On Things Fall Apart:
I read Things Fall Apart
when I was 11 years old. I had just started preparing to enter the
seminary, where I spent 6 years, reading, writing and living. In
seminary, my mother, made sure I had every important title from the
African Writers’ Series.
when I was 11 years old. I had just started preparing to enter the
seminary, where I spent 6 years, reading, writing and living. In
seminary, my mother, made sure I had every important title from the
African Writers’ Series.
Chinua
Achebe, John Munonye and Elechi Amadi were my favourite authors from
that series, until one day, my mother shared a story with me. She said:
“Do you know Flora Nwapa is your aunt?”
Achebe, John Munonye and Elechi Amadi were my favourite authors from
that series, until one day, my mother shared a story with me. She said:
“Do you know Flora Nwapa is your aunt?”
Flora Nwapa’s first novel, Efuru
was published in 1966. Under that series. Flora Nwapa eventually won my
heart. I started thinking about her every day. My mother grew up
saying, ‘Uncle Gogo, Uncle Gogo.’ Gogo Nwakuche is Flora Nwapa’s
husband. She married him after the death of her first husband, Gogo
Nzeribe. I think, back then, many women, had had previous marriage
experiences before starting a new one. It was just a month ago, while
with the son of Flora Nwapa, Uzoma Nwakuche, that I found out that my
own mother had been ‘forced’ to marry a man in Oguta. It did not work
out. She married my father, who is almost 16 years older than her. To
cut out my mother’s story, she made me realize that I was an incarnate
of Flora Nwapa, even being born as a boy. She kept calling me Booker T.
Washington. Because of the love I have for Flora Nwapa, I started work
on The House of Nwapa, a documentary film celebrating her and discussing
issues leading to her death. It will be screened in Harare next week.
was published in 1966. Under that series. Flora Nwapa eventually won my
heart. I started thinking about her every day. My mother grew up
saying, ‘Uncle Gogo, Uncle Gogo.’ Gogo Nwakuche is Flora Nwapa’s
husband. She married him after the death of her first husband, Gogo
Nzeribe. I think, back then, many women, had had previous marriage
experiences before starting a new one. It was just a month ago, while
with the son of Flora Nwapa, Uzoma Nwakuche, that I found out that my
own mother had been ‘forced’ to marry a man in Oguta. It did not work
out. She married my father, who is almost 16 years older than her. To
cut out my mother’s story, she made me realize that I was an incarnate
of Flora Nwapa, even being born as a boy. She kept calling me Booker T.
Washington. Because of the love I have for Flora Nwapa, I started work
on The House of Nwapa, a documentary film celebrating her and discussing
issues leading to her death. It will be screened in Harare next week.
I cherished Things Fall Apart until I read Anthills of the Savannah
in the semiary. It was a recommended text. After reading Anthills of
the Savannah, I carried the book around with me. I worshipped it. So,
when I granted an interview to Premium Times and said I don’t,
genuinely, think Things Fall Apart is the Great African Novel, a debate
that continues, the entire heaven got loose. I think hell opened too. I
refused to be consumed. So, you have so many useless people who did not
read my interview, coming at me. Some of these bastards have not even
read Things Fall Apart, but their great grandfathers told them Things Fall Apart is the best thing that happened to tapioca since it was invented.
in the semiary. It was a recommended text. After reading Anthills of
the Savannah, I carried the book around with me. I worshipped it. So,
when I granted an interview to Premium Times and said I don’t,
genuinely, think Things Fall Apart is the Great African Novel, a debate
that continues, the entire heaven got loose. I think hell opened too. I
refused to be consumed. So, you have so many useless people who did not
read my interview, coming at me. Some of these bastards have not even
read Things Fall Apart, but their great grandfathers told them Things Fall Apart is the best thing that happened to tapioca since it was invented.
I don’t agree with you, so disagreeing
with me should not lead to bloodshed. Many people who want to shed
blood because they feel I insulted their God, Chinua Achebe, did not see
that part where I said I feel Anthills of the Savannah is a
beautiful book. Some writer, whose book I have not even read, said he
would not take my criticism to the bank. Sorry, but if I thought him to
be a serious writer, I would have read his things. Each time I go to the
bookshop, I stroll pass his books, because I have never had any
interest in his writings. That is the same way I feel towards some of
the older idiots who went to the internet to insult themselves. I am not
amused.
with me should not lead to bloodshed. Many people who want to shed
blood because they feel I insulted their God, Chinua Achebe, did not see
that part where I said I feel Anthills of the Savannah is a
beautiful book. Some writer, whose book I have not even read, said he
would not take my criticism to the bank. Sorry, but if I thought him to
be a serious writer, I would have read his things. Each time I go to the
bookshop, I stroll pass his books, because I have never had any
interest in his writings. That is the same way I feel towards some of
the older idiots who went to the internet to insult themselves. I am not
amused.
Back to Things Fall Apart, I have read that book, here, there and I will read it again, but I will maintain my stand that Anthills of the Savannah
is a better book. The term, Great African Novel completely
discountenances the efforts of other writers from the continent. Nigeria
is not Africa. We always make it look like Nigeria is Africa. Not a
huge fan of Ngugi wa Thiong’o because of his hypocritical views on
Africanism and imperialism, I still find his writing powerfully
delivered. There is Amos Tutuola. I am not here to compare and contrast.
I am more interested in pushing this debate further. By the way, which
is the Great Asian Novel? Or the Great European Novel? Limiting
everything to Things Fall Apart is palpably an insult to an
entire continent brimming with writers of styles. I will not take it if
you said my novels are not great even if they were not. That is why I
have forgiven the Fighters of Achebe, but they have nothing on me. As
long as they don’t come close to me – knowing fully well that I have a
walking stick with a dagger – I am great with their slurs on social
media. Those things don’t get to me. I want to end on Things Fall Apart by adding that there are better novels than that lazily cooked up slim novel of childish exuberance.
is a better book. The term, Great African Novel completely
discountenances the efforts of other writers from the continent. Nigeria
is not Africa. We always make it look like Nigeria is Africa. Not a
huge fan of Ngugi wa Thiong’o because of his hypocritical views on
Africanism and imperialism, I still find his writing powerfully
delivered. There is Amos Tutuola. I am not here to compare and contrast.
I am more interested in pushing this debate further. By the way, which
is the Great Asian Novel? Or the Great European Novel? Limiting
everything to Things Fall Apart is palpably an insult to an
entire continent brimming with writers of styles. I will not take it if
you said my novels are not great even if they were not. That is why I
have forgiven the Fighters of Achebe, but they have nothing on me. As
long as they don’t come close to me – knowing fully well that I have a
walking stick with a dagger – I am great with their slurs on social
media. Those things don’t get to me. I want to end on Things Fall Apart by adding that there are better novels than that lazily cooked up slim novel of childish exuberance.
On Linda Ikeji Media:
Linda
Ikeji took me on a tour of her office space in Lekki. Linda is aware
that I love beautiful souls. My heart gladdens when people around me
prosper. My spirit gets lifted. As we walked through the rooms, she
explained things to me. Her life is getting beautiful day by day. She
keeps fighting her demons and winning. The things she faces every day,
we may never know. Now, in those 22 rooms in that building, Ms Ikeji is
going to make the lives of many youths beautiful. She has patterned
something for them. She has created jobs that the government wouldn’t,
but we will prefer to crucify her and leave Farouk Lawan who should be
in jail, languishing. Why Farouk Lawan is not in jail is beyond me. I
don’t even understand why we allow idiots like that to rock this world.
Ikeji took me on a tour of her office space in Lekki. Linda is aware
that I love beautiful souls. My heart gladdens when people around me
prosper. My spirit gets lifted. As we walked through the rooms, she
explained things to me. Her life is getting beautiful day by day. She
keeps fighting her demons and winning. The things she faces every day,
we may never know. Now, in those 22 rooms in that building, Ms Ikeji is
going to make the lives of many youths beautiful. She has patterned
something for them. She has created jobs that the government wouldn’t,
but we will prefer to crucify her and leave Farouk Lawan who should be
in jail, languishing. Why Farouk Lawan is not in jail is beyond me. I
don’t even understand why we allow idiots like that to rock this world.
I
am very proud of her. And what she has become. She works hard. With
blogging, Ms Ikeji has created jobs for so many people and made dreams
realistic for so many people. She has once again proven that you can be
whatever you want to be. I will keep adoring her. I know people will
differ on this – people keep talking about how she has damaged lives and
how she’s a plagiarist. We have learned to blame others for our
failure. We are interested in looking for who is bringing us down. We
want to find someone to blame for our misfortune. I don’t see those
things. I am easily won over by affection and I am easily charmed by
people who understand human predicament. Linda Ikeji has positioned
herself atop the affairs of my heart. She won me over with her
diligence.
am very proud of her. And what she has become. She works hard. With
blogging, Ms Ikeji has created jobs for so many people and made dreams
realistic for so many people. She has once again proven that you can be
whatever you want to be. I will keep adoring her. I know people will
differ on this – people keep talking about how she has damaged lives and
how she’s a plagiarist. We have learned to blame others for our
failure. We are interested in looking for who is bringing us down. We
want to find someone to blame for our misfortune. I don’t see those
things. I am easily won over by affection and I am easily charmed by
people who understand human predicament. Linda Ikeji has positioned
herself atop the affairs of my heart. She won me over with her
diligence.
I
am not even interested in talking about haters, but from what I have
seen, nobody can bring her down. It is not possible that negative
vibrations can now get to her. I know her battle. Six years ago, she
shut down her office, packed her stuff and went home because she could
no longer afford rent. Today, she is renting this space for 11 million
per year, because the owner of the property doesn’t want to sell.
am not even interested in talking about haters, but from what I have
seen, nobody can bring her down. It is not possible that negative
vibrations can now get to her. I know her battle. Six years ago, she
shut down her office, packed her stuff and went home because she could
no longer afford rent. Today, she is renting this space for 11 million
per year, because the owner of the property doesn’t want to sell.
She
is ready to start a new life in her office, a studio complete with
overhead suspended lights, and a tastefully furnished central office
splashed generously with colours. Ms Ikeji is set to launch a
conglomerate: her radio station and music studio. There is a studio
where TV shows will be shot as well. She’s ready! There are 22 rooms in
there and I saw all of them!
is ready to start a new life in her office, a studio complete with
overhead suspended lights, and a tastefully furnished central office
splashed generously with colours. Ms Ikeji is set to launch a
conglomerate: her radio station and music studio. There is a studio
where TV shows will be shot as well. She’s ready! There are 22 rooms in
there and I saw all of them!
Dreams come true! I am very proud of Ms Ikeji and I will continue to support her.
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