Brief Biography: Chinua Achebe the Great - Research Paper Example

Chinua Achebe the Great Brief Biography Born Albert Chinualimongo Achebe, Chinua Achebe was born in Eastern Nigeria on the 16th of November, 1930 in the village called Ogidi in an area called Igboland. As he was born during the colonial period, when Nigeria was colonized by the British, Achebe received early English education, coupled with as fusion of colonial legacies and Igbo traditions. Between 1944 and 19487, he attended the Government College of Umuahia, and then later between 1948 and 1953, he attended Ibadan University where he studied Literature, history and theology. After his graduation, Achebe travelled widely in America and Africa. He also was a teacher at a local school in Oba. However, his breakthrough came in 1954, and he landed a job at the Nigerian Broadcasting Company, Lagos (Ezenwa-Ohaeto 45). In the 1960’s, he briefly held the position of director of External Services at the Voice of Nigeria. In the Nigeria Civil War that was between 1967 and 1970, Achebe held the position of ambassador for the government, and at this time he backed the Biafra struggle. After the end of the struggle, Achebe joined the African Studies Department in Nsukka at the University of Nigeria. Starting the 1950’s, Achebe was the leading head of a literary movement in Nigeria that focused on the oral traditions of the indigenous tribes of Nigeria. Things Fall Apart written in 1958 was Achebe’s first novel, and it was subsequently translated into approximately 45 languages world-wide. Achebe wrote more novels; No longer at Ease (1960), Arrow of God (1964) and A Man of the People (1966), and all these were well received in the literature world. Many novels followed after this period, and they catapulted him into international stardom. He has received very many honorary degrees from various academic institutions around the world. For example, in 1987, the Nigerian Education ministry honored Achebe with the highest award for intellectual achievement (Carrol 56). In 1971, Achebe was made editor of Okike, a Nigerian literary magazine. In 1984, Achebe founded Iwa ndi Ibo,a bilingual publication that discussed the cultural life of the Igbo. Later in 1985, he was made Emeritus Professor of the University of Nigeria. TYo date, he has taught in various universities and colleges in Nigeria and the USA. Achebe has taught at the University of Connecticut, University of Massachusetts and Bard College. He currently lives in the United States of America with his family. Achebe’s works, Influences and style Chinua Achebe is one of the most famous contemporary African writers, along with literary writers like Wole Soyinka of Nigeria and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o of Kenya. Although Achebe writes in English, his writings analyze indigenous African cultures in his native Nigeria, and he lambastes modern culture by asserting that modern culture has affected African cultures (Carrol 78). Achebe was born in the colonial period, a time when Nigeria was being colonized by the British. Therefore, his interest in writing was influenced by this atmosphere. From his childhood, noticed that European culture had changed the manner in which the African society operated. As a result of this, he started writing literature that explored the impact on these European cultures on the African society. Being born in a rural part of Nigeria also influenced his writing. Born in Ogidi, Igboland, Eastern Nigeria, Achebe was brought up with a mixture of colonial legacy and Igbo indigenous cultures. His ironic and unsentimental books often portray the speech and traditions of his Ibo people. Achebe’s first novel, Things Fall Apart (1958) was written after Achebe felt that British authors were portraying the Africa and Africans inaccurately. This literary work describes the coming of colonialists and missionaries in late 1800’s, and the effect that this had on the indigenous African societies in Nigeria. When he wrote this novel, he was working for the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). Achebe tells the story of a village ‘’big man’’ Okonkwo, who is all powerful and rich. Okonkwo is respected by his village-men, and his strength knew no bounds. Achebe tells of his downfall as a result of him killing a fellow village-man. However, Achebe asserts that the missionary church and the new power brought by the British District Commissioner were responsible for his downfall (Achebe 67). Missionaries and colonial masters made their entry into Igboland in the 1890’s. Achebe also asserts that this intrusion of colonial masters and missionaries into Igboland precipitated Okonkwo’s downfall since Okonkwo was unwilling to change with the coming of the British. As a result of this, he was alienated from the rest of the community since he tried to fight colonialism alone. Therefore, Achebe uses the book to explain that colonialism forced locals of African societies to change and alter their lifestyles. Those who failed to change perished, just like Okonkwo. Subsequent novels, No Longer at Ease (1960), Arrow of God (1964), A Man of the People (1966), and Anthills of the Savannah (1987) were also set in Africa, and they further indicate Achebe’s concern about Colonial impact on his people. In all these novels, Achebe describes African people’s struggles in a bid to emancipate themselves from the fangs of colonialism. Therefore, Achebe’s objectives in writing these works were; lambasting oppression of African people by colonial masters (Ezenwa-Ohaeto 86). An Arrow of God (1964) explains the struggle of traditional Igbo people after the entry of missionaries and colonialists into their land. Achebe’s novel is set in the 1920’s, and it tells of a priest, Ezulu who sends his son to get education from a missionary school. However, Ezulu fails to defend his people’s traditions in the face of the British District Commissioner. Conflicts set in, and Ezulu is afraid that his power will vanquish. Political events in his native Nigeria also influenced him to write most of his works. Through these works, Achebe is critical of the political state of his native Nigeria, and he is using these books to advocate for change. Achebe’s A Man of the people (1966) is a satirical novel that tells of corruption and power hunger in an African state. The protagonists of this story are Odili and Nanga, the man of the people. Nanga is in government serving as the Minister for Culture while Odili is a teacher. Odili, who tells the story, is hypercritical of the government, albeit not for ideological reasons, but, because Nanga had seduced his girlfriend. What follows is a political confrontations that culminates in chaos and havoc by Nanga’s thugs. The army later stages a coup, reading for a power take over (Achebe 82). Achebe used his writing to criticize the political incorrectness in Nigeria during the 1960’s and early 70’s. During this period, Nigeria’s political environment was tumultuous, which prompted Achebe to be politically active. Apart from A Man of the People, Achebe also wrote a variety of books in a bid to address Nigeria’s internal conflict. Some of these are; Poetry volumes- Beware, Soul Brother (1971) and Christmas in Biafra; short stories volumes- Girls at War (1972); Achebe’s education also affected his literature pursuits positively. He was introduced to English at an early age since his childhood coincided with the sprouting of colonial influence. When he was 14, he attended Government College in Umuahia between 1944 and 1947. He studied history, literature and theology in the University College of Ibadan, graduating in 1953. He also got a BA from the University of London in 1953, and later, he studied broadcasting at the British Broadcasting Corporation. The academic exposure he received in Nigeria and Britain enhanced his skills as a literary writer. Besides, his broadcasting job, and many other posts he served in various capacities exposed him to the realities of his people. He interacted with his Igbo people in his various experiences, and from this he was able to express himself in literature (Carrol 54). Achebe’s works have appealed to many people around the globe. He has received various honorary degrees from many universities, and his native Nigeria has awarded him with intellectual awards. His works have been chosen as part of the academic curriculum in many countries. Although he writes his works sometimes with a pidgin blend, he is regarded as one of the best contemporary writers who write in English. Achebe still criticizes post-colonial leaders who have sunk the economies of their nations, and this has handed him many plaudits from fans and critics alike. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Arrow of God. Nairobi: East African Publishers, 2009. Print Achebe, Chinua. No longer at ease. Nairobi: East African Publishers, 2009. Print Achebe, Chinua. Things fall apart. London: Heinemann, 2009. Print Carroll, David. Chinua Achebe: novelist, poet, critic. London: Macmillan, 2010. Print Ezenwa-Ohaeto. Chinua Achebe: A Biography. New York: James Currey Publishers, 2007. Print Innes, Catherine Lynette. Chinua Achebe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009. Print Mezu, Rose Ure. Chinua Achebe: the man and his works. New York: Adonis & Libby Pub, 2006. Print Read More