny the obvious.

I do consider it unacceptable for a literary mind to be picky on words in so far as the words are in the linguistic corpus.

BluntBoy:


What viewpoint have you actually articulated?

You are of the view that Achebe was snubbed and yet couldn't even produce the year(s) that he was snubbed.

I educated you about how the Prize works just to make you understand that no one can be sure that Achebe ever even got close. My points can be refuted with a simple surfing of the Nobel Prize official website. I know so much about the Prize because every year, I gun for the distinguished professor Ngugi wa Thiong'O to win it. I don't just listen to beer parlor gossips and think them sufficient enough to debate on Nairaland.

Everything I said here can be refuted. The obscurity of the Nobel Prize nominees for 50 years after a Prize has been awarded can be confirmed on the official website of the Nobel Prize. Chinua Achebe's preference for Arrow of God over Things Fall Apart can be found in his brief preface to Arrow of God.

But you, no one can confirm that Achebe was denied a Nobel Prize because of politics.

I am just seeing this one...

You gun for Nguji wa Thiong'O to be awarded The Nobel Prize in Literature and yet you deem Achebe ineligible for the same prize?

Oga your case is pathetic...

Will Weep Not Child and other works by James Thiong'O be in the same sentence with three of Achebe's major works viz Things Fall Apart, Arrows Of God and even No Longer At Ease?

My hunches rarely fail/disappoint me. I had you figure out from the beginning...

BluntBoy:


You are very shallow

I am not picking on your use of words for the sake of it. But when the words lack substance, then they are a waste. That is my point. Using big words to cover up inadequacies is a waste to the reader. When I read Soyinka, I see the sense. But you, you are merely rambling.

I just got home from work...

I can help guffawing at what you were writing� LWTMB...

When you read Soyinka, read your tribesman, you read sense, but when you read me you see rambling...

Guy stick to what you have aptitude... comedy!

But I was not writing in Kiswahili or Xhosa, I was writing in English...

maestroferddi:
I just got home from work...

I can help guffawing at what you were writing� LWTMB...

When you read Soyinka, read your tribesman, you read sense, but when you read me you see rambling...

Guy stick to what you have aptitude... comedy!

But I was not writing in Kiswahili or Xhosa, I was writing in English...

Stop whining.

I asked a question but all you have done is rant.

Guy, is it the same West that hyped Achebe that also snubbed him?

If you have no answer, run along. I have not got time for hopelessly shallow individuals.

maestroferddi:
I am just seeing this one...

You gun for Nguji wa Thiong'O to be awarded The Nobel Prize in Literature and yet you deem Achebe ineligible for the same prize?

Oga your case is pathetic...

Will Weep Not Child and other works by James Thiong'O be in the same sentence with three of Achebe's major works viz Things Fall Apart, Arrows Of God and even No Longer At Ease?

My hunches rarely fail/disappoint me. I had you figure out from the beginning...

It is Arrow of God, not Arrows of God.

See, the first time you managed to reel out something, you betrayed your pathetic ignorance. Even with the assistance of Google, you still couldn't get it right enough.

maestroferddi:
I have been able to articulate my points here.

I have not complained about any words you can muster. Just accept your lexical inadequacies and lets move on.

Stop trying to deny the obvious.

I do consider it unacceptable for a literary mind to be picky on words in so far as the words are in the linguistic corpus.

Mr Man, you have not articulated anything other than beer parlor gossips.

I won't leave you until you actually articulate your viewpoint about Achebe getting snubbed.

You don't know me Na me and you today.

I am waiting o. And I am still awaiting answers on how I contradicted myself.

There is not one single question you asked that I have not answered and even provided room for you to refute. But you, an obviously arrogantly ignorant lying person, are yet to answer any of my questions.

maestroferddi:
I am just seeing this one...

You gun for Nguji wa Thiong'O to be awarded The Nobel Prize in Literature and yet you deem Achebe ineligible for the same prize?

Oga your case is pathetic...

Will Weep Not Child and other works by James Thiong'O be in the same sentence with three of Achebe's major works viz Things Fall Apart, Arrows Of God and even No Longer At Ease?

My hunches rarely fail/disappoint me. I had you figure out from the beginning...

Gunning for Ngugi wa Thiong'O is purely based on sentiments (as many of you do for Achebe), I wouldn't be so bitter as to start spreading beer parlor gossips about politics if Ngugi fails.
I already have over a hundred reasons why he would never win it.

And talking about Achebe better than Thiong'O, I will open a thread on Sunday and you and I can have a literary debate. Just you and I.

Perhaps, it is on that thread that your ignorance of literature would eventually be revealed to everyone and they would see what a "wonderful" literary critic you are.

I will mention you on Sunday afternoon. I will chat with Dive Pen. You can consult a thesaurus if you like but know that in the Literature section, big words without substance won't win you any argument so better prepare well.

[quote author=BluntBoy post=68460908]

Gunning....

[/quote)'

Aside yabbing, I suggest you take your time to read the Wikipedia profile of V S Naipaul (Nobel Laureate) to educate yourself concerning what I have been trying to drum into your heard all along.
I want you to argue from the position of knowledge. We are all learning so do try and get yourself up to speed.

You should also as a matter of necessity read the profile of Chinua Achebe.

When you are through, come let's engage again...

BluntBoy:



It is Arrow of God, not Arrows of God.

See, the first time you managed to reel out something, you betrayed your pathetic ignorance. Even with the assistance of Google, you still couldn't get it right enough.

Stop being petty.

A minor typographical error will not help your cause.

I doubt whether you had made it past creche level when I read that work...

maestroferddi:
Stop being petty.

A minor typographical error will not help your cause.

I doubt whether you had made it past creche level when I read that work...

Arrows is typo error

Please, son.

maestroferddi:
Stop being petty.

A minor typographical error will not help your cause.

I doubt whether you had made it past creche level when I read that work...

Let us have a literary debate on Sunday afternoon.

I will be supporting Ngugi wa Thiong'O and you can stick with Achebe.

You can keep your Wiki pages for the argument.

Are you in? I picked Sunday afternoon because I believe you are worker like me.

BluntBoy:


Let us have a literary debate on Sunday afternoon.

I will be supporting Ngugi wa Thiong'O and you can stick with Achebe.

You can keep your Wiki pages for the argument.

Are you in? I picked Sunday afternoon because I believe you are worker like me.

You have to do those recommended readings.

I don't argue/debate for the fun of it.

Sundays are busy days for me, anyway...

maestroferddi:
You have to do those recommended readings.

I don't argue/debate for the fun of it.

Sundays are busy days for me, anyway...

SMH...

Alright, pick a day.

BluntBoy:


SMH...

Alright, pick a day.

You don't get it, do you?

You do the reading and you can see that there is nothing to debate...

BTW, what is the object of this debate of yours?

To get affirmation?

Guy I am a man of letters. I am sure I have succinctly demonstrated that here.

I am at loss to establish the rationale in engaging you in a kind of literary callisthenics which outcome will prove inconclusive as you have depicted an unwillingness to defer to superior argument/viewpoints.

What the other gentleman was telling you as well as all I have been saying here are well captured/articulated/chronicled in the two excerpts I recommended.

Need I say more?

maestroferddi:
You don't get it, do you?

You do the reading and you can see that there is nothing to debate...

BTW, what is the object of this debate of yours?

To get affirmation?

Guy I am a man of letters . I am sure I have succinctly demonstrated that here.

I am at loss to establish the rationale in engaging you in a kind of literary callisthenics which outcome will prove inconclusive as you have depicted an unwillingness to defer to superior argument/viewpoints.

What the other gentleman was telling you as well as all I have been saying here are well captured/articulated/chronicled in the two excerpts I recommended.

Need I say more?

Stop all these bogus claims. So making an unfounded claim that Achebe's Nobel Prize snub is political is a demonstration from a man of letters Dividing Achebe's corpus into major and minor works is a demonstration from a man of letters?

First, you claim to be a literary critic and now a man of letters. Bro, you obviously are suffering from delusion of grandeur.

You wrote that I have an unwillingness to defer to superior argument?

Which superior argument? An argument that Achebe was purposely snubbed by the Nobel committee Which argument exactly. You made absolutely no point and yet expect me to swallow your beer parlor gossips.

I ask again: "in what year should Achebe have won the Nobel Prize in Literature".

If you can't answer that question, then you are the biggest fool in the world.

maestroferddi:
You don't get it, do you?

You do the reading and you can see that there is nothing to debate...

BTW, what is the object of this debate of yours?

To get affirmation?

Guy I am a man of letters. I am sure I have succinctly demonstrated that here.

I am at loss to establish the rationale in engaging you in a kind of literary callisthenics which outcome will prove inconclusive as you have depicted an unwillingness to defer to superior argument/viewpoints.

What the other gentleman was telling you as well as all I have been saying here are well captured/articulated/chronicled in the two excerpts I recommended.

Need I say more?

In what year was Achebe snubbed?

I need a direct answer. If you can't answer it, then you should shut the fvck up and avoid discussions on the Nobel Prize.

maestroferddi:
You don't get it, do you?

You do the reading and you can see that there is nothing to debate...

BTW, what is the object of this debate of yours?

To get affirmation?

Guy I am a man of letters. I am sure I have succinctly demonstrated that here.

I am at loss to establish the rationale in engaging you in a kind of literary callisthenics which outcome will prove inconclusive as you have depicted an unwillingness to defer to superior argument/viewpoints.

What the other gentleman was telling you as well as all I have been saying here are well captured/articulated/chronicled in the two excerpts I recommended.

Need I say more?

This was the ignorant piece that drew me to your moniker:

What is, BTW, the big deal with The Nobel Prize? Achebe could have won it if not for politics being played by the establishment.

I asked to know which establishment and in what year this snub happened. You avoided these questions and yet want to lay claims to a superior argument.

A literary critic and man of letters making such an ignorant, unverifiable claim.

All you have done is use big words to attempt to distract everyone from the blunder you made.

BluntBoy:


This was the ignorant piece that drew me to your moniker:

What is, BTW, the big deal with The Nobel Prize? Achebe could have won it if not for politics being played by the establishment.

I asked to know which establishment and in what year this snub happened. You avoided these questions and yet want to lay claims to a superior argument.

A literary critic and man of letters making such an ignorant, unverifiable claim.

All you have done is use big words to attempt to distract everyone from the blunder you made.

I will not be responding to you going forward till you read the recommended texts.

All the answers you are looking for are embedded therein.

I dont remonstrate for its own sake.

BluntBoy:


Stop all these bogus claims. So making an unfounded claim that Achebe's Nobel Prize snub is political is a demonstration from a man of letters Dividing Achebe's corpus into major and minor works is a demonstration from a man of letters?

First, you claim to be a literary critic and now a man of letters. Bro, you obviously are suffering from delusion of grandeur.

You wrote that I have an unwillingness to defer to superior argument?

Which superior argument? An argument that Achebe was purposely snubbed by the Nobel committee Which argument exactly. You made absolutely no point and yet expect me to swallow your beer parlor gossips.

I ask again: "in what year should Achebe have won the Nobel Prize in Literature".

If you can't answer that question, then you are the biggest fool in the world.

Your condition is pitiable... Do a simple research and you are running amok, foaming in the mouth.

Verbosity all over the place without the application of the time-tested common sense...

Just like tales told by an idiot, full of sound and fury but signifying nothing...ala Shakespeare's Macbeth...

maestroferddi:
Your condition is pitiable... Do a simple research and you are running amok, foaming in the mouth.

Verbosity all over the place without the application of the time-tested common sense...

Just like tales told by an idiot, full of sound and fury but signifying nothing...ala Shakespeare's Macbeth...

My friend, shut your mouth.

Answer my question: "In what year should Achebe have won the Nobel Prize?"

If I can remember, I asked first and so you should answer my question before asking me to check your links.

maestroferddi:
I will not be responding to you going forward till you read the recommended texts.

All the answers you are looking for are embedded therein.

I dont remonstrate for its own sake.

In what year should Achebe have won the Nobel Prize

I asked my question before yours and it is only polite that you answer my question first.

BluntBoy:


My friend, shut your mouth.

Answer my question: "In what year should Achebe have won the Nobel Prize?"

If I can remember, I asked first and so you should answer my question before asking me to check your links.

You are asking a dumb, inconclusive, open-ended question.

Do the reading...that is my answer to your not so smart red herring...

maestroferddi:
You are asking a dumb, inconclusive, open-ended question.

Do the reading...that is my answer to your not so smart red herring...

SMH...

And I suppose you think you are in a position to tell which question is good or bad; you who go about peddling unverifiable tales about the Nobel committee? My brother, you are in no position to judge questions. You were not smart with your assertion. As a matter of fact, you sounded so sure that Achebe was deliberately denied and yet couldn't tell which writer gained from Achebe's snub. Was it William Golding or Saul Bellow or Wole Soyinka or Nadine Gordimer or Naguib Mahfouz or JM Coatzee or Toni Morrison?

At least, we can argue that Okocha should have won the 1998 African Player of the Year. But you, you go about talking trash but yet to make verification becomes a difficulty. Even to mention the establishment you earlier accused of politicking becomes a problem.

BluntBoy:


SMH...

And I suppose you think you are in a position to tell which question is good or bad; you who go about peddling unverifiable tales about the Nobel committee? My brother, you are in no position to judge questions. You were not smart with your assertion. As a matter of fact, you sounded so sure that Achebe was deliberately denied and yet couldn't tell which writer gained from Achebe's snub. Was it William Golding or Saul Bellow or Wole Soyinka or Nadine Gordimer or Naguib Mahfouz or JM Coatzee or Toni Morrison?

At least, we can argue that Okocha should have won the 1998 African Player of the Year. But you, you go about talking trash but yet to make verification becomes a difficulty. Even to mention the establishment you earlier accused of politicking becomes a problem.

Quit name-dropping and do the needful. That shouldnt be too difficult...

Apples and oranges...The Nobel Prize clearly adjudged by Europeans nay Swedish Academy for their chosen/favourite recipients and The African Player of the Year....more or less determined by voting.

Ogbeni, when would you grow up?

maestroferddi:
Quit name-dropping and do the needful. That shouldnt be too difficult...

Apples and oranges...The Nobel Prize clearly adjudged by Europeans nay Swedish Academy for their chosen/favourite recipients and The African Player of the Year....more or less determined by voting.

Ogbeni, when would you grow up?

My point is we can argue about Okocha's loss because the shortlist was made public. But it is hard to verify that in what particular year Achebe could have been snubbed. At least, to prove that politics was played, we have to look at the 10 years in which Achebe would likely have won it. Who could he have beaten or who gained from Achebe's snub. Definitely not any of the names I mentioned.

In summary, you can't prove that Achebe was snubbed. The few controversial winners couldn't have been picked in place of Achebe because as at mid 2000s, Achebe had virtually stopped publishing anything. Prior to the publication of his memoir, he had last published in 1988. Prior to 1986 when the Prize was opened to the world to erase the Eurocentric tag, Achebe had last published in 1966.

Nobel Prize is not awarded based on the strength of one book. You can't have stopped publishing in 1966 and expect to win the 1980-1990 Prizes.

My brother, this argument is very unnecessary.