Chinua Achebe wrote African stories without the painful undertow of mockery or hatred which poisons the tale of the African people.
He is best known for his work on Things Fall Apart published in 1958 which is a part of a masterful trilogy which included Arrow of God, and No Longer at Ease.
His unique writing which embodies the Igbo culture, masculinity, colonialism, and it's consequences are themes that can be found through out his work. His witty and satirical tone can also be found in his style as he criticizes systems and institutions in Nigeria and around the world.
The book by Joyce Cary 'Mister Johnson' inspired Achebe to take ownership of the stories told of his African heritage. He argued that the book although declared at the time by the Time Magazine "the best book ever written about Africa," Achebe disagreed. He is known to have said “there is such a thing as absolute power over narrative,” and he was inspired to take control of it to tell a more realistic tale of his home.
He is widely considered as the Father of African Literature. We celebrate African literature and all those who make sure history is not lost by putting pen to paper to the tell real African stories.
Chinua Achebe died at 82 in 2013 and was honored with 30 honorary degrees and won various awards including Man booker International prize for Literature and a recipient of the highest intellectual achievement the Nigerian National Merit Award.
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