Ola Johnson:
Shut up! Wole Soyinka is believed to be the Williams Shakespeare of our time, they have the same initials, WS. Soyinka is sometimes rated higher because unlike Shakespeare who was a poet and dramatist, Soyinka, in addition to the two, is also a novelist. He also writes essays on happenings. Check out his essay on the Senate on same sex marriage, "Sexu.al Minority and Legislative Zealotry."

Soyinka is rated higher than Shakespeare?
OK, u think I have time to go into that kind of thing?
Achebe writes those tnz too but am not going to say he is rated above Shakespeare from my personal opinions only.
.
Achebe is it for Africa - Nobel or no Nobel.
Y then was Soyinka peeing in his pants abt all the accolades given to Achebe even when he is alive?

50 world languages... .man, that's classic. Eat ur Nobel, am OK with this

ngozievergreen:

Yorubas have which qualities that. build civilized wetin ?

Are u talking of the same yorubas that mismanaged our public assets for many yrs?
Abeg shut it, u ppl are as incompetent as hell.
Totally unproductive.

You're an uncouth illiterate, repellent fishwife and a total cretin anyway so I would be wasting my time talking of things that are far above your head and that you do not have the capacity to comprehend. Let Nigeria go back to regionalism and ill-exposed braggarts and self-delusional airheads like you will appreciate the saying "poetry in motion".

From the "New Yorker"

Having, with his first effort, created a permanent place for the African novel in the world literary canon, Achebe continued to be a prolific imaginative writer, producing novels and stories that evoked, in a range of voices, the trials of Nigeria’s pre-colonial and colonial history, and the traumas of its post-independence ordeals: from “No Longer at Ease” and “A Man of the People” in the sixties to “Girls at War” and “Anthills of the Savannah” in the aftermath of the Biafran war. B[b]ut the fact that he must be remembered as not only the father but the godfather of modern African literature owes at least as much to the decades he spent as the editor of Heinemann’s African Writers Series.[/b] In that capacity, Achebe served as the discoverer, mentor, patron, and presenter-to-the-world of so many of the now-classic African authors of the latter half of the twentieth century. The series’s orange-spined, generously inexpensive paperbacks carried a stamp of excellence that drew readers everywhere to essential works by writers as varied as Kenneth Kaunda, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Dennis Brutus, Tayeb Salih, Léopold Sédar Senghor, Ousmane Sembène Wole Soyinka, and Nadine Gordimer, to name but a few: it is an extraordinary legacy.

These people writing these are not Igbo o
Hehehehehe
Achebe served as a discoverer ,patron,mentor,presenter to the world of other African writers , Wole included
That is what the world knows and says

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2013/03/postscript-chinua-achebe-1930-2013.html

Gbawe:

You're an uncouth illiterate, repellent fishwife and a total cretin anyway so I would be wasting my time talking of things that are far above your head and that you do not have the capacity to comprehend. Let Nigeria go back to regionalism and ill-exposed braggarts and self-delusional airheads like you will appreciate the saying "poetry in motion".

I jump and pass those name callings.
I still stand on my existing protocol.
Just prove me wrong.
U think advanced nations are built in the spirit of laziness.

babyosisi: From the "New Yorker"



These people writing these are not Igbo o
Hehehehehe
Achebe served as a discoverer for other writers Wole included
That is what the world knows and says

Even if you are lazy and can't do proper research, you should at least be able to read. On this thread, eguerrilla provided a quote from Soyinka where he explicitly STATED that his permission wasn't sought and obtained before his book was published by in the African series. Before you list obscure quotes from obscure publications, you should at least use your brain to ascertain its relevance to debate. It is like someone quoting Nairaland and lifting Ngozieverdumb's quotes about Soyinka being a local champion. The writer of that article simply listed writers whose works were published by Heinemann's African Series. No cursory research was done to ascertain Achebe's relationship with each writer. But what is to be expected from a New York style and events publication?

It is also dishonest to lift quotes from publications without providing actual links for verification. Anyone with an ounce of decency and who passed through a higher institution should know that this is a minimum requirement.

And it isn't like anyone is stating that Achebe wasn't a good writer or that he wasn't known.

ngozievergreen:

Just prove her wrong and move on.
Ileke idi will only come and start abuses

We don't want that here

Prove what wrong? You better go back to ironing your madam's clothes.

ngozievergreen:

Soyinka is rated higher than Shakespeare?
OK, u think I have time to go into that kind of thing?
Achebe writes those tnz too but am not going to say he is rated above Shakespeare from my personal opinions only.
.
Achebe is it for Africa - Nobel or no Nobel.
Y then was Soyinka peeing in his pants abt all the accolades given to Achebe even when he is alive?

50 world languages... .man, that's classic. Eat ur Nobel, am OK with this

The Nobel is a noble feat lets not take away from that

But it did not give Wole Soyinka fame

It's like Mrs Ngozi Okeke wearing a ring and saying she is married to Igwe Okeke because of a certain ceremony at St. Paul's cathedral long long ago meanwhile nightly na Njideka dey for bed
Na Njideka dey chop am day in day out
Njideka born the heir
Every function na Njideka dey go
Every photograph of The Igwe na Njideka dey for im side dey flash teeth
Even sef people no dey even remember sef say Ngozi get ring
Who is ngozi
Na njide dey palace
Even Igwe come die,na Njideka dem show for paper when e dey cry
Dem open will,na Njideka get posessions too
Hahaha

Katsumoto:

Even if you are lazy and can't do proper research, you should at least be able to read. On this thread, eguerrilla provided a quote from Soyinka where he explicitly STATED that his permission wasn't sought and obtained before his book was published by in the African series. Before you list obscure quotes from obscure publications, you should at least use your brain to ascertain its relevance to debate. It is like someone quoting Nairaland and lifting Ngozieverdumb's quotes about Soyinka being a local champion. The writer of that article simply listed writers whose works were published by Heinemann's African Series. No cursory was done to ascertain Achebe's relationship with each writer. But what is to be expected from a New York style and events publication?

It is also dishonest to lift quotes from publications without providing actual links for verification. Anyone with an ounce of decency and who passed through a higher institution should know that this is a minimum requirement.

And it isn't like anyone is stating that Achebe wasn't a good writer or that he wasn't known.

Weak people resort to name calling when they lack points to pass across
Try again

Katsumoto:

You better go back to ironing your madam's clothes.

Ah Ah ?

www.nairaland.com/attachments/229503_ROFLMAODog_gif3fa44b12f55ba64fc785c3a5794ba92e

babyosisi:

Weak people resort to name calling when they lack points to pass across
Try again

1. I lack points to pass across yet you are evading the said points. We are still waiting for your response. Leave gutter language aside and lets see whats in that head of yours.

2. Where did I call you names? I merely stated that you are lazy intellectually and without an ounce of analytic reasoning based on the manner you have provided your position so far. And its quite ironic that you offered the direct insults on this thread. See below

babyosisi:

Kai
Na so e pain you reach sotay u dey look for underwear to sniff
Pathetic transgendered

3. What points have you made on this thread other than quote the world 'renowned' Pico who writes for the 'globally acclaimed paper' called 'Daily Kos'? You also offered an 'intellectual' insight into the world of literature by providing a quote from the very relevant New Yorker, a style and events publication.

I don't want to believe that because of insult made by paid agents, Prof refuse to speak up. He is too larger than life for him to be cowered by any anybody.
He is a legend who has paid his dues, so if he decides to keep quiet, he doesn't owe us any apology but for a selfish reason I want him to leave this world fighting for what he believes in.

luvmijeje: I don't want to believe that because of insult made by paid agents, Prof refuse to speak up. He is too larger than life for him to be cowered by any anybody.
He is a legend who has paid his dues, so if he decides to keep quiet, he doesn't own us any apology but for a selfish reason I want him to leave this world fighting for what he believes in.

He has paid his dues. Let him be. The man is 79; he has been fighting against injustice for the better part of 50 years.

And the insults weren't from paid agents alone.

Katsumoto:

You must not forget or ignore liars, otherwise they will re-write you story/history.

...especially liars whose primitive heritage and crass lack of class has turned them to modern day monsters.

Katsumoto:

He has paid his dues. Let him be. The man is 79; he has been fighting against injustice for the better part of 50 years.

And the insults weren't from paid agents alone.

Even at that, I still don't want to believe because of the insults, he refuse to speak up.

cKaiser: Only an ignoramus would compare Soyinka a Nobel laureate to Achebe

For starters the old geezer was sooooo ugly, he was not laid in state and his burial was a late night show..

babyosisi:

The Nobel is a noble feat lets not take away from that

But it did not give Wole Soyinka fame

It's like Mrs Ngozi Okeke wearing a ring and saying she is married to Igwe Okeke because of a certain ceremony at St. Paul's cathedral long long ago meanwhile nightly na Njideka dey for bed
Na Njideka dey chop am day in day out
Njideka born the heir
Every function na Njideka dey go
Every photograph of The Igwe na Njideka dey for im side dey flash teeth
Even sef people no dey even remember sef say Ngozi get ring
Who is ngozi
Na njide dey palace
Even Igwe come die,na Njideka dem show for paper when e dey cry
Dem open will,na Njideka get posessions too
Hahaha

Soyinka no reach Achebe abeg.
Nobel or no nobel

Anyway sha I love the prof
I hope he is enjoying life somewhere

Every thread on nairaland is now tribalistic, ic most of u guys drop dead tomorrow will d people in ur street even know u existed, fools busy comparing 2 great people that have made an indelible mark in d sands of time, u guys should go get a life joor

luvmijeje:
Even at that, I still don't want to believe because of the insults, he refuse to speak up.

Soyinka had already stated that he was "tired" a while back. It is events of late, a lot of it with an ethnocentric bent, that broke the old man's heart. Believe me when I tell you that.

Dear lady, do not be disappointed you do not hear from Soyinka. Let it go and start thinking differently. I used to think like you too yet now concede that the Yorubas are more than allowed to develop compassion fatigue given what the rest of Nigeria is currently. Our naivete may be our undoing .

Let us all begin to clamour for regionalism so that we then all have the official power to ask everyone to mind their business and domain since, as is clear to the world, we collectively do not seem to have the capacity to respect each other and many Nigerians wish to see everything through ethnic lenses always.

Should Soyinka not be respected beyond ethnicity given that he has always stood to be counted for all Nigerians? Was he persecuted and incarcerated because he fought for Yorubas alone? Ask yourself who are those who, as ingrates personified, insult and belittle him and are even doing same on this thread because ethnic hatred of others is something they simply cannot rise above?

Put yourself in Soyinka's shoes and it should be clear to you that the old man has tried massively beyond the capacity and will of most mortals. The Patience Jonathan saga was the last straw that broke the Camel's back. You could not have been on Mars not to note the vicious insult against Soyinka and those responsible for such on Naraland and on the ground in Nigeria. These are the same people he fought for without fear or favours !!!!! Abeg, allow the old man his belated pragmatism. Let Nigeria, a nation of ingrates, extremists and bigots, take care of herself.

Katsumoto:

It is time for him to lend his voice towards regionalism and other pertinent structural issues.

He will never lend his voice to any sectional agenda. The most he may do is lend his voice to the idea of a sovereign national conference like he has always done

Y’all stop the fight! Wetin sef! Authentic source has it that our very own Mad Old Professor has become senile and has been committed into an old people’s home courtesy of Patience Jonathan.

ngozievergreen:

Soyinka no reach Achebe abeg.
Nobel or no nobel

I have read through the posts on this thread and much as i not an expert on literature,i can at least lay claim to been an avid reader.chinua achebe is a great storyteller no doubt.the novel things fall apart was published at a time the world was unfamiliar with the goings on in the british colony of nigeria.a few years before that,amos tutuola's "the palm wine drinkard" was published and for anyone who has read the book,you can understand the relief when achebe's book was published.there was finally a novel which was well articulated with proper grammar and immense suspense.things fall apart came just at the right time.however,as a work of literature it falls way below the bar.its a great story no doubt but its major selling point was the period in which it was published and the fact that it was written by an african at that time.

For those attempting to play on popularity in america of wole soyinka and chinua achebe,it is important to understand that america isnt really a literary society.there is more emphasis on prose than there is poetry and drama.it will be insane to compare a dioeteyovsky to a stephen king.most literary icons come from europe perhaps because the american society isnt well suited for core literature.the russians have for a long time been dominant as nobel winners in literature and deservedly so and for soyinka's work to have been regarded in such light by the nobel committee only speaks to the appreciation and depth of his work.achebe is no doubt a great writer but achebe's style will be more along the like of john grisham's painted house or stephen king's carrie or perhaps a fredryk forsyth or a kellerman.these are all great authors but i doubt anyone of them will ever even be considered for a nobel.it takes more than a good story to be considered for a nobel.it takes more that sales records or number of translations rather its about the depht of the work.for anyone who has taken to reading soyinka's "lion and the jewel" or "king baabu" or even "the man died",it is apparent that deciphering the content and context of the story requires more than just open eyes and sturdy attention.one needs to be armed with wits and a good understanding of literature which is why not a few have condemned soyinka's books as "uninteresting".i read "lion and tthe jewel" in secondary school as part of my literature class and i must confess i never finished the book.but many years later,i picked it up and i was amazed at what words could do.

It is however pertinent to state that the urge to disparage one author in the course of advertising the other borders on a lack of understanding.

WS and CA put nigeria on the map and not forgetting other greats like cyprain ekwensi,amos tutuola,christopher okigbo,ken saro wiwa,flora nwapa,D.O fagunwa and many others too numerous to mention.

WS appears to be larger than life not just because he is a literary icon but because he chose to apply his pen to the furtherance of the ideals he holds dear to and wishes to see in the nation he loves.WS took to activism like fish to water and over the years has never shied away from speaking against those who choose to destroy our nation

a few weeks ago,i wrote an article titled "Uncle wole,why have you refused to shut up" and in it i emphasised reasons why i felt WS should not tire of his activism.however,reading many of the comments on that article made me have a rethink and i expressed my opinion through some other media that WS should take a retirement.i cannot bear the insults that have been pelted at a person of such iconic value and if i cannot bear it,i can only wonder what WS must be thinking.a man can only take so much and WS has taken far more than his fair share

Delafruita:
i cannot bear the insults that have been pelted at a person of such iconic value and if i cannot bear it,i can only wonder what WS must be thinking.a man can only take so much and WS has taken far more than his fair share

Same here. I now wish Soyinka, Falana, Bakare et al become and stay more pragmatic. Nigeria is an ethnocentric orphan everyone has rejected and only profess hollow love for. Let everyone stand up and fight for their corner as at when there is a need for such. Yorubas should stop their activism for Nigeria because we have now seen, with many events of late, such is misplaced and propagated on behalf of treacherous ingrates.

It is like a man being in love with a woman who never intends to reciprocate his love. How long, if the man is wise, before that individual seeks a separation so he can give his love to someone who will appreciate him and return his love and dedication fully? Abeg, Uncle Wole should stay retired and devote himself to things that make his soul happy instead of rising above the filthy parapet that is Nigeria, in defence of all Nigerians, to be insulted by every cretinous ingrates and bigots that most serious nations would reject because of their abject worthlessness to nation-building.

Gbawe:

Same here. I now wish Soyinka, Falana, Bakare et al become and stay more pragmatic. Nigeria is an ethnocentric orphan everyone has rejected and only profess hollow love for. Let everyone stand up and fight for their corner as at when there is a need for such. Yorubas should stop their activism for Nigeria because we have now seen, with many events of late, such is misplaced and propagated on behalf of treacherous ingrates.

It is like a man being in love with a woman who never intends to reciprocate his love. How long, if the man is wise, before that individual seeks a separation so he can give his love to someone who will appreciate him and return his love and dedication fully? Abeg, Uncle Wole should stay retired and devote himself to things that make his soul happy instead of rising above the filthy parapet that is Nigeria, in defence of all Nigerians, to be insulted by every cretinous ingrates and bigots that most serious nations would reject because of their abject worthlessness to nation-building.

i am certain as i am sure you are that WS will not willingly refrain from trying to make our country better.it is we the people who have forced people like him into their enclave.i even read on a thread on this forum where one ignorant toad claimed without any evidence as usual that WS was on the payroll of the rivers state government.one other idiot made it a point to disparage the man in as many ways as possible.if we as young folks decide to deride and debase our seemingly indefatigueable icons on the altar of ethnicity,religion and political affiliations,its not impossible for our icons to show that they are just as human as we are and are as prone to fatigue as all of us.we have ridiculed Pastor Bakare,insulted WS,called Falana all sorts of names.even now,some still make asinine remarks as regards Gani fawehinmi.it should be noted that activism isnt limited to the southwest though it cannot be argued that the southwest has been and is still at the forefront of the fight for a better country.

lyjakado: Y’all stop the fight! Wetin sef! Authentic source has it that our very own Mad Old Professor has become senile and has been committed into an old people’s home courtesy of Patience Jonathan.

O ni dagba de bi pe wa to ojo ori Ojogbon Wole Soyinka fun nko to so.

Soyinka dy kampe. You have to admire this icon.


Spotted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBt-FtkIAa0&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DbBt-FtkIAa0

Delafruita: i am certain as i am sure you are that[b] WS will not willingly refrain from trying to make our country better[/b].it is we the people who have forced people like him into their enclave.i even read on a thread on this forum where one ignorant toad claimed without any evidence as usual that WS was on the payroll of the rivers state government.one other idiot made it a point to disparage the man in as many ways as possible.if we as young folks decide to deride and debase our seemingly indefatigueable icons on the altar of ethnicity,religion and political affiliations,its not impossible for our icons to show that they are just as human as we are and are as prone to fatigue as all of us.we have ridiculed Pastor Bakare,insulted WS,called Falana all sorts of names.even now,some still make asinine remarks as regards Gani fawehinmi.it should be noted that activism isnt limited to the southwest though it cannot be argued that the southwest has been and is still at the forefront of the fight for a better country.

It is not a choice any genuinely patriotic Nigerian takes willingly. It is one that such folks are forced to embrace because of the attitude and conduct of others. As you stated, the likes of Soyinka, as valiant as they may be, are only human too.They have emotions like the rest of us.

The man does not deserve the insult that has being heaped on him by many who are not decent human beings or even fit to wipe his shoes. I back Soyinka's dignified withdrawal from activism fully and hope he stays that way regardless of the problem Nigeria heads into. Let others pick up the mantle or Nigeria can simply burn. Some would say it would be poetic justice if such happened considering how a lot of Nigerians are ingrates who do not value what they have and would rather destroy it on the alter of bigotry, discrimination and nauseating prejudice.

ngozievergreen:

Soyinka no reach Achebe abeg.
Nobel or no nobel

Don't worry I'm sure Emeagwali and Adichie should suffice, bigot !

I was trilled at the sight of new delivery of Wole Soyinka's recent works at the bookshop of OAU, Ile-Ife. There was "Intervention I & II", "Alapata Apata", "Harmattan Haze on an African Spring", etc.

Ola Johnson, next time in your life, don't bring up Achebe again with a view of saying he doesnt have a Nobel.
U started all these.

ngozievergreen: Ola Johnson, next time in your life, don't bring up Achebe again with a view of saying he doesnt have a Nobel.
U started all these.

You started it. Next time watch the way you talk down on people. Learn not to see everybody whose opinion is not the same as yours as Yoruba.

Ola Johnson:
You started it. Next time watch the way you talk down on people. Learn not to see everybody whose opinion is not the same as yours as Yoruba.

I first commented in this thread when u derided Achebe, check the posts.