Chinua Achebe "Imaginary literature...does not enslave; it liberates the spirit of man. Its truth is not like the canons of orthodoxy or the irrationality of prejudice and superstition. It begins as a adventure of self-discovery that ends with wisdom and human conscience” “The Truth of Fiction” in Hopes and Obstacles: Selected Essays, 1988In the mid-20th century, Africa was once again beginning to find its own voice, after being gagged by centuries of colonial oppression All this time, the history of Africa had been told by Europeans, and the narrative they presented was of poor quality. made a brother was at most a younger brother. So when Africa finally opened its mouth to speak, the rest of the world expected little more than a primitive imitation. Instead, they were welcomed. by the devastating eloquence of Chinua Achebe Known as the father of modern African literature, Nigerian author Chinua Achebe is the most widely read African author with books translated into 50 languages. His style of writing, although new to English literature, is well rooted in the oral tradition of the Igbo people. And even though his stories are set in the turmoil of colonial and postcolonial Africa, they remain intimately character-driven. Character stories, generally tragic, but vitally universal. Throughout his life, Chinua spoke out against the corruption and moral failures of colonial and postcolonial governments. In his essays and academic works, he strove to undo the worst of the colonial legacy and rehabilitate Africa's cultural identities and heritage. Chinua Achebe presents only one rebuttal in an ever-increasing flood of rebuttals against that most hopelessly naive of monikers: the Dark Continent... middle of paper ... stories of both its resources and its inhabitants; a continent divided by borders that suited foreign powers, leaving only unstable power vacuums. Those who somehow managed to receive an education were taught that they and their heritage were inferior. Despite everything Africa has endured, there is still hope. A certain form of stability is being established in a growing number of regions, including Nigeria, with Lagos becoming an economic powerhouse in West Africa. Across the continent, more and more economic development projects are being financed by African banks. Chinua Achebe's work was about balancing the stories. Achebe went to school to read only books by authors like Shakespeare and Dickens. Today, millions of children go to school to read Chinua Achebe's books. Today, Africans tell their story. Chinua Achebe 1930-2013