| Saturday, 23 March 2013 20:08 |
Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe, the revered author of
The Citizen Reporter
Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian literature fans have joined the rest of the world in mourning the death of iconic African writer Chinua Achebe, 82, in the US on Friday.
Those who spoke to this newspaper yesterday expressed their fond memories of characters in his novels, some of which were set books in secondary
Local commentators said current writers should learn from the Nigerian national and great son of Africa.
“Today’s writers should learn to be open…they should stop this carefulness provided they write for the sake of the societies they live in,” said Dr Kitilla Mkumbo, Dean, Faculty of Education, Dar es Salaam
He said current novelists were writing to impress the ruling class and thus failing to help the society whose members expect their ideas to help transform the societies they live in.
Mr Donny Maige, a teacher in Dar es Salaam, said current writers should desist writing to please sections of people in the society.
“We have lost a patriot…he liked his people, that is why he wrote and talked on their behalf; his writings had direct teachings. He was among the best writers of this generation,” he noted.
Mr Shangwe Juma Beria, said the author of ‘Things Fall Apart’ used his pen to put African records straight.
“The English has Shakespeare but we have Chinua Achebe who is a very good example of how to write African history independently and not depending on the European to write on our behalf,” remarked Mr Shangwe, an assistant lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, currently studying at East China Normal University.
While Mr Achebe was a consistent critic of various military dictators that ruled Nigeria and was a loud voice in denouncing the failure of governance in the country, a situation that forced him to leave his native country for the US, Mr Shangwe feels that was because of malpractices amongst African rulers.
“They are semi-gods who don’t want a different opinion…African writers should not be cowed.”
Famous playwright and chairman of the Tanzania writers association, Edwin Semzaba, said Mr Achebe was a pioneer of African story writing who would be remembered for his simplistic way of telling a story.
“He was a consummate story teller…simple and clear always,” said Mr Semzaba.
He said despite the controversy ‘Things Fall Apart’ generated, he managed to push his message clear and he could not hide a thing even when African leaders failed to work for the interests of the masses who had banked on them to be different from the white people.
Mr Semzaba, author of a famous play, ’Ngoswe: Penzi Kitovu cha Uzembe’ , said current writers need to learn to tell stories in a simple way that can be understood to readers. They should be for the people.”
A seasoned journalist and author, Wilson Kaigarula, said his writings have, in many ways, been inspired by the deceased.
“When my first novel, ‘Mini-Devils’, was published in 2006, I thanked Mr Achebe silently, because he was the one who had fired my great love for literature most.
Mr Kaigarula, revise editor of this newspaper, recalls: “I declared, as a student in the 1970s, that I would write a novel in future, and I am sure I am among millions worldwide, for whom that man of letters was a role model.”
Veteran journalist Attilio Tagalile says that writing with an African touch was what made the late Achebe a great man.
“We learn from him that writing pays…this guy (Chinua) led a decent life simply from writing,” remarked Mr Tagalile, author of ‘Endless Toil’ and ‘Damned Traitors’, both novels.
Born on November 16, 1930, Professor Achebe was one of the pioneer students of the University College, Ibadan in 1948. He initially studied medicine but switched to English, history and theology a year later.
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http://thecitizen.co.tz/news/-/29932-achebe-mourned-in-dar-his-death-a-major-blow-to-tz-literature-lovers
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