Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
chinua achebelatest news & developments
Africa’s writer NgugiwaThiong’o.

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o as town crier of Africa

The Kenyan writer challenged Western influence on African culture and history, highlighting heritage and resilience

Killing it: Multimedia artist Nakhane has excelled in a range of creative activities, including music, acting, novel writing and directing a short film

Nakhane is a lot of things — but not a pop star

The acclaimed multimedia artist Nakhane continues to explore the themes that have made them a rare talent across many creative fields

Voyager: Thomas Mofolo and his wife Emma in East London in 1936. The writer’s first book ‘Moeti oa Bochabela’ (‘Traveller to the East’) was published in 1907.

Thomas Mofolo: A pioneer in African literature

Thomas Mofolo’s 1907 ‘masterpiece’ novel offers the reader a journey of body and soul

Nigerian
author Chinua
Achebe
and Nelson
Mandela
chat on
12 September
2002 prior
to Achebe
receiving an
honorary
degree from
the University
of Cape Town. (ANNA ZIEMINSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Literature of  Africa: Things come together

A review and a re-view of Nigerian Chinua Achebe’s revolutionary novel written in 1958

Lewis Nkosi at the Drum offices (BAHA/Africamediaonline)

Lewis Nkosi: The physical bearer of the offending word

In his lifetime, Lewis Nkosi arguably saw little effort in terms of intense engagement with his controversial critical inputs. In a review of a new anthology, Unathi Slasha tries…

Transdisciplinary: Professor Bhekizizwe Peterson enjoyed challenging young people’s views. (Photo: Nom’Ay Matola)

Bheki Peterson: Pursuing radical epistemological thought with an understated erudition

The soft-spoken scholar had a towering impact on scholarship, artistic work, teaching practice and activism

(Mail & Guardian)

Editorial: A failure of leadership in Nigeria

For as long as there has been an independent Nigeria, its government has been killing its people.

Disney Studios promo image. (Credit: Kwaku Alston)

Beyoncé and the Heart of Darkness

Few black thinkers and creatives in the United States seem able to grapple with the implications of their Americocentrism in relation to Africa

Future imperfect: The Old Drift’ includes the construction of Kariba Dam (above), under which histories were buried and 57?000 people dislocated

Historical novel tests notion of nation

The past explains the present but not the future because ‘that tiny chaos’ makes the future opaque

Chinua Achebe at his house in Enugu, Nigeria, 1959 (Photo: Eliot Elifoson)

Things Fall Apart turns 60

The classic novel by Chinua Achebe, and how it came to be, are legendary African tales

‘Notions of democratic citizenship are seemingly inextricably embedded in particular sets of rights — meaning

Educate for democracy in Africa

Africans can become citizens by acting democratically and claiming their identity

‘Although our Constitution is a bedrock of progressive humanism and exalted ethics

It’s the right time to interrogate SA’s ethics

The country’s Constitution is the gold standard of democracy but it is not impervious to corruption

Loyiso Langeni

Slice Of Life: No longer at ease

‘In black communities, you don’t only look after your family. From the money you get, you need to pay a monthly allowance for extended family’

It is no surprise that poetry of Mongane Wally Serote (pictured), Mafika Pascal Gwala and Oswald Mtshali was read at anti-apartheid rallies — these poems no doubt aroused emotions but, more importantly, in the lines of the poems, citizens heard their voices and saw their plights. (Paul Botes/M&G)

Achebe’s legacy, our lodestone

The novelist’s writings have provided fertile ground for the festival speakers to raise contemporary issues.

Nadine Gordimer described Chinua Achebe as a fearless writer. (AFP)

M&G LitFest: Nadine Gordimer remembers Chinua Achebe

Nobel-winning author Nadine Gordimer has paid tribute to Chinua Achebe, the eminent writer who passed away in March.

Nobel prize winning author Nadine Gordimer has celebrated the legacy of the late writer Chinua Achebe at the M&G Literary festival.

Gordimer: Chinua Achebe did not fear a challenge

Nobel prize winning author Nadine Gordimer has celebrated the legacy of the late writer Chinua Achebe at the M&G Literary festival.

The festival honoured the legacy of the late Chinua Achebe. (Supplied)

M&G LitFest: Adam Habib on SA’s ‘moment of reckoning’

Wits vice-chancellor Adam Habib opened the M&G Literary Festival, which pays tribute to Chinua Achebe, with thoughts on SA’s "suspended revolution".

Festival to focus on ‘Achebe’s children’

The fourth M&G Literary Festival will take place at Jo’burg’s Market Theatre from August 30 to September 1.

Mourners pray in front of the coffin bearing the body of late Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe upon arrival at Abuja airport.
Video

Thousands to pay tribute to Chinua Achebe at memorial

The memorial for Chinua Achebe is expected to draw thousands as mourners prepare to pay their respects to "the father of modern African literature".

Chinua Achebe.

Chinua Achebe: Without the story we are blind

The ‘father’ of African literature set the template for the darker peoples of the world to tell their own stories, writes Percy Zvomuya.