Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe is best known for his 1958 novel Things Fall Apart, considered one of the greatest novels of all time, but his impact stretches far beyond this one work, to generations of Africans, African Americans and writers across the world. Achebe is celebrated as a literary pioneer and a literary icon who changed the face of world literature.

Chinua Achebe was born in Nigeria in 1930. He was raised as an Igbo and forged a strong bond with Igbo literature, culture and history. He received a degree in English at the University of Ibadan in 1953 and went on to pursue literary criticism and writing in a variety of forms.

Achebe was an important influence on the post-colonial literature. He wrote in English and is one of the first authors to write stories that showed the complexities of African life and culture and interrogated imperial rule.

Things Fall Apart is Achebe’s most famous work. The novel follows the life and times of Okonkwo, an Igbo from Umuofia. Achebe’s story has been celebrated for its insightful analysis of Igbo culture and for introducing the concept of validating indigenous culture to an international audience. It’s a heartbreaking tale of the collapse of a society set against the backdrop of colonialism and its aftermath.

Achebe went on to write several other novels, including No Longer at Ease (1960), Arrow of God (1964), A Man of the People (1966), and Anthills of the Savannah (1987). Achebe was also a prolific essayist and poet. He wrote a number of celebrated essays including “The Novelist as Teacher” (1969) and “Colonialist Criticism” (1975).

In addition to his writing, Chinua Achebe was a great educator and statesman. He served as a professor at various universities around the world, wrote extensively on African and diaspora literature and culture, and was the president of Zimbabwe’s Writers Association and a co-founder of Nigeria’s famed International Pen Writers’ Association.

Achebe was known for his wit and intelligence and for writing in an easy-to-understand language that made complex ideas accessible to people from all walks of life. He was an avid proponent of the empowerment of marginalised voices and was an important figure in the struggle for African sovereignty. His writing and activism have been long influential, and today he is regarded as one of the foremost writers of African literature.

Chinua Achebe was awarded numerous awards and accolades, including becoming a Commandeur in the French National Order of Merit in 1993. His work has been published in over fifty languages, including Portuguese, Spanish, French and Swedish. Achebe died in March 2013 at the age of 82, leaving behind a legacy of incredible literature and activism.

Chinua Achebe’s impact on literature and African culture is undeniable. He laid the groundwork for a more nuanced understanding of African culture and history, and his influence has extended to generations of African and African-American writers. Achebe changed the way the world sees literature, and his work will continue to be remembered and celebrated for generations to come.