Late Chinua Achebe was unarguably one of the brightest minds to emerge from the nation Nigeria.
His popularity, especially among lovers of literature and art, barely ever dwindles, despite the fact that he has been gone for 5years. Born in 1930, Achebe, led a very interesting life and this is a sneak peek into what his life was like, while he was still with us:
- Chinua Achebe was born Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, in Ogidi, a town in Eastern Nigeria, on the 16th of November, 1930.
- Chinua Achebe attended the University of Ibadan, where he studied English Language.
- He published his novel, ‘Things Fall Apart’ in 1958. The book went on to become the major thing that catapulted him to greatness.
- The masterpiece, ‘Things Fall Apart’ sold over a million copies and has been translated into 50 different languages.
- He worked with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, as the Director of External Broadcasting from 1961-1966.
- Between 1960-1966, Achebe authored 3 major books; No Longer at Ease (1960), Arrow of God (1964) and A Man of The People (1966); all of which were centered on the clash between the traditional ways of life and colonialism.
- In 1961, Chinua Achebe got married to Christie Chinwe Okoli and they had four children together.
- Chinua Achebe worked as a research fellow and later an English Professor from 1976-1981, at the University of Nigeria. He also doubled as the director of Heinemann Educational Books Ltd. And Nwankwo-Ifejika Ltd.
- Between 1973-1975 Achebe published a number of short stories and one children’s book; named; How the Leopard Got His Claws (1972). He went on the release a few poetry collections, namely; Beware, Soul-Brother (1971) and Christmas in Biafra (1973), and his first book of essays, Morning Yet on Creation Day (1975).
- Still in 1975, Chinua Achebe joined the Faculty at the University of Connecticut but returned to University of Nigeria a year later; in 1976.
Chinua Achebe released yet another Masterpiece, ‘Anthills of the Savannah’, in 1987, a book which went on to be shortlisted for the Booker McConnell Prize. He also published another book in 1988, titled Hopes and Impediments.
In the early 1990s, Achebe was involved in a car accident that paralyzed him from the waist down. He remained in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. After the accident, he moved to the United States, taking up teaching activities at Bard College. He remained there for 15years.
In 2009, Achebe left Bard College for Brown University in Providence, where he served as a professor od Africana Studies. He also doubled as the David and Marianna Fisher University professor.
Over the course of his writing career, Achebe won numerous awards, including the Man Booker International Prize, in 2007, The Dorothy and Lilian Gish Prize in 2010 and several honorary degrees from more than 30 Universities around the Globe.
Chinua Achebe died on the 21st of March, 2013; in Boston Massachusetts.
May his soul continue to Rest in Peace.
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