Chinua Achebe (1930-21March 2013)

Chinua Achebe was born on November 16, 1930, in Ogidi, Nigeria, Africa continent. He
was enormously famous for his life work as a novelist, poet, professor and critic modern
African writer of the 20th century.

He was born into Igbo ethnic group so that most of his writing was influenced by Igbo
culture and traditions. The significant groundbreaking novel named “Things Fall Apart”
included the clash between colonialism and traditional Igbo society in Nigeria in which
mentioned the cultural identity, colonization and the impact. It has been translated into
50 languages and sold 10 million of copies. He wrote at least 20 books and poems,
essays, and short stories.

He received more than 30 honorary degrees from Nigeria, Canada, South Africa, the
United Kingdom and the United States Universities. Not only he criticized the western
view on the Africa but also promote African literature and writers throughout his life
work.
Because of his literary and intellectual contributions to the society, he earned also the
Man Booker International Prize (2007) and the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize (2010).
Chinua Achebe passed away at the age of 82 in Boston, Massachusetts, United State
of America.