Achebe deflated Conrad's heart Of darkness as racist and that caused him the Nobel prize. In fact , it became a big debate in literary circle that Conrad who hitherto was seen as a genus was criticised by literary icons like James Baldwin and even till this day Achebes Things fall apart is compared to Conrad's heart of darkness and both recommended for study for critique. It took European literary scholars years before they could come to terms with Achebes criticism of Conrad. Soyinka is good but Achebe broke new grounds with Things Fall apart and it's one of the eye opening novels about colonialism. He told the African story from the African world view and perspectives. unlike Conrad's heart of darkness, he gave life, meanings and character to Africans and portrayed them as a people whose ways and lifesyle were disrupted by a strange culture by European incursion into africa. That's something you don't see in Mr Johnson or heart of darkness . So as much as Nobel prize is well appreciated, pulitzer , man booker and so many other literary prices are equally well appreciated.

superlightning:


pls do yourself a favor. Google through the "criticisms about Nobel prize". The prize being eurocentric has nothing to do with one using native language or not, neither does it affect the prestige of the prize.

https://m.dw.com/en/controversies-that-have-dogged-the-nobel-prize-for-literature-awards/a-40819676


Achebe is the principal critic of Joseph Conrad, one of Europe's finest literary icons.

I will say no more.

Thanks for your input regardless of its emotionally laden stance.

superlightning:
please just calm down and patiently read this through this link

https://m.dw.com/en/controversies-that-have-dogged-the-nobel-prize-for-literature-awards/a-40819676

nobel prize has since being known to be eurocentric. it doesn't change the fact that it is prestigious.

So if you know nobel prize is Eurocentric and is given only to those with beliefs in Eurocentrism which, according to you, Achebe is not...why lament about the award? Leave nobel for people aligned with European doctrines and face away from it....act like they dont even exist. This thread is a waste of your time.

warripekin:
Achebe deflated Conrad's heart Of darkness as racist and that caused him the Nobel prize. In fact , it became a big debate in literary circle that Conrad who hitherto was seen as a genus was criticised by literary icons like James Baldwin and even till this day Achebes Things fall apart is compared to Conrad's heart of darkness and both recommended for study for critique. It took European literary scholars years before they could come to terms with Achebes criticism of Conrad. Soyinka is good but Achebe broke new grounds with Things Fall apart and it's one of the eye opening novels about colonialism. He told the African story from the African world view and perspectives. unlike Conrad's heart of darkness, he gave life, meanings and character to Africans and portrayed them as a people whose ways and lifesyle were disrupted by a strange culture by European incursion into africa. That's something you don't see in Mr Johnson or heart of darkness . So as much as Nobel prize is well appreciated, pulitzer , man booker and so many other literary prices are equally well appreciated.

Ha! Marginalization!!!

Freaking predictable people

richie240:

can u just imagine.
If it goes their way, its merit if not its nepotism /marginalization
What do we call all ds now?
How can/why shd u pull down someone just to make urself better?

las_las these clowns will still take this (Nobel laureate) matter to ICC with d look of things.

MetaPhysical:


So if you know nobel prize is Eurocentric and is given only to those with beliefs in Eurocentrism which, according to you, Achebe is not...why lament about the award? Leave nobel for people aligned with European doctrines and face away from it....act like they dont even exist. This thread is a waste of your time.

emotions again.

I have never "lamented" over Soyinka winning a Nobel prize. Read the beginning of this thread and stop raising non existent issues.

stop digressing this thread.

Osagyefo98:

Tribalism has eaten u up.

Tribalism has eaten you and Op entire family up.Be objective for once!

The writer is damn on point,the political affiliation of achebe's novel made him not to win the Nobel peace price which I believe he merited. During his burial I was opportune to be with some professors and I asked them why achebe was not awarded a Nobel peace prize, they went further to tell me that achebe was bitter with the government of the time which includes the white men and the fact that soyinka was a freemason played a part also.

lol...insecure niggas be judging literary works by Nobel prize. Nobel prize is prestigious but not as important as having a literary work gain worldwide appeal. That is the goal of every writer and that is how writers stamp their footprint in the sands of time. I dont know much about personal history of sheaksphere, George Orwell, Ernest Hemingway etc but their great works and not awards have kept their names afloat. No African writer compares to a man whose work inspires greatest Africans in political circles like Nelson mandela, Barack Obama etc Great work like things fall apart is keeping Achebe alive while prestigious Nobel prize will most only die with Soyinka 'cos nobody will read his award when he dies.

BTW we are not in contest with Yorubas. If Nobel prize is their definition of success then they are in for a rude shock cos there are upcoming Igbo writers that will win it in a big way. It will then be proven the prize is nothing special that should be worshipped.

PVision2020:

I'll give you hundreds of links criticising Grammy, Oscar, Balon d'or and several other Awards of international repute.
Even if you have an Award body made up of angels, criticism will still arise. So your link(s) above is inconsequential.

Spot on.

superlightning:


emotions again.

I have never "lamented" over Soyinka winning a Nobel prize. Read the beginning of this thread and stop raising non existent issues.

stop digressing this thread.

Your intent with the thread was to stoke cross-ethnic debate. Look at your topic, what do you expect...hugs and kisses? You know it would ordinarily be moved to literary section and receive political-correctness but you are dramatic and added political to dodge the move so that politically-incorrect ethnic hawks can converge and bloody it out. Save your pretensions. Im here for blood. I repeat, when it comes to creativity in written arts your Achebe is a nobody where Soyinka is.

Armaggedon:
lol...insecure niggas be judging literary works by Nobel prize. Nobel prize is prestigious but not as important as having a literary work gain worldwide appeal. That is the goal of every writer and that is how writers stamp their footprint in the sands of time. I dont know much about personal history of sheaksphere, George Orwell, Ernest Hemingway etc but their great works and not awards have kept their names afloat. No African writer compares to a man whose work inspires greatest Africans in political circles like Nelson mandela, Barack Obama etc Great work like things fall apart is keeping Achebe alive while prestigious Nobel prize will most only die with Soyinka 'cos nobody will read his award when he dies.

BTW we are not in contest with Yorubas. If Nobel prize is their definition of success then they are in for a rude shock cos there are upcoming Igbo writers that will win it in a big way. It will then be proven the prize is nothing special that should be worshipped.

In the field of literature Achebe is a writer, Soyinka is a master. Nobel is for demonstrated mastery of creative writing. Period!

Armaggedon:
lol...insecure niggas be judging literary works by Nobel prize. Nobel prize is prestigious but not as important as having a literary work gain worldwide appeal. That is the goal of every writer and that is how writers stamp their footprint in the sands of time. I dont know much about personal history of sheaksphere, George Orwell, Ernest Hemingway etc but their great works and not awards have kept their names afloat. No African writer compares to a man whose work inspires greatest Africans in political circles like Nelson mandela, Barack Obama etc Great work like things fall apart is keeping Achebe alive while prestigious Nobel prize will most only die with Soyinka 'cos nobody will read his award when he dies.

BTW we are not in contest with Yorubas. If Nobel prize is their definition of success then they are in for a rude shock cos there are upcoming Igbo writers that will win it in a big way. It will then be proven the prize is nothing special that should be worshipped.

I bet if an Igbo wins the Nobel prize,your insecurity will crumble,abi?
Tell all your Igbo writers to write in all genres of Literature and also have a Masterpiece like Soyinka because Achebe also defaulted in all of these.Only the masters and classical writers like Prof Soyinka have masterpieces.

lastempero:
The writer is damn on point,the political affiliation of achebe's novel made him not to win the Nobel peace price which I believe he merited. During his burial I was opportune to be with some professors and I asked them why achebe was not awarded a Nobel peace prize, the went further to tell me that achebe was bitter with the government of the time which includes the white men and the fact that soyinka was a freemason played a part also.

How about the other recognitions given to Achebe by awarding bodies in Europe before and after the 1986 Nobel Prize, on what ground did Achebe earn those? You all can create an Aba Nobel Prize and award to Achebe if it will make you feel good.

Basic123:

My dear,you are the one speaking with emotion here.

so many non Europeans have won the Nobel prize,woke soyinka inclusive!

we are talking of literature not books!

Wole soyinka is a poet,drama writer, novelist,actor and stage director.He is an embodiment of literature!

The only one talking out of emotion is you.

Give me one of Wole's work that can stand near Chinua's things Fall Apart.

Chinua is the foundation of African literature, everybody minus you knows that.

BrownRoofRep:

The only one talking out of emotion is you.

Give me one of Wole's work that can stand near Chinua's things Fall Apart.

Chinua is the foundation of African literature, everybody minus you knows that.

you know nothing about literature.


Things fall apart alone doesn't equal to literature!

Can any of you compare Soyinka's work to Achebe in terms of outreach and global impact

Most of those yapping here have not read any of Soyinka's work

Basic123:





you know nothing about literature.


Things fall apart alone doesn't equal to literature!

No, it's not literature but physics.
No wonder you senseless lots were tagged suffersficated moro.ns.

Mentioning Things Fall Apart is even taking it too far.

Name one Wole's Work that is as popular as 'Chike and the River'

Spiteful moro.ns.

Basic123:





you know nothing about literature.


Things fall apart alone doesn't equal to literature!

You think literature is speaking baseless English?

What sets China Achebe apart is ability to simplify his work to his audience

Nobody was interested in translating Soyinka's work because nobody was interested in it

China Achebe's work will be read in 70 years time but Soyinka's work has been discarded in the trash despite him still being alive

Well outlined, they are both proud sons of Africa

BrownRoofRep:

No, it's not literature but physics.
No wonder you senseless lots were tagged suffersficated moro.ns.

Mentioning Things Fall Apart is even taking it too far.

Name one Wole's Work that is as popular as 'Chike and the River'

Spiteful moro.ns.

Honestly.
"Chike and the river" is more popular than every work wole has done.

Adding "things fall apart " to the mix is an overkill.

By the time an igbo author wins the Nobel which is very likely, and dedicates it to Achebe, these Yoruba clowns would finally realise their folly.

RTSC:

Honestly.
"Chike and the river" is more popular than every work wole has done.

Adding "things fall apart " to the mix is an overkill.

By the time an igbo author wins the Nobel which is very likely, and dedicates it to Achebe, these Yoruba clowns would finally realise their folly.

Nobel prize is not a popularity contest, the same way the avengers would not win the best picture at the Oscars


It's still the most prestigious literary award. So suck it up and deal with it.

kayfra:


Nobel prize is not a popularity contest, the same way the avengers would not win the best picture at the Oscars


It's still the most prestigious literary award. So suck it up and deal with it.

It does not stop chinua from being the most translated African author of all times.

Soyinka would gladly give his nobel to command the same level of global acclaim.

BrownRoofRep:

No, it's not literature but physics.
No wonder you senseless lots were tagged suffersficated moro.ns.

Mentioning Things Fall Apart is even taking it too far.

Name one Wole's Work that is as popular as 'Chike and the River'

Spiteful moro.ns.

Shut up! Things fall apart will remain relevant and stay promoted because it supports in every aspect the f00lish claim by Eiropeans that the blackman is savage and beneath him. It is Europeans that funded its circulation and promoted it acrpss Africa and all over globe because the whole world can see us in achebe work as he lend narrative to our crude nature.

Thats why Things Fall Apart is the most successful of Achebe's work. In novels where he tries to present Africans as a noble race they ignored him.

Achebe's product in Things Fall Apart is supportive of Eurocentric racist view of the African savage.

MetaPhysical:


Shut up! Things fall apart will remain relevant and stay promoted because it supports in every aspect the f00lish claim by Eiropeans that the blackman is savage and beneath him. It is Europeans that funded its circulation and promoted it acrpss Africa and all over globe because the whole world can see us in achebe work as he lend narrative to our crude nature.

Thats why Things Fall Apart is the most successful of Achebe's work. In novels where he tries to present Africans as a noble race they ignored him.

Achebe's product in Things Fall Apart is supportive of Eurocentric racist view of the African savage.

Afonja weeping baby!
See as this head slamming spitful loser they wail non stop here.

Things Fall Apart has been named among the top 12 books ever written by a human being.
Things Fall Apart is currently translated in over 50 Languages.
Things Fall Apart is by far the greatest African Novel...

Because it is written by an Igbo man you Afonja Spiteful losers won't sleep over the success of the great novel celebrated across Africa.
The sleepless Night you lots are having is because things Fall Apart was written by Igbo man.

Afonja losers weep more, your weeping is music to my ears.

Oh! Did I forget to tell you that I am from the same town and village with the great Chinua?

This one many people are drinking snipers don't take one this night.

RTSC:

It does not stop chinua from being the most translated African author of all times.

Soyinka would gladly give his nobel to command the same level of global acclaim.

Soyinka is not in competition with his late friend. And you won't soil Achebe's acclaim with your massive insecurity and inferiority complex.

Yorubas have become so deluded that they judge people by their own standards. They become drowned by the noise of their own opinion that they fail to discern the reality around them. When African magic started without Igbo channel these insecure pple went mad shouting daily about how am had a Yoruba channel without an Igbo channel and how there are no Igbo lang. movies. despite knowing that Igbos gave no hoot about that since nollywood itself is Igbo, they continued disgracing themselves 'till AM igbo started and has been running since then.

same happened with BBC Hausa until that of Igbo came yet Igbos could care less about a foreign station broadcasting in Igbo language. These insecure pple will still run with their tails in between their legs when up coming Igbo writers begin to win the nobel prize without giving any f-ck about it. Igbos are not interested in white man's story about them. They are not interested in white man's judgement about them, rather they tell their own story to the world. This is the difference between them and Yoruba. This is why Yoruba's can kill to get an award, much so the Nobel while an Igbo will move to solve a problem, make and impact or inspire a generation. An achievement which could still earn him an award.

MetaPhysical:


Your intent with the thread was to stoke cross-ethnic debate. Look at your topic, what do you expect...hugs and kisses? You know it would ordinarily be moved to literary section and receive political-correctness but you are dramatic and added political to dodge the move so that politically-incorrect ethnic hawks can converge and bloody it out. Save your pretensions. Im here for blood. I repeat, when it comes to creativity in written arts your Achebe is a nobody where Soyinka is.

....as in ehn! "the politics of literature"
They've turn everything to PDP vs APC.
The topic itself tends subtly conveys the false notion that nepotism/favoritism other than merit was at play in deciding who wins d award and who doesn't.

richie240:

....as in ehn! "the politics of literature"
They've turn everything to PDP vs APC.
The topic itself tends subtly conveys the false notion that nepotism/favoritism other than merit was at play in deciding who wins d award and who doesn't.

In your own head, that's what you think. Insecurity at it's lowest low. This is unfortunate.

MetaPhysical:


If Achebe, not Soyinka, had won the prize your conclusions about the Nobel Prize will be different.

Many of you praise Ngozi Okonjo Iweala for her Eurocentric ideals and recognition around the world. Do you not?

When it is Ibo, Eurocentric is good, when it is others, Eurocentric is irrelevant.

Its the same mindset that make your brothers create parallel trade unions when leadership of mainstream organizations is occupied by non-Ibos. You have a problem taking orders from non-Ibos....but complain that you are barred from leadership. It shouldnt be too difficult to understand the root reason for your exclusion in affairs.

Nigeria is indeed a tower of Babel. We just don't like each other. One of our biggest problem is stereotyping. It led to the civil war. The hatred is also deepening today. Do you know that the fault you accuse the Igbo of manifest abundantly in both Yoruba and Hausa, at least in our eyes. I am glad you acknowledge that Igbo is excluded in affairs. At other times you people will claim that all Nigerians are excluded not just the Igbo.