"All our gods are weeping.
Idemili is weeping. Ogwugwu is weeping. Agbala is weeping. All the others are
weeping. Our dead fathers are weeping..."
From the novel, Things Fall Apart.
It's been
reported in Nigeria this week that an original copy of Achebe's glorious novel,
Things Fall Apart was purchased for
the sum of one (1) million Naira by auction.
The details
were done via Twitter, orchestrated by Lola Shoneyin, a famous Nigerian
novelist and poet. The purchaser of the novel was "anonymous" at
least initially.
Since it was
published in 1958, the global fame and renown of Things Fall Apart has been amplified. It is by far the greatest
best-selling novel ever written by any African.
The African
past, pre-colonial ambience, pertinent mores, and of course the ravaging
effects of colonialism are brilliantly re-created in the work. Primarily the
novel tells the story of the tragedy of Okonkwo, main protagonist in old
Umuofia.
Remarkably, Igbo, African proverbs, "quaint customs", wise saws et al hold sway. The novel has been admired and studied all over the world for many decades with thousands of reviews of the book appearing worldwide.
-
- O Bolaji
Pa Achebe had the incredible success any African writer can only ever dream about with his first novel, Things Fall Apart. It is the type of success that happens once in a generation, if ever. No praise can be too much for his incredible achievement
ReplyDeleteEven in death, Chinua Achebe continues to have the magnetic coruscating appeal that made him Africa’s best known writer, and whose books – this first one in particular – captivated the world.
ReplyDeleteOf course it will be wrongly ambiguous to conclude unadulterated that social media cannot be convenient to bolster genuine or anything that is pertinent to genuine literature. Here Chief Seye illustrated tersely what will always be enchanting in literature. His acumen in recognising Twitter with the current invaluable details about Pa Chinua Achebe renowned mind-blowing book Things Fall Apart is absolutely remarkable. I am astounded and impressed by the steadfast progress of African literature.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mr SOQAGA. Ntate Soqaga is one of Africa's striking literary critics and reviewers.
ReplyDeleteThis is a book that every African should read, including the new generation. As an Igbo myself, I am so proud of the achievements of Achebe, Adichie etc. But I did not like the way women were treated, or abused in Things fall apart. And the way Okonkwo killed the boy who considered him to be a father was more than cruel.
ReplyDeleteThings fall apart is a wonderful book, though I must confess that I feel Achebe's Arrow of God is an even greater achievement. Achebe has gone down in history.
ReplyDeleteProf Achebe has proved it for an African writer that is possible to achieve whatever you want to achieve. Things Fall Apart published in 1958, where technology was far low but look what the book has achieved thus far. So this is an example for writers to write their quality stories so the world can read them and know better about us.
ReplyDeleteDR Thiba is right when he refers to the limited technology at the time this book first came out. Literary history tells us that in those old days just to get a manuscript typed was very difficult indeed, for Africans. In fact Achebe explained himself that whilst trying to get the manuscript of Things Fall Apart typed - and having paid for this service – the manuscript was very nearly lost to the world. Achebe had to post his handwritten manuscript far away to England just to get it typed. Now we have all sorts of fancy personal computers, smartphones etc with spell-checks, suggestions etc; but despite all these advantages, do we modern writers have even a fraction of the talent of an Achebe?
ReplyDeleteSir Mokoena you are absolutely right, today everything is on our fingertips and where publishers stays next to our houses or crossing over the street. Quality of Prof Achebe is in plenty of writers but unfortunately they are not aware of that rich talent, until one discover it on his/her grey age or while could still kicking the air and I promise you that one day one or few writers in Africa will emerge with Prof's quality and talent.
ReplyDeleteI read Things fall apart as a very young woman, and later on I read the book again as a real adult. It is a very good work of fiction and even gives the idea that the events really did happen, which must be one of the strong appeals of the book. Because Okonkwo “died like a dog” in the end, his disgrace is complete; but it is the disgrace of an entire people (and even race). The community seems so helpless against the colonizers with even their own fellow black brethren adding to the humiliation and insult. Why did Okonkwo have to die? is what many people might ask….but as some say: “those who live by the sword must die by the sword”
ReplyDeleteI read Things fall apart as a very young woman, and later on I read the book again as a real adult. It is a very good work of fiction and even gives the idea that the events really did happen, which must be one of the strong appeals of the book. Because Okonkwo “died like a dog” in the end, his disgrace is complete; but it is the disgrace of an entire people (and even race). The community seems so helpless against the colonizers with even their own fellow black brethren adding to the humiliation and insult. Why did Okonkwo have to die? is what many people might ask….but as some say: “those who live by the sword must die by the sword”
ReplyDelete