Chinua Achebe Dies…
Chinua Achebe dies.
UPDATE 22/March 2013
Herewith some quotes by the Godfather of African writing, Chinua Achebe who died yesterday March 21 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts USA. He was 82. See brief Biography below.
― Chinua Achebe, Anthills of the Savannah
― Chinua Achebe
― Chinua Achebe
― Chinua Achebe
― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart
― Chinua Achebe, The Education of a British-Protected Child: Essays
― Chinua Achebe
― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart
― Chinua Achebe
“Storytellers are a threat. They threaten all champions of control, they frighten usurpers of the right-to-freedom of the human spirit — in state, in church or mosque, in party congress, in the university or wherever.”
― Chinua Achebe, Anthills of the Savannah
― Chinua Achebe
― Chinua Achebe
If I hold her foot she says ‘Don’t touch!’
But when I hold her waist-beads she pretends not to know.”
― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart
― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart
― Chinua Achebe
“…when we are comfortable and inattentive, we run the risk of committing grave injustices absentmindedly.”
― Chinua Achebe, The Education of a British-Protected Child: Essays
― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart
Okonkwo’s fear was greater than these. It was not external but lay deep within himself.”
― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart
― Chinua Achebe, Hopes and Impediments: Selected Essays
“It is only the story…that saves our progeny from blundering like blind beggars into the spikes of the cactus fence.The story is our escort;without it,we are blind.Does the blind man own his escort?No,neither do we the story;rather,it is the story that owns us”.
― Chinua Achebe, Anthills of the Savannah
― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart
― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart
― Chinua Achebe
― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart
― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart
Author Chinua Achebe 82, one of the best Known literary minds from Africa, died yesterday in an undisclosed hospital in Boston, Massachusetts (USA) after a long illness. He is best known for his novel “Things Fall Apart” which was first published in 1958 and is now regarded as the most widely read novel in African litearture. He also wrote other great novels including “No Longer at Ease”, “Arrow of God”, “A man of the People”, and “Anthills of the Savannah”.
Before his death, he was a Professor at the David and Mariana Fisher University and Professor of African studies at Brown.
A family source revealed Mr Achebe had been ill for sometime and was hospitalized. The family will release a statement later today concerning his death.
A young Chinua Achebe
Born in Ogodi Anambra State in Nigeria on November 16, 1930. After his primary education in St Philips Central School, he moved to Government College, Umuahia for his secondary Education.
He gained admission into the University College (Now University) in Ibadan in 1948 initially to read medicine. He however changed and read English, History and theology a year later. While at Ibadan University, he was disillusined with the protrayal of Africa in mostly European literature. This is probably one of the reasons that made his to decide to start writing a couple of yerars alater. He graduated from the University in 1953 with a second class degree.
He met Christie Okoli and later married her in 1961. They had four children.
He joined the Nigerian broadcasting Service in 1954 after teaching for a brief persion
In 196, Achebe joined the breakaway Biafra Republic and acted as Ambassador of the new nation. The Nigerian government fought the breakaway Republic and regained control of the region in 1970. Achebe initially moved to the US in the early seventies. He returned there again in 1990 when a motor accident left him partially paralysed. He was later to say in an interview that he decided to leave in the USA permanently because it was only there that medics could take care of his physically disabilities. He used a wheelchair till his death.
Achebe, Like the other literay luminary from Nigeria Wole Soyinka, was a harsh critic of the various military governments in his country. On two occasions, he refused to be honoured by the governments of his country. “Anthill of the Savannah” one of his lesser known novels recounts the excesses that become apparent when young officers seize power and was a parody of the various military dictatorships that had rulked in his home country.
May his gentle soul rest pi perfect peace.
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A good selection of quotes there from Achebe, Francis. Congrats for the service to a fallen hero.
There goes another Africa hero…no, my Africa hero. i love Achebe, I adore Achebe. To me the best Novel by Achebe is Things fall apart. Thank you
Amin Zinka, Namibia. Oh, this news caught me off-guard. long live Achebe. You have immortalize your name not only in Africa but the world over.
Another century to get such a fine writer from mother Africa again. Thank you Nigeria, his mother, but oh, there still is Soyinka
We have lost an African icon, a rare jewel indeed. His books.. Things Fall Apart, No Longer at Ease.. give us some insight into the brilliant mind of this African geius. His succint description of the Whiteman’s arrival and encroachment in Africa has never been replicated.
May he take a well deserved rest. Long Live Achebe!!!
He might be dead in body but his spirit and writings forever lives with us. Long live Achebe.
He remains forever in our hearts.