₦airaland Forum

[size=14pt]Chinua Achebe's death: we have lost a brother - Wole Soyinka and JP Clark[/size]

Chinua was a man of resilient will. His works are testimony to the domination of the human spirit over the forces of repression

guardian.co.uk, Friday 22 March 2013 19.23 GMT

For us, the loss of Chinua Achebe is, above all else, intensely personal. We have lost a brother, a colleague, a trailblazer and a doughty fighter. Of the "pioneer quartet" of contemporary Nigerian literature, two voices have been silenced – one, of the poet Christopher Okigbo, and now, the novelist Chinua Achebe. It is perhaps difficult for outsiders of that intimate circle to appreciate this sense of depletion, but we take consolation in the young generation of writers to whom the baton has been passed, those who have already creatively ensured that there is no break in the continuum of the literary vocation.

We need to stress this at a critical time of Nigerian history, where the forces of darkness appear to overshadow the illumination of existence that literature represents. These are forces that arrogantly pride themselves implacable and brutal enemies of what Chinua and his pen represented, not merely for the African continent, but for humanity. Indeed, we cannot help wondering if the recent insensate massacre of Chinua's people in Kano, only a few days ago, hastened the fatal undermining of that resilient will that had sustained him so many years after his crippling accident.

No matter the reality, after the initial shock, and a sense of abandonment, we confidently assert that Chinua lives. His works provide their enduring testimony to the domination of the human spirit over the forces of repression, bigotry and retrogression.

ypzilanti: I think you should open a thread with this picture. If we can have a thread of ten pages with 'Tonto Dike riding motorcycle' there is no reason why this timeless picture should not have its own thread and make frontpage.

All in favor say AYE!

[size=14pt]Chinua Achebe's death: we have lost a brother - Wole Soyinka and JP Clark[/size]

Chinua was a man of resilient will. His works are testimony to the domination of the human spirit over the forces of repression

guardian.co.uk, Friday 22 March 2013 19.23 GMT

For us, the loss of Chinua Achebe is, above all else, intensely personal. We have lost a brother, a colleague, a trailblazer and a doughty fighter. Of the "pioneer quartet" of contemporary Nigerian literature, two voices have been silenced – one, of the poet Christopher Okigbo, and now, the novelist Chinua Achebe. It is perhaps difficult for outsiders of that intimate circle to appreciate this sense of depletion, but we take consolation in the young generation of writers to whom the baton has been passed, those who have already creatively ensured that there is no break in the continuum of the literary vocation.

We need to stress this at a critical time of Nigerian history, where the forces of darkness appear to overshadow the illumination of existence that literature represents. These are forces that arrogantly pride themselves implacable and brutal enemies of what Chinua and his pen represented, not merely for the African continent, but for humanity. Indeed, we cannot help wondering if the recent insensate massacre of Chinua's people in Kano, only a few days ago, hastened the fatal undermining of that resilient will that had sustained him so many years after his crippling accident.

No matter the reality, after the initial shock, and a sense of abandonment, we confidently assert that Chinua lives. His works provide their enduring testimony to the domination of the human spirit over the forces of repression, bigotry and retrogression.

Rossikk: Only in your dreams. Olodo. Better than Abuja my ASSSSS. Lagos in the 1970S WAS a dirty, fuc.ked up place filled with molue buses and trash. Go and watch Fela's video 'Confusion Break Bone' aka Pafouka na quench. You will see the piles of rubbish on major streets and the complete disorder at places like Ojuelegba, Oshodi etc. Marina, Broad Street etc were broken hellholes in which stinking open gutters would stare you in the face as you walked along. Not a single traffic light existed on the entire island or business district.

Go there today and all the streets are paved with sidewalks and even have flowers planted around them, with traffic lights everywhere controlling traffic. Even road markings and zebra crossings. On major roads, state ambulances stand in wait for traffic emergencies. This was not the Lagos I grew up in.

You little CHILDREN of yesterday need to STFU and learn something for once in your loud mouthed lives. The 70s and 80s Nigeria was an unaccountable MILITARY DICTATORSHIP which held the country back by several decades. Just because you see a nice picture of Dodan Barracks with Carter and OBJ smiling doesn't mean you should lose your senses.

Paentera: Is it true about Maitama Sule passing on? I missed that news.