Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe Birthday Highlights

Birth Name

Albert Chinụalụmọgụ Achebe

Place Of Birth

Ogidi, Nigeria

Age

92 years old

Birth Date

November 16 1930

Chinua Achebe Facts

Child Star?

no

Occupation

Professor, Writer, Philantrophist

Education & Qualifications

University of Ibadan

Current Partner

Christiana Chinwe Okoli

Children

Nwando Achebe, Chidi Chike Achebe, Ikechukwu Achebe, Chinelo Achebe

Parents

Janet Anaenechib Iloegbunam Achebe, Isaish Okafo Achebe

Siblings

Frank Okwuofo Achebe, Augustine Nduka Achebe, Zinobia Uzoma Ikpeze, Grace Nwanneka Achebe, John Chukwuemeka Ifeanyichukwu Achebe

Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, better known as Chinua Achebe, was born on November 16, 1930, in Ogidi, Nigeria.
Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist known for his courageous portrayals of the social and psychological disorientation that occurred when western norms and ideals were imposed on traditional African society. He was particularly concerned about emerging Africa at times of turmoil and against British Rule.
His novels include a wide range of topics, from an African village's first interaction with a White man to an educated African's attempt to construct a stable moral order out of shifting ideals in a huge city. In African literature, he a significant figure; moreover, he excelled in African studies and was considered the richest novelist in Eastern Nigeria.
'Things Fall Apart' (1958), his debut and grande opus, is a seminal work in African literature and is still the most frequently read, studied, and translated African book. His 'No Longer At Ease' (1960) and 'Arrow Of God' (1964), along with 'Things Fall Apart,' form the so-called ‘African Trilogy.’
His further works include 'A Man Of The People' (1966) and 'Anthills Of The Savannah' (1968). (1987). Although he vehemently denied the label, he is often referred to as the 'founder of African literature.' He taught English literature and served as the director of two Nigerian publishing houses, Nwankwo-Ifejika Ltd. and Heinemann Educational Books Ltd.

Despite getting a lot of recognition for his works, Chinua Achebe never got a Nobel Prize; he passed away on March 21, 2013.

What was Chinua Achebe's net worth?

His net worth was around one to five million dollars.

How much did Chinua Achebe earn per year?

This information is not known.

How tall was Chinua Achebe?

Chinua Achebe stood 5 ft 10 in (180 cm) tall.

How old was Chinua Achebe?

At the time of death, Chinua Achebe was 82 years old.

Saint Simon's Church, Nneobi, was his birthplace, and it was near the Igbo town of Ogidi at the time when the area was part of British Colonial Nigeria.
Collages, almanacs, and several books, including a prose copy of Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' (1590) and an Igbo rendition of Bunyan's 'The Pilgrim's Progress' (1678), were displayed on the walls of his childhood home, which all helped at furthering his education from a very young age.
In 1936, Achebe enrolled at St Philips' Central School in Ogidi's Akpakaogwe district. He went to Sunday school and the monthly special services every week, often carrying his father's suitcase.
Achebe then enrolled in Nekede Central School, a secondary school outside of Owerri, in 1942. He was an exceptional student, passing two college entrance exams. Nigeria's first university was established in 1948 in preparation for the country's independence. It was an affiliate institution of the University of London, known as University College (now the University of Ibadan). Achebe was offered a grant to study medicine and was a part of the university's inaugural intake.
After reading Joyce Cary's 'Mister Johnson, ' he chose to become a writer who depicted Nigerian characters as either savages or buffoons. He dropped out of medicine to pursue a degree in English, history, and theology, a decision that cost him his scholarship and necessitated additional tuition expenses.
The government offered a grant, and Achebe's family contributed money; his older brother Augustine forewent a journey home from his employment as a civil servant so that Achebe could continue his studies. Achebe received a second-class degree after his final exams in Ibadan in 1953.

Who was Chinua Achebe's family?

His father, Isaiah Okafo Achebe, was a teacher and evangelist, while his mother, Janet Anaenechi Iloegbunam, was the daughter of an Awka blacksmith, a churchwoman leader, and a vegetable farmer.
Frank Okwuofu, John Chukwuemeka Ifeanyichukwu, Zinobia Uzoma, Augustine Ndubisi, and Grace Nwanneka were the Achebe family's remaining five children, each named after a traditional word associated with their religion.

Who was Chinua Achebe's partner?

Chinua Achebe met Christie Chinwe Okoli, a co-worker at the Nigerian Broadcasting Service Chinua Achebe got married to Christie Chinwe Okoli on September 10, 1961; they had four kids, Nwando Achebe, Chidi Chike Achebe, Ikechukwu Achebe and Chinelo Achebe.

Best Known For…

In 1950, Achebe made his writing debut with 'Polar Undergraduate,' an article for the University Herald, the university's journal.
During the 1951–52 school year, he was the Herald's editor. That year, he published his debut short tale, 'In A Village Church,' an interesting look at the Igbo synthesis of rural Nigerian life with Christian institutions and images. He encouraged his students to read widely and be creative in their job as teachers.
Chinua spent four months in Oba as a teacher. In 1954, he left the university and came to Lagos to work for the Nigerian Broadcasting Service (NBS), a colonial government-run radio network founded in 1933.
Chinua Achebe was also chosen to attend the British Broadcasting Corporation's staff training course in 1956. In 1969, Achebe went on a lecture tour in the United States with fellow writers Cyprian Ekwensi and Gabriel Okara.
He was recruited as a research fellow at the University of Nigeria and then became a professor of English, a position he held from 1976-1981.
He moved to the United States after being moderately paralyzed in a car accident in Nigeria in 1990. He taught at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. Achebe left Bard College in 2009 to become a professor at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He garnered honors for his teaching at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and Bard College in New York.
'Things Fall Apart' (1958), Achebe's first novel, is about native Igbo life in Nigeria at the time of the arrival of missionaries and the colonial government. He portrayed a freshly appointed public servant, back from university study in England in the sequel 'No Longer At Ease' (1960). The public servant is unable to maintain the moral standards he considers to be appropriate in the face of the demands and distractions of his new post.
'Arrow of God' (1964) was well-known for being notoriously critical of the British government. 'Anthills Of The Savannah' (1987) and 'A Man Of The People' (1966) both deal with postcolonial African life and corruption.
Chinua Achebe also wrote several short stories for children like 'How The Leopard Got His Claws' (1973); also, 'Christmas In Biafra' (1973), and 'Beware, Soul Brother' (1971) are his collections of poems.

Charity Work

In order to provide good quality books for African Children, Chinua Achebe founded Citadel Press.

What awards did Chinua Achebe win?

Chinua Achebe received many awards, including the Man Booker International Prize ( 2007), Peace Prize of the German Book Trade ( 2002), St. Louis Literary Award (1999), and The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize (2010).

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