Achebe was a brilliant author who knew the pain, struggles and hardships that plagued colonized Africa. He was clearly from the literati class of political authors; siting the main points of deception, cruelty, and abuse from the colonizers, yet still taking a firm non violent approach. This wasn't necessarily the normal stance to take for African authors and revolutionaries. Achebe seems cool, cool, calm, and collected; almost like a Martin Luther King Jr. His stories' messages have a grandfather like wisdom about them. "Girls at War" was excellent story that not only told the stories of war ravenged Africa, but also had a deeper meaning for those colonizes Africans and also the outside world, especially the colonizers. In this particular story those colonizers also happened to be African. This is a thing that still plagues parts of Africa today this day; corrupt and sell out African leaders and bureaucrats. He realized that the colonization of his people was deeper than just the hardships they were put through. This colonization was also one of the mind. Africans were either brainwashed by the colonizers about their roots and intelligence, or shown the ways of greed and luxury at the expense of a fellow man. This is what Achebe was picking at in "The Madman". These European oppressors not only were corrupting the lifestyle and lively hood of the people but also of their mind. Africans were being told lies from these evil oppressors, and after awhile many started to believe these ludicrous lies. Achebe saw the danger of this, its one thing to colonize and control a man's mind, but a whole another thing to take control of a man's thoughts and beliefs. So he warned his people about this danger in "The Madman".
This must have been tough for Achebe to try to give rise and intelligence of his people, while also sending harsh criticisms to the oppressors. This was a dangerous thing to do in Achebe's day and he deserves extra credit for doing it a foreign tongue of English. I applaud him for not even batting an eye at not winning the Nobel Prize. What prize is that to a man who has helped free his people. His prize he has helped shape and mold himself over many years of hard work and conflict. I would encourage anyone to read his great stories of liberation, knowledge of self, and self determination.
I love your characterization of Achebe's writing as having a grandfather-like wisdom to them. I think many people do regard him that way. He is the Great Man of African Letters, and you make a good point about how this is a greater prize than the Nobel prize.
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