₦airaland Forum

Ola Johnson: This thread should be closed.

Very well, ola, go home and sleep over this thread.

the dudes are suffering from an islamic disease.

Ola Johnson: You've not answered my question: How many people apart from Nadine Gordimer calls by that title? You've only mentioned names of countries that honoured him.

do yourself a favour by reading my post again. Why not help yourself by googling what i told you to google and get your answers. Remember- read between the lines.

Ola Johnson: [color=#000000][/color][color=#990000][/color]
Mention one writer apart from Nadine Gordimer that calls CA that.

that would be damn ridiculous. If we africans are not ready celebrate our own, who will? It's a childish thing to ask me to begin quote scholars who resonated gordimer's tribute. However, kenya recently paid tribute to achebe in nairobi, just google it. Also, new york's senate resolution on achebe.
Achebe's breakthrough and editorship as well as mentorship gave birth many literary jauggernauts in africa, even you cannot disprove that. Pls, stop been bias, WS is good and great, but CA has his unique honour, which in time will be as unique as ''afrobeat pioneer/father'', or ''UEFA champions league- the mother of all league'' , or ''king of pop''. Ola johnson come off it.

why am i not surprised? The same Britain out against nigeria...AGAIN! However, i doubt if they will win this psychological warfare against nigeria. If they do, thanks to boko haram.

Ola Johnson: The fact remains that CA being to as the father of African literature remains verbal in some quarters. It is not stated anywhere or inscribed in a plaque.

Yes, you are right, however, it is what the conscience of most literary luminaries and enthusiasts states. From africa to europe to america, to asia and australia, its the same honour given by conscience to achebe. Does he need to be given a plague in order to be accorded honour? Ola johnson think.

Ola Johnson: When will most of you understand English? WS only confirmed the position of CA. I've read the same interview in the UK Guardian Newspaper, and there was no comment of WS being jealous. What has CA achieved that WS should be jealous of? Emancipate yourself from mental slavery.

my friend, WS did not confirm anything. He found such honorific for achebe (and himself) ridiculous, a ''momentary exuberance''. If such honorific was accorded to him, he would embrace it, he just trying to 'neutralize' a human weakness called jealousy. Anyway, he is known literarily for making simple illustrations complex, while achebe does the opposite, which is, simplifying complex illustrations. Achebe is a universal teacher...

Ola Johnson: Henchyk, I've had opportunity of hearing the Igbo say they migrated from Israel. They have maintained, on Radio Biafra in the United States, that they're "Jews". I used to listen to it some ten years ago, but stopped when I realized that it was somewhat childish for one of their broadcasters to say the insects destroying farm produces in the North was an answer by the God of the Igbo as he did in the Biblical times when he visited the Egyptians with the ten plagues. According to him, the insects would remain until the Igbo were given independence like the Jews of Moses' days.

I've lived with the Igbo for a long time before I relocated to the SW. I have nothing against them. I've never insulted them like they will always do on Nairaland and outside it. I've never said more than people that I feel are wrong should start reasoning. If you've been following my comments you'll realize this.

The interview of Wole Soyinka is simple, for any person that wishes, to understand. He only confirmed Chinua Achebe's stand that he should not be referred to as the father of African literature, a statement made by Nadine Gordimer. He didn't say more than this, which has brought out the tribal bigotry in some people. They go to the extent of saying he is jealous. Jealous of what? If I may ask. It is hightime we started being reasonable. Bob Marley said: Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our mind.

elizabeth taylor was the first to call MJ the king of pop, does that make any difference? If i were achebe, i too would ignore the title, its the wisest thing to do. However, it dosen't mean i dont deserve it.

as far as literature is concerned, achebe's place as being the breakthrough of african literature is assured. A celebrated novelist and poet, as well as a revered critic, this man is more or less synonymous to personalities like mandela. Honorifics(king of..., queen of..., jewel of..., father of..., mother of..., star of...), are given for a reason- the global impact of the entity in various facets of life. Achebe consolidated the dignity, humanity, and sophiscation of african literature. This pioneering and trailbrazing feat aptly accords him the father of MODERN african literature. Whats the fuss all about? SOYINKA is entitled to his opinion, GORDIMER is entitled to hers, so is forbes, aljazeera,cnn,etc.

da vinci code's (and others) fictional story are just for pure leisure and fantasy for readers. That's very unlike things fall apart, a fiction built on cultural cum political reality, not to mention, aesthetic and moral depth. Maybe brown and grisham should be read and taught in academic institutions...no, because their works are very unlike achebe.

da vinci code's (and others) fictional story are just for pure leisure and fantasy for readers. That's very unlike things fall apart, a fiction built on cultural cum political reality, not to mention, aesthetic and moral depth. Maybe brown and grisham should be read in academic institutions...no, because their works are very unlike achebe.

why all this noise? Must one be a nobel laureate before being legendary? Does a nobel prize make one legendary even? Its a prestigious european prize, yes, but it's NEVER the ultimate prize. The cultural, social, aesthetic, moral, and political relevance of a literary work are proven with time, thus making it legendary. Achebe's works did just that. Soyinka joins a long nobel list of geniuses, yet, a genius dosent necessarily make one legendary, like i said earlier, a legend is time-proven with multiple dimension of relevance.

soyinka is a nobel winner, so is gordimer, and a nobel winner called achebe 'father of modern african literature', so why the fuss? Big ups achebe, you've made the literary world world salute africa, you've also opened the door to other writers in africa. Rest in peace.

nigerians and eulogies! How i wish the politicians will build a nigeria that achebe wished for.

Great lion...doing great things....keep it up bro...hail varsity of naijiria, my almamater...

Happy married life...lol

Have you heard of the following renowned igbo scientific inventors and achievers?- cyprian emeka uzoh (inter-conductor, electroplating technology, etc), peter nwangwu(pharmacology/pharmaceutical technology), barth nnaji(geometric reasoning in engineering design), phillip emeagwali(supercomputing), francisca okeke(atmospheric physics), etc. The world awaits more of us.

frankly, hausa boasts of a large indigenous audience. Secondarily, it's a british reward for been a 'good boy'.

@valicious1, what are you doing here? You should be doing your lesson homework. This thread is not immature wannabe critics like you.

@X-factoria, it's like your literary world revolves round the nobel prize. Your world is indeed small. ....ndo....

@kingoflag, "...are you more igbo than i am...?" these were your words. Perhaps you are suffering from amnesia, i understand.
If equiano was rumoured to be yoruba, or perhaps, said so himself, maggots like you will cause senseless noise everywhere. But sorry, he isn't, envious maggot like you. Igbos are bold and industrious, unlike lazy worms like you. Equiano is igbo because he said and knows so. Go and die if it bothers you. Sensible yorubas will never feel insecure like you.

I never knew so many wannabes envied Achebe this much.[b]I never knew so many wannabes envied Achebe this much.[/b]I never knew so many wannabes envied Achebe this much.

@eko ile, is like you mouth has scratched like a turn-table "...still, ko si nobel". Have you ever been told that you are an illiterate? I love you my owambe friend that's why i have to tell you the truth. It's never too late though.

@kingoflag, which historians? Mention one. Oh, so you are now igbo....eyaaaa....the baby shouldn't have played in the chimp's cage.
FYI, no historian in his/her right mind would say such about equiano. They could be refering to his birthplace NOT his origin of descent.

These weeds (kingoflag, dayokanu, eko ile, etc), have started sprouting again. Anyway, whether you all like it or not, your case is closed.
1. Equiano the great writer and abolitionist is proudly igbo by descent.
2. Achebe the father of modern african literature and anti-racist is proudly igbo too.
3. African Greats like mandela, ngugi, gordimer, soyinka, okara, etc whose tribute to the great achebe will eternally overwhelm backyard jesters like omatseye and his minions(eko ile, dayokanu, olumide, kingoflag, etc).

To all anti-achebes and anti-igbos, any questions? If none, case closed.

@ola johnson, what have we in NL been doing since? Singing? Your brain is amala true-true.... Soyinka is great no doubt, and i cant be jealous of him, he is not a bigot like you. By the way, who says shakespeare is a nobel guy? Just as he a father figure in european literature, that is how achebe is to african literature, go chop grass...anuofia like you

@tolexander, i had just finished primary two when he was buried, if that answers your question, but hey, thank God for documented history. African politicians like mandela, selassie, etc transcends their home country, their works are beyond their countries, unlike awolowo the ethnic champion. Perhaps you have heard the ideology called Zikism, coined from zik of africa. Find out what the western world says about it....loser.

@ola johnson, does your rantings make you feel better? If yes, keep it up.......amala brain.

@tolexander, whether you want to explode or not, awo is only respected in nigeria and worshipped in yorubaland. He was an ethnic champion. As for your biased take on equiano, it only shows what envy can turn one to- a tribal jingoist. Equiano's abolitionist legacy through his writings stands tall, don't cry okay? He is, like achebe, proudly igbo.

@tolexander, did you also know it was said that it may have a mistake from the birth registrar, or still, equiano's arrangement. Even if so, his NATIVE ORIGIN should not be disputed. He says he is igbo, why are some bigots in NL sulking at this?