THERE WAS A WRITER

Prof. Chinua Achebe, widely known for his highly influential debut novel Thing's Fall Apart, is not dead. The man whose birth in Ogidi, Anambra State, on November 16 1930, was unceremonious and random, became the most celebrated African literary icon when he wrote the powerful story of Okonkwo; a proud and courageous man, depicting the ills of colonization and the travesty of a society. He moved away from his family to Nekede, four kilometres from Owerri, the capital of Imo State, at the age of 12 and registered at the Central School there. He attended Government College Umuahia for his secondary school education. He was a pioneer student of the University College, now University of Ibadan in 1948. He was first admitted to study medicine but changed to English, history and theology after his first year. While studying at Ibadan, Achebe began to become critical of European literature about Africa. It was then he conceived the idea of a novel and Okonkwo was born. Brown University, where he worked until his demise, described Achebe as “known the world over for having played a seminal role in the founding and development of African literature.” He made headlines in September of 2012 when he turned down a $1million offer from rapper 5o Cent for permission to use the Things Fall Apart title for an upcoming movie. This great man is really not dead even though he has given up the ghost after a prolonged illness. His spirit, through his books, forever lives on!