We are gathered here this evening not to mourn, but to celebrate a life lived meaningfully and productively. This occasion to honour and pay our final respects to Achebe – perhaps not really final because someone like Achebe will continue to live generation after generation through his work - offers us an opportunity to take a retrospective view on the road that we have travelled.
Chinua Achebe will remain a great son of Africa and a selfless visionary. When he published Things Fall Apart in 1958, his objective was to challenge and demystify some of the long-held perceptions about Africa, its people and their cultures concocted in the crucibles of colonial design. At the time, at lot of literature supposedly about Africa was written mainly by Europeans and had more to do with their perceptions of Africa than with any African reality.
In later years, Achebe wrote an essay entitled, “The Novelist as a Teacher,” in which he describes his objective as being “to help my society regain belief in itself and put away the complexes of the years of denigration and self-abasement….” Indeed, after the publication of Things Fall Apart there was an upsurge of literature from different parts of the continent and Achebe was instrumental in having these African voices heard.
This burgeoning of a new wave of writing across the continent soon earned Achebe the title of “Father of African Literature.” He was honoured with this title not because he was the first African to write a novel but because, among other things, he tirelessly opened doors for a plethora of fellow African writers. In fact, he disputes what the title claims and makes reference to his predecessors who include Olive Schreiner, Thomas Mofolo, SEK Mqhayi, Peter Abrahams and many other great writers and minds, who contributed to the wealth of literatures across the African continent.
Getting Things Fall Apart published was itself not an easy task. Remember, this was in the 1950s when typewriters were a luxury, way before the advent of computers and emails and a host of other communication tools taken for granted today. He sent his handwritten manuscript to a typing agency in London. He had to pay a hefty fee for the manuscript to be typed.
After paying the amount, the manuscript did not go back to him and it being the only copy he had, he felt devastated. After sending several letters to the agency to no avail, he asked a friend in London to enquire on his behalf and to pose some threats to the agent.
Apparently it worked because he eventually received the typed manuscript he had paid for. After rejections from quite a number of publishers Heinemann was the one that eventually gave a positive response and published the novel that was destined to join the ranks of African literary classics.
In 1962 Achebe was appointed founding editor of the Heinemann African Writers’ Series. The Series was of course inspired by the success of Things Fall Apart, which had become an instant bestseller worldwide.
Things Fall Apart was republished in 1962 to inaugurate the African Writers’ Series. As the Editor, Achebe solicited manuscripts from writers across the continent. The African Writers’ Series introduced the work of many African literary giants, including the likes of Christopher Okigbo, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Alex la Guma, Ama Ata Aidoo and others who went on to become household names across the African continent. Because of Achebe’s solidarity with the people of South Africa, not just the writers, Nelson Mandela’s first published book, No Easy Walk to Freedom, was published as part of the series in 1965.
These are some of the lessons that we can learn from Achebe. Even though he lived in the United States of America for several decades, he remained in dynamic contact with the continent and remained committed to African solidarity. He was the patron of the Africa Century African Writers’ Conference, which was held in Mangaung in November last year.
The conference was held alongside the South African Literary Awards, an initiative that seeks to recognise and celebrate South African writers. So far, the South African Literary Awards have recognised over 100 South African writers.
Achebe brought hope to the African continent. In his five decades of meaningful contribution to African literatures, he worked tirelessly to bring African writers together and making their voices heard. It is remarkable that he leaves us in the year 2013, the year that marks the 50th anniversary of the African Union. For South Africa it seems also of symbolic significance that he passed away of 21 March, Human Rights Day. It is important that in memory of this great son of the Continent, we strengthen the ties that bind us as Africans.
It would be fitting for African governments, working through the African Union, to pay tribute to this great African literary giant. The African Union and its structures should establish a continental award and name it after Chinua Achebe in honour of his invaluable contribution to the development of literature across the continent. Such an award would inspire new African voices to emulate Achebe and it would stimulate dialogue among African writers.
The ancients say when a big tree falls, the earth is bound to shake. This rings true of what we have witnessed over the past couple of days. The passing of Chinua Achebe has shaken the African continent and the rest of the world. Many memorial events have been held and others are still going to be held in different parts of the world. Let our thoughts be with his family at this difficult moment.
The challenge that lies ahead of us is to uphold and advance the values that Achebe stood for. The best way to honour his memory is to read as much as he would have liked to see us reading. A nation that reads is a nation that never forgets.
Thank you.
