Chinua Achebe
Author of Things Fall Apart (1958), considered the father of modern African literature. His works challenged the Eurocentric narrative of Africa.
Quick Facts
- Born
- 16 November 1930
- Died
- 21 March 2013 (aged 82)
- Birthplace
- Ogidi, Anambra State
- Nationality
- Nigerian
- Education
- University College Ibadan; University of London
- Occupation
- Author, Professor, Poet
Early Life and Education
Albert Chinualumogu Achebe was born on 16 November 1930 in Ogidi, in what is now Anambra State. The son of a teacher with the Church Missionary Society, Achebe was one of five children. He learned to read English at a young age and was exposed to both the Igbo traditions of his community and the Western influences brought by the church. He attended Government College, Umuahia — one of Nigeria's finest schools — before gaining a scholarship to study at University College Ibadan.
Things Fall Apart
Published in 1958, Things Fall Apart is Achebe's debut novel and one of the most widely read books in African literature. Set in the fictional Igbo village of Umuofia in the late 19th century, it tells the story of Okonkwo, a respected warrior whose life is upended by the arrival of European missionaries and colonial administrators. The novel has been translated into more than 50 languages and has sold over 20 million copies worldwide.
Legacy
Achebe's influence on African literature — and world literature — cannot be overstated. He taught at universities across Nigeria, the United States, and the United Kingdom. In 2007, he was awarded the Man Booker International Prize for his body of work. He passed away on 21 March 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts, remembered as a literary giant who gave Africa its own voice in the modern world.
Key Works / Related Items
- Things Fall Apart (1958)
- No Longer at Ease (1960)
- Arrow of God (1964)
- A Man of the People (1966)
- Anthills of the Savannah (1987)
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