Within the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. Upon his return to Nigeria, Chinua Achebe rose rapidly His older brother Augustine supported him from his job as a civil servant so that he could pursue his studies.Ĭhinua Achebe’s first novel Things Fall Apart (1958) is, allegedly, the most widely read book in modern African literature. However, because he changed his profession, he lost his scholarship and had to pay school fees.

Which is translated as My God battles for me.Īt Ibadan, Achebe turned to liberal arts, including History, Religion, and English. In favour of the Igbo name Chinua a short term for Chinualumogu, At the university, he dropped his English name Albert Nigeria’s rising nationalism had notīeen lost to Achebe. To join higher ranks in the civil service. It was only with a college degree that Nigerians were likely The demand for trained Nigerians in the government was escalatedīecause Nigeria was preparing for self-rule and independence. He excelled in his studies and after graduating at the age of 18, he was admitted to study medicine at the new University College at Ibadan, then a part of the London University. He read books in his father’s library in English and spent hours listening to his mother and sister share traditional Igbo tales.Īt 14, Chinua Achebe was chosen to attend the Government College in Umuahia, an equal university preparatory school and considered the best in West Africa.

His native language - values that might not have been developed had he been broughtĪchebe’s home fostered his knowledge of both cultures. His relatively late introduction toĮnglish helped Achebe to develop a sense of cultural pride and appreciation of AtĪround eight, he started to learn English. Where Igbo was the primary language of instruction for the first two years. Nigeria was a British protectorate in the early years of Achebe and educated English-speaking families like the Achebes had a privileged role in Nigeria’s power system.Ĭhinua Achebe attended the Church Missionary Society School

Chinua Achebe at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, c.1977/ History Today.

A Man of the People by Chinua Achebe