SarkinYarki:


I had no idea Soyinka was the first to win a nobel prize ooo

SLAP44:
In the end, Soyinka spoke so many words and ended up saying nothing in response to the issues raised.

Such an evasive character is not worthy of even the readers digest author of the week award.

StOla:
Why do people fail to learn that literature is not about Prose alone.
wisdom will not kill you. apt
The 3 genres of literature are Prose(Novel), Drama(Play), and Poetry.

While Soyinka ticks the box in all, Achebe ticks only the Prose box.

While Soyinka is an acclaimed Playwright and Poet, Achebe is an acclaimed Novelist.

Soyinka won the Nobel for the dual reason of Drama and Poetry, and this much reason was stated in his award justification, as the reason for all other awardees are stated.




So why are people comparing an apple to an orange when the award for best fruit was given to an orange on the basis that for that years consideration, the sweetest orange was the decider?

wirinet:

Sincerely speaking, you must think yourself more learned and intelligent than the Nobel Committee for Literature who picked Wole Soyinka over thousands of others.

Nigerians have this overbloated ego and false sense of importance. Small time you will say Einstein is trash and knows nothing in physics.

ericsmith:



He was the first black africa to win the nobel prize, you're an adult next time i won't feeder feed you.

colestephan86:

Funny, you read the reply of woke Soyinka and didn't understand a single thing , then you consoled yourself by saying all he wrote is meaningless.
RDb!

SLAP44:
In the end, Soyinka spoke so many words and ended up saying nothing in response to the issues raised.

Such an evasive character is not worthy of even the readers digest author of the week award.

Goke7:
some fellas are just educated illiterates e.g. Reno.

Soyinka has paid his dues, not many including those who are always using their ethnic bigotry to cast aspersions knew the efforts Prof Soyinka made to persuade the Govt back in the 60s to avert the bloody civil war.

It's high time folks are properly educated from the history books to give credit rightly where it belongs and stop exposing their high level of illiteracy, the fact that Soyinka never supported your favourite politician does not reduce or diminish his hard earned credentials and precious contributions to the project called' Nigeria'. Nigeria would have been a better place if we had more like him.

Osagyefo98:



soyinka has no case, more reason he avoided the brutal truth....Reno passed his message in simple english.....and soyinka is beating about the bush.


that also lays fact to Omokri claims.

Sanchez01:
You are Jon Snow, no doubt. You know nothing.

To every literature student, our understanding of a good work of art is one you read and don't make meaning out of at first glance. If you pick up a literary work and understand it upon closure, then it is a bad book.

Certain elements differentiate newspapers from works of literature and that is the diction, plot, style, license (poetic, in literature), mood, tone, author's viewpoint etc. I could read a section of the newspaper and comprehend what it says first hand without having to re-read. The same must not happen to any literary work of art. It must not.

We have more generation of readers in Nigeria now, more than ever, who often only try to get themselves entertained without having to pay attention to the elements the writer/author adopted in presenting his ideas.

Wordsworth defines poetry that it is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings; it takes its origin from emotions recollected in tranquility; the emotion is contemplated till the tranquility disappears and an emotion, kindred to that which was before the subject of contemplation, is gradually produced and does prove itself that it actually exists in the mind.

The above definition of poetry extends to other genres. Achebe was an amazing storyteller but it stops there. I could give you one of Soyinka's works and you won't even spend 10 minutes on it before dropping it. That in itself is the beauty of Literature. If your mind and senses are not alive before reading/studying a good work of art, then be sure it won't make sense to you.

aribisala0:
Which of Soyinka's works have you read?

Adeoludt:
Jesus.... See finish

aribisala0:


Whether they read Achebe's book in heaven is not the issue.


It is clear that you are ignorant and do not read.

Wole Soyinka is majorly a playwright. How many of his "books" are read in Colleges IN NIGERIA very few . So what?
How many people whose books are read in colleges in America win the Nobel Prize and HOW is it acclaim? If the subject matter is African literature or African studies what would they read, James Hadley Chase?

Wole Soyinka wrote plays that were performed at the National Theatre in London. That is acclaim. Wole Soyinka himself in his youth was an actor and theatre director and got wide acclaim for this so I really do not know why all this compensatory bitterness is neccesary.


That is not the point which seems to elude you. It is clear YOU do not read and have no understanding of the issues.

So you seek to console your self with this acclaim nonsense.

RTSC:

You are an ignorant bigot trying to get glory where there is none.

The Nobel is not the be all and end all. It is just a prize that hundreds of people unknown today have won.
It is just an award just like other literary awards albeit a prestigious one.
It is not the only mark of greatness.

Achebe could win the Nobel posthumously Tommorrow and it won't add anything to him.

The greatest honour is the fact that he will forever remain the most respected, the most read, the most translated African writer of all time.
The Bible of African contemporary literature.
There is no greater mark of excellence

PrimadonnaO:



Trials of Brother Jero... Lion and the Jewel...A Dance of the Forests. The Telephone conversation poem.

I'm an Art student, so I know how to appreciate these things.

But someone made a point which I had hitherto not considered. Chinua is primarily a novelist... Soyinka's works cut across all genre. I favour novels... it's pergaps one of the reasons I prefer Achebe.

aribisala0:


These are your infantile wishes.
Achebe did not win the Nobel Prize because he was not good enough

several Africans have won it and he was NEVER nominated.

The Nobel prize is not just an award ,keep consoling yourself. It is the ultimate award in literature.

SarkinYarki:


I thought he was the first Yoruba man to win it oooo

SpaceTour:
Once you read books from Achebe and Soyinka, you will definitely give it to Achebe.

Ben Bruce shared the comment

vonlogon:
What prof is telling Reno in simple English is " I don't have your time"

vonlogon:
What prof is telling Reno in simple English is " I don't have your time"

RTSC:

Oga, you are just a hater.
Achebe is included in the greatest books of all time along with the Bible, Tolstoy and Harper Lee who are both Nobel winners.

Go and put Soyinka among them if it Pains you.

frankmoney:
j.k Rowling has a book that's one of the most read in history , and has never won a Nobel prize

Idokoegbunu:
Simply tell us u dont know english

aribisala0:
Hating who?
Achebe is not a book neither is Tolstoy so correct your syntax.

It is not clear what "greatness" means but there are dozens of such lists of greatest books whether it is by The New York Times , The Guardian of London, Ikebe Super or any other compiler. Nairaland could decide to commission such a list. Perhaps we need to understand what is meant by "great" . No such compiler has the imprimatur of the Nobel Prize .

The Nobel Prize is not given for ONE BOOK . It is given for literature and for contributions that are comprehensive and extensive not for one book. This extends beyond books(novels) to poetry,plays and more recently oral composition. Clearly this eludes you as you are only interested in bragging rights and have no understanding of literature.

rex444:
really? Didn't know oo