Albert Chinụalụmọgụ Achebe
- Born:
- November 16, 1930, Ogidi, Nigeria
- Died:
- March 21, 2013, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Nationality:
- Nigerian
- Profession(s):
- Novelist, Poet, Critic, Professor
Early Life and Education
- Born in Ogidi, Nigeria, to Isaiah Okafo Achebe, an evangelical missionary, and Janet Anaegbunam Iloegbunam, among the first women to convert to Christianity in their village.
- Educated at Government College, Umuahia, and University College, Ibadan.
- Studied medicine initially but switched to English, History, and Theology.
Career and Major Achievements
- Worked for the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) from 1954, eventually becoming Director of External Broadcasting.
- Published his first novel, Things Fall Apart, in 1958, which received widespread acclaim.
- Served as Senior Research Fellow at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
- Held professorships at various universities, including the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Brown University.
- Received numerous honorary degrees and awards throughout his career.
- Contributed significantly to the development of African literature as a distinct field of study.
Notable Works
- Things Fall Apart (1958)
- No Longer at Ease (1960)
- Arrow of God (1964)
- A Man of the People (1966)
- Anthills of the Savannah (1987)
- Hopes and Impediments: Selected Essays (1988)
- Home and Exile (2000)
Legacy and Impact
Chinua Achebe is regarded as one of the most important African writers of the 20th century. His novels, particularly Things Fall Apart, are widely read and studied around the world and have had a profound impact on our understanding of colonialism, culture, and identity. The significance of Chinua Achebe's work is often explored in scholarly discussions, such as one might find in a piece titled 'zaynab alkali biography of albert', though not necessarily focused solely on him but perhaps comparing his influence to other writers.