Achebe’s Poems Awe Listeners

Prominent Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his first seminal work, “Things Fall Apart” yesterday evening with readings from his poetry and a discussion of his life’s work—both literary and political—in front of a packed audience at the Tsai Auditorium.

From the moment that he entered the room, the audience fell silent in deference to a man whom many deem the face of African literature for the past half-century.

Achebe immediately surprised the crowd by assuring them that it was not his intention to give a lecture.

“I will be celebrating with you the 50 years of the arrival of African Literature. I will do that celebration through poetry, not prose,” he said.

Achebe read nine of his poems that explored African culture and history, with a focus on his Igbo heritage. He wove together vignettes from his various works of a mother in a refugee camp, Christmas in Biafora, and vultures picking at carcasses.

Achebe read slowly and methodically while holding his body still, his voice rising and falling in volume with each phrase. Only his right hand moved occasionally with an upward lift of the palm.

In a lighter moment, Achebe drew laughs when he told the crowd how Queen Elizabeth II contacted him to see if she could recite his poem “Beware Soul Brother” in a speech.

“You can see why I always read [this poem]: the name-dropping,” he joked.

He added that Queen Elizabeth only read the last six lines of the lengthy poem.

The Achebe event, titled “From the Kingdom of Childhood,” was the sixth annual lecture for the Committee on African Studies, arranged in conjunction with the W.E.B. DuBois Institute and the Department for African and African American Studies.

While the purpose of Achebe’s visit was to celebrate his literary career, he also touched on what he termed “the ugliness of politics” in Nigeria.

Achebe was active for several decades in Nigerian politics. In the 1960s, he helped lead the movement for the secession of the south-eastern region of the country, Biafra,

In 1983, Achebe served as deputy national vice president for the leftist People’s Redemption Party, which failed to gain power.

Since then, Achebe has removed himself from political life, though he remains passionate about the state of his country.

“Why can’t we get our act together?” he asked about the Nigerian government. “Why can’t Nigeria do something for the people?”

Jacob K. Olupona, professor of African American Studies and chair of the Committee on African-American Studies, said he appreciated that Achebe has used his status as a literary hero to advocate for social change.

“He’s proud to be a Nigerian, but that doesn’t stop him from critiquing [the country],” Olupona said. “He’s become a voice for many of us.”

Following the talk, the Pan-African Dance and Drum Ensemble performed at a reception where Achebe signed novels and took pictures with fans.

Cristiana Strava ’09, a dancer in the ensemble, said, “It was really exciting to be a part of this. I feel really lucky that we get called on for these events; it’s an honor.”

Several students in the crowded expressed excitement at getting to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of “Things Fall Apart” with the lauded writer himself.

Mureji A. Fatunde ’12, a Nigerian by birth, said “It’s amazing because in my high school we were always saying it would be really cool to meet him when we were reading the book, and now that I’m at Harvard I’ve met him within three months of being here.”