Chinua Achebe: An Icon of African Literature

Eddie: As always, a well written piece. He didn’t disappoint!
And as a master story-teller, who has an excellent feel of the pulse of his environment, Achebe was eerily prophetic. Turned out there was a military coupe even before the novel hit the bookstore.
Prescient!

United States on Jul 25, 2020

Mike Brennen: Achebe writes with a simplicity that is so profound. I know the scenes and characters by heart. The setting depicts the era when I became conscious - #woke - so I recognized Chief Nanga right away. Men like Nanga lived in every new colony - new because the face of leadership was black not white. And we trusted this people's man, of course, who would not, he belonged to us, or so we believed. The tragedy was that he betrayed us during a critical time when we needed him to be our advocate. The Nanga's would become the new face of colonial oppression - the New Colonialists.
In the new millennium it seems #woke folk are once again outraged by racism and white supremacy. However, please read "Man of the People" again, or for the first time. Systemic oppression goes a bit deeper than ethnic strife
or domination , and Chinua Achebe, in this satire, takes us there. In my estimation this work is a primer on Neocolonialism.

United States on Jul 06, 2019

Ayo: Loved every minute of this, I last read it as a child, reading it again doesn't mean it's lost any of the enjoyment for me. This is one of those life imitating art moments, a lot of the situations and characters resonates strongly. I will probably read again in a year or so, and enjoy it, it's just one of those books.

United Kingdom on May 03, 2018

Mr. Nicholas Anderson: Many years ago I had a wonderfully eccentric tutor who had done field world among the Tiv people of northern Nigeria. He always spoke of Africa and its myriad languages and cultures with great affection and understanding. It was a real and lasting pleasure to re-read this work prior to a trip to Africa. Chinua Achebe who died earlier this year is rightly applauded as one of the modern greats of Nigeria. No one will be disappointed by reading this work.

United Kingdom on Aug 28, 2013

Sigrun Lodewigs: Die Erlebnisse des Erzählers in diesem Buch sind einerseits gut nachvollziehbar, wenn man sich ein bisschen mit afrikanischer Geschichte und Politik befasst hat oder sich mit Afrikanern unterhalten hat. Ich sage hier bewusst "Afrika" und nicht "Nigeria", obwohl die Handlung dort spielt, weil ich den Eindruck habe, dass Nigeria hier repräsentativ für viele Länder ist. Was mich aber ein wenig gestört hat, ist, dass der Erzähler eine Mischung aus Selbstgefälligkeit und Naivität ist und ich seine inneren Monologe daher manchmal etwas lang fand, während das Buch insgesamt durchaus hätte länger sein können. Und der Erzähler (ob Achebe sich hier völlig mit ihm identifiziert sei dahingestellt) kritisiert zwar die Unterdrückung der Frauen in seinem Land, hat jedoch, aus meiner heutigen Sicht auch eine etwas sexistische Einstellung zu Frauen, etwa, wenn er wiederholt betont, dass auch er zu viel Bildung bei Frauen nicht mag.

Germany on May 24, 2013

avidreaderlondon: I have bought this again because it is one of those book's you lend out and never get back, but I must have a copy on my shelf for re-reading. If you are seeking an extraordinary read, filled to the brim with culture, beautifully written, if you are seeking something wildly off the beaten track, that oozes longevity from beginning to end, if you aspire to write and wish to learn from a master, if you have the highest of literary tastes and standards, really, Chinua Achebe is The Man, and this is one of my favourite books to have come from his genius pen. Simply brilliant.

United Kingdom on Feb 28, 2012

Jack Kruse: Achebe's Man of the People Notes, Discussion and Summary from my For Unofficial Use Only Blog

This novel takes place in 1964 examines the institutions of Nigeria. Coming out of colonial times, the people have no sense of taxes or being taxed, especially the farmers (because the tax is just being wrapped into the purchase price). Originally published in 1966, during which there were two coups in Nigeria. The first coup ended the first republic. After these two coups Achebe went to Biafra to join their independence movement. When Biafra lost that bid, Achebe headed to the US for an extended period.
Without understanding that Chief Nanga is a man of the people, the story does not work. In the novel, it's the people that drive the action. It's important that Nanga is the only character that talks to the people. Odili never talks to the people in the same manner. Even at Odili's rally, it's Maxwell who speaks, and he still doesn't speak to them in the way Nanga does (paragraph's ideas mainly attributed to prof).

Questions and Discussion Points:
- How sympathetic is Achebe's hero? Achebe portrays Odili as symbolic of the next generation. It's important to note that...

United States on Feb 17, 2012

Stanley C. Diamond: I am a fan of Chinua Achebe ever since I read "Things Fall Apart" quite a few years ago during a trip to Africa. This book does not quite hold up to the power of that one but it is quite interesting and provides some insight into the legacy of colonial rule in Africa and the selfishness and immaturity of some of the politicians. What was called a democracy was nothing more than the trappings of a ruling elite (This book was probably a direct satire on Nigerian rule, post-colonialism.)

The story centers around a protagonist who is educated and part of the growing middle class and his original antagonism toward, eventual befriending of and later total rejection of a powerful minister in the government. The insight into the means that such people exerted in their own personal interest is well documented as through character description of the two main characters. I enjoyed the story and the point of view of the author although I had hoped for a more optimistic outcome of the narrative. Achebe is a wonderful story teller. This book was no exception.

United States on Aug 29, 2010

San Patch: Growing up in Nigeria, I had to read Chinua Achebe's books as part of the literature curriculum. At the time, I found his works to be mildly interesting; I did not think that they were arresting enough to merit further study. How wrong I was!

A Man of the People novel is set in Nigeria in the 1960's. The country had just gained independence from Great Britain, and elected its first post-colonial government, which is run by the proverbial `Big Men'. One of such `Big Men' is Chief the Honourable M. A. Nanga. Chief Nanga is not just any ordinary government hack; he is a charismatic, gifted politician who has a way with the people - and especially with the ladies. He is part of an entrenched, corrupt coterie that enrich themselves while in office, blatantly rig elections and silence opposition without recourse to law. Yet, Chief Nanga is loved by his constituents for his largesse, as he doles out the spoils of office to `his people'.

Enter Odili Samalu, a young well-educated, idealist. Odili, a former pupil of Chief Nanga's, is favoured by the Chief. Nanga invites Odili to the big city, where Odili spends time in Nanga's sumptuous home, is introduced into high society...

United Kingdom on Mar 07, 2009

Denis Benchimol Minev: Achebe is a master in portraying Nigerian society in transition, amid corruption, violence and the excitement of development. In this novel, Achebe portrays a schoolteachers that is first welcomed into a politician's home, then gets angered by him when the politician "steals" his girlfriend. The novel unfolds as the schoolteacher (Odili) enters politics as a way to avenge his poor fate with his girlfriend.

As with any Achebe novel, we are introduced in a developing society, still in the excitement of self rule after the British, but struggling to get set on a path towards development. Achebe is very ironic at time, and I think this novel especially shows his wry sense of humor. For example, the Minister of Culture is a rather cultureless man, put in that position through connections and bribery.

Overall, I recommend this book if you enjoyed Achebe's previous work (Things Fall Apart and No Longer at Ease are my favorites). At only 150 pages, it is the shortest by him that I have read, which makes it even more worth it. Would not recommend as your first Achebe.

United States on Oct 06, 2004