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Reno Omokri sparks Twitter debate for claiming Achebe, not Soyinka, deserves Nobel Prize
Reno Omokri, a former aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan sparked controversy on social media on Wednesday with his post claiming late literary icon Prof Chinua Achebe should have been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature and not Prof Wole Soyinka.
Omokri had taken to Twitter to rate Achebe’s literature works above Soyinka’s works.
He said he does not understand why the Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to Soyinka and not Achebe whom he claims his works stand out above Soyinka’s.
Omokri had tweeted:
Between Chinua Achebe and Professor Wole Soyinka, I would give the @NobelPrize for literature to Achebe 100 times out of 100 times. I still don’t understand how Soyinka got it and Achebe did not. I read their books. Achebe’s works are by far the more superior works of literature.
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) May 8, 2019
Soyinka became the first African laureate after winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986.
His works are sometimes in a satirical style, and he has written several plays in a lighter vein. Prominent among some of his satirical works include ‘The Lion and the Jewel’, ‘The Trials of Brother Jero’. He also wrote some more serious plays, such as The Strong Breed, Kongi’s Harvest, among many other literary works.
Soyinka is a major proponent of Nigerian democracy and government critic whose decades of political activism included periods of imprisonment and exile and has participated in several political groups.
Achebe, before his death at the age of 82, in March 2013, wrote several books, prominent among his works is his first novel ‘Things Fall Apart’ often considered his best, and adjudged the most widely read book in modern African.
The book sold more than 10m million copies around the world and has been published in 50 languages.
Omokri’s tweet has evoked series of reactions from Nigerians on Twitter.
As Twitter is presently abuzz with the debates, some Nigerians have taken sides while some have decided to be neutral, describing the two literary icons as brilliant writers who need no comparison.
See some of the reactions:
The most sensible tweet I have read so far. It depends on the perspective of the reader. I haven’t really read Soyinka’s work and Achebe’s work is flawless. I can read his work, “There was a country” over and over again without getting tired.
— Umweni Kelvin (@UmweniKelvin) May 8, 2019
I loved both Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka ‘s works. Nothing concern me with who collect the Nobel.
— Adebimpe ?? (@BimpeRoyale) May 8, 2019
Aké, Aké: The Years of Childhood, The Trials of Brother Jero, Opera Wonyosi, Ibadan: The Penkelemen Years, Idanre and Other Poems… you can’t read all these titles and query why Soyinka was awarded the Nobel Laureate. No disregard whatsoever to Achebe though.
— ELIJAH balogun (@ELIJAHbalogun12) May 8, 2019
Achebe was a master storyteller and you know people love sweet stories no one dozes when a sweet storyteller is talking.Wole Soyinka is physiological and his books are full of hard sentences which only highly intellectual can digest,he has also creatively mastered great….
— Oloyede Israel (@OloyedeIsrael1) May 8, 2019
Prize giving foundations have their reasons. Why Coetzee why not Ngugi; why Soyinka why not Achebe? Before you block me, your taste might not be superior. Like saying I prefer to follow Reno omokri to femi fani kayode. Dohhh!????♂️
— steviedearie (@steviedearie1) May 8, 2019
To be honest, Woke Soyinka’s books are a torture to read. Not a single one of them is interesting. From Trials Of Brother Jero to Jero’s Metamorphosis, to The Lion and The Jewel, to Ake, to You Must Set Forth At Dawn. SMH! Man managed to get famous doing what he’s not good at.
— VCE the SSA (@MyDearVic) May 8, 2019
Achebe is a far better story teller .
I said this year’s ago.
SOYINKA got the accolades because of the sociopolitical activism his works address. Simple.
Yet ,Am proudly YORUBA.— Ehindero Ayo Michael (@enuetioju) May 8, 2019
With all due respect,please don’t dredge up Igbo v Yoruba sentiments. It’s beneath you and it’s appalling.
Achebe is very good, Soyinka is also very good, the Nobel prize notwithstanding. Both should be celebrated not debated on tribal turf.— Moses (@Moses81818999) May 8, 2019
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