Chinua Achebe: The transformative power of education and knowledge

Achebe was a gifted writer and a passionate advocate for African culture. The reputation of his works underscore the transformative power of education and knowledge.

By Dr. Chitalu Chilufya.

Lusaka, Aug. 5 – Find time to gain new perspectives by reading works by personalities who have shaped the course of human history! My personal experience with my late father who shared the journalism I have continued to appreciate to date, left an indelible impact that others have never been exposed to, making it imperative that I discuss how reading opens up a world of possibilities.

Chinua Achebe [16th November 1930 – 21st March 2013] a Nigerian novelist, was a complex and controversial figure but will mostly be remembered for being a gifted writer and poet. He is regarded as a central figure of modern African literature. His work will continue to be read and studied for generations to come.

He was such a prolific writer that he published over 20 masterpieces during his lifetime. His first novel, and magnum opus, published in 1958, “Things Fall Apart”, a book you must still read if you have not yet had a chance to, occupies a pivotal place in African literature and remains the most widely read, studied, and translated African novel.

But he was also a tireless advocate for African literature, and he helped to raise the profile of African writers around the world. He was awarded numerous honours for his work, including the Man Booker International Prize in 2007. In the world of African literature, June 17 every year is commemorated as “Things Fall Apart Day” in tribute to the timeless appeal of the renowned novel.

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Things Fall Apart chronicles life in the pre-colonial Igbo nation, toward the dawn of colonialism led by the British conquerors. The story is centred on a communal “strongman” named Okonkwo, whose gradual fall from grace within his tribal community pitted him against new ideas.

The eye-opening plot is replete with symbols and themes of African traditional communities, and the dynamic conflict of change, resistance, and tragedy. Using powerful native Igbo idioms and aboriginal fables, it depicts the struggle between traditional belief and Christianity.

The novel’s universal theme has sustained relevance in today’s world from the socioeconomic, political, and cultural perspective of African societies.

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Achebe managed so profusely to present a rich and complex society, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses, and dispelling stereotypes about African cultures that were prevalent at the time. His works provide a platform for cultural pride and identity, not just for Nigerians but for Africans as a whole.

The reputation of his works underscores the transformative power of education and knowledge. And this is why reading opens up a world of possibilities for it is a perfect avenue to have an encounter with people we will never meet!

Achebe died in Boston, Massachusetts, in 2013 aged 82. Yes, he was a complex and controversial figure, but he was also a gifted writer and a passionate advocate for African culture whose work will continue to be read and studied for generations to come. I hope you will find time to read Things Fall Apart!

About The Author: Dr. Chilufya, a PF presidential candidate, is a writer, a public health physician, Mansa Central Member of Parliament and former Minister of Health who led a transformational agenda of the national health system, focused on creating a resilient health approach to achieve Universal Health Coverage.

To make well-informed and thoughtful decisions, one must be able to see things from perspectives other than one’s own. Gain new perspectives by following Woodpecker’s Digest! Reading does open up a world of possibilities.

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