SLAP44:
In the end, Soyinka spoke so many words and ended up saying nothing in response to the issues raised.

Such an evasive character is not worthy of even the readers digest author of the week award.

because you don't understand what he said. You and Reno have same IQ deficit. He simply said Reno's judgement is based on lack of wisdom and he should respect the dead.

SarkinYarki:
over 116 people have won the Nobel prize for literature including Bob Dylan the country musician !!!! so Wole Soyinka should stop disturbing like he is the first and last person to win it ..Its not a that much of a big deal jare

Wole Soyinka was minding his own business when Omokri mocked him on social media. How is he the one disturbing anybody?

aribisala0:
The only thing Achebe has is he was the first.

He is average.
I do not agree that we was a master storyteller or that literature is about storytelling.
He was an average storyteller.

JK Rowling.James Hadley Chase,Robert Ludlum are great storytellers.
That is not what literary prizes are for
You are right,there are many many African writers and indeed Nigerians who are way better but he was the first and must be respected for that.
As a poet he was nothing to write home about especially when we consider Christopher Okigbo,Gabriel Okara,Okogbule Wonodi etc
|He should be compared with Ben Okri though and not Soyinka who is more of a playwright than a novelist .

Christopher Okigbo

When I think of Okigbo, I just feel happy. He was a fine poet.

Yes, you are right. Soyinka is more of a playwright. But even then, Soyinka wrote more prose than Achebe. His memoirs, especially, are more interesting and richer than anything that Achebe wrote.

Ben Okri too can be annoying though with his childish and annoying fillers. But he writes in the genre I enjoy a lot-- magical realism. I will pick him over Achebe all the same because he is more adventurous.

For the record, that account is a fake IG account.

BuhariAdvocate:
This useless Rino trying to foment trouble again.its an embarrassment to compare prof soyinka with that half baked achebe .

Achebe is probably the greatest African writer of all times even though he never won the nobel. Soyinka is also one of the greatest in same rank.

LazyGold:


Soyinka was the first African to won a Nobel Laurette

Okay he try ...

Osagyefo98:
Sincerely speaking, soyinka didn't write anything.

All his 55 pages book is nothing but trash.

backbencher

SarkinYarki:

I am saying we are tired of hearing of Wole Soyinkas relic prize that is older than most in this forum . apart from Wole Soyinka which other Nobel literature winner do you know?

Your earlier statement sounds as if Wale Soyinka boast around about his award.

Arguing about nothing. Soyinka has said it repeatedly that he is not on any social media platform.

SLAP44:
In the end, Soyinka spoke so many words and ended up saying nothing in response to the issues raised.

Such an evasive character is not worthy of even the readers digest author of the week award.

your brain is actually low to comprehend the message being passed....endeavor to always keep your ignorance to yourself

SLAP44:
In the end, Soyinka spoke so many words and ended up saying nothing in response to the issues raised.

Such an evasive character is not worthy of even the readers digest author of the week award.

Wait.. were you expecting him to be debating with Reno?

...that he supposedly replied is shocking in itself.

niggadee:
Deluded guy it seem the guy hate yoruba

Reno is half Yoruba and half Delta

franchasng:
If you want to find the correct answer to this question, go to a foreign dominated website or forum and ask between Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka, who is a better author.

Soyinka is good no doubt, but u can't compare him to Achebe.

Soyinka's works are not as entertaining, and usually difficult to grasp by a layman.

But even an illiterate who manages to read can grasp and enjoy Achebe's works.

Do your findings, I have read almost all their works, so I know

You are Jon Snow, no doubt. You know nothing.

To every literature student, our understanding of a good work of art is one you read and don't make meaning out of at first glance. If you pick up a literary work and understand it upon closure, then it is a bad book.

Certain elements differentiate newspapers from works of literature and that is the diction, plot, style, license (poetic, in literature), mood, tone, author's viewpoint etc. I could read a section of the newspaper and comprehend what it says first hand without having to re-read. The same must not happen to any literary work of art. It must not.

We have more generation of readers in Nigeria now, more than ever, who often only try to get themselves entertained without having to pay attention to the elements the writer/author adopted in presenting his ideas.

Wordsworth defines poetry that it is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings; it takes its origin from emotions recollected in tranquility; the emotion is contemplated till the tranquility disappears and an emotion, kindred to that which was before the subject of contemplation, is gradually produced and does prove itself that it actually exists in the mind.

The above definition of poetry extends to other genres. Achebe was an amazing storyteller but it stops there. I could give you one of Soyinka's works and you won't even spend 10 minutes on it before dropping it. That in itself is the beauty of Literature. If your mind and senses are not alive before reading/studying a good work of art, then be sure it won't make sense to you.

SarkinYarki:
over 116 people have won the Nobel prize for literature including Bob Dylan the country musician !!!! so Wole Soyinka should stop disturbing like he is the first and last person to win it ..Its not a that much of a big deal jare

Hatred is a terrible something.. The slaves should always respect their masters, not hating

Bridget95:
Reno expressed his opinion and many people concur with him.

Yeah. Many deluded folks like you. What an insult!
Soyinka only won the award I
n one year. What happened to all the other years because the last time I checked, Nobel prize is usually given every year. Why should Soyinka be blamed for Chinua Achebe's inability to win the Nobel prize in literature in just 1 out of the several years. What is Soyinka's business in all of these?? Channel your grievances to the right quatres.

naturalwaves:

Yeah. Many deluded folks like you. What an insult!
Soyinka only won the award I
n one year. What happened to all the other years because the last time I checked, Nobel prize is usually given every year. Why should Soyinka be blamed for Chinua Achebe's inability to win the Nobel prize in literature in just 1 out of the several years. What is Soyinka's business in all of these?? Channel your grievances to the right quatres.

Wole soyinka's works are not appealing enough to get the award no one is blaming soyinka. Get the message into your skull!

In all honesty, the observations of Reno are quite true. Achebe is an African literary giant the world held in high honour till his death. What greater honour can there be that one of his works has been translated into over 50 languages, sold over 10 million copies, reputed as the best literary work from Africa and cherished by all and sundry worldwide. This to me is worth more than a thousand Nobel Prize.
May I just say that Achebe did not go into writing to win any prize, he was purely expressing his God-given talent.
There's no reason for the comparison, the two literary icons held each other in high esteem and we are proud that they are Nigerians. We are equally excited that a lot of younger ones are springing up from Nigeria and are making waves in the literary world. May we not drag this into another tribal bashing that won't take us anywhere.

eltata:


Reno is half Yoruba and half Delta

Asaba, Kwale etc are occupied by Igbos who came to settle down during the war and they have being causing commotion there since their existence.
If they do anything wrong, the Igbos will disown them.
Regina was a beautiful Igbo actress, now she is Delta.
Tonto is from Imo, now she is Ikwerre and disgracing their women

dbrown:
Recall that Reno aimed a dig at Wole soyinka about who is better between Wole and Achebe.

See the reply her

Somebody should please translate that thing to English please

Rheino at his best already.

Wow, see grammar o, that's a sign of respect to his late colleague.

colestephan86:
you won't understand cos your English is very poor, thanks to your teacher .

afonja and Queens English...lolzzz

Oem18:


So this guy actually thinks he is smart or something. Just run back into that forest in Benin that you crawled out from. Its people like you that have been causing strife and discord right from the dawn of time. I just pity those siblings of yours, look at the kind of person they look up to for advice. Igbo this hausa this afonja that. Even the so called Biafra leader has never considered you for anything talkless of the Nobel committee. Achebe has done his work in life ,all the sleepless nights he had working on the novels he wrote were you there you hypocrite, what were your contributions to his genius, the same goes with soyinka what were your contributions to these great men life works.
You really need to get your self in order.

You need a better, harnessed and qualified education.

then come back for a standard educative reply.

AudiA4:
It's shows how childish and tribal baised the mumu called Reno OMOKRI,or may be (Rhinoceros )be him name sef,see small mumu boy comparing two great literature icons, this guy no just get respect

Reno never mention tribe in his comparison, I dont understand why the bashing of Reno, that was his own opinion, so why is Wole disturbed about Reno's Opinion, his reaction made no sense and even proved Reno right .

And why must you bring in tribal sentiment in the issue, you guys are the problems of this country, someone cannot make a fair comparison again with guys like you trying to link it to tribes

Gorillacrew:
For those that understand, this is always going to be a very hoy topic for centuries to come. It is an offshoot of 'John Milton vs Shakespeare' that has been an recurrent topic for debate in the English literati circle for donkey years.

The emboldened is a suicidal comparison. I read tons of John Milton's works way back as I did Shakespeares. Achebe can clearly be likened to Milton. Both focused on a genre while Shakespeare and Soyinka found a genre to be restrictive.

As good as Milton was with poetry, Shakespeare was referred to as a national poet and the 'Bard of Avon'. That tells a whole lot. It is only fair to compare writers who focus solely on one genre. Example: Frank AIG-Imokhuede vs J.P. Clarke or Niyi Osundare, etc.

Achebe and Soyinka's argument is like drawing comparisons between a fixed player vs a utility player in football. They are not even close by a mile. Whatever Achebe wrote in his prose world, Soyinka translated into the same genre and extended to the other two. Even his plays I saw alongside that of Ola Rotimi way back left me dazed.

You pick Soyinka's works to study and analyze only to start wondering what he was thinking when he wrote that particular work. Achebe is an amazing writer in his own right and his novel enjoyed more popularity than Soyinka's for several reasons. Sadly, comparing saying Achebe is better as far as literature is concerned is committing a literary Seppuku.

Bridget95:
Wole soyinka's works are not appealing enough to get the award no one is blaming soyinka. Get the message into your skull!

Why are you tagging Soyinka then? You even said in one of your write-up s that none of Soyinka's works ring a bell. What does that mean? That he is undeserving of the award or what? You think the Nobel prize is awarded for nollywood -like write-ups? It is not a bad idea to feel Achebe deserves a Nobel prize but questioning Soyinka's triumph is a very stupid thing to do.

Osagyefo98:



afonja and Queens English...lolzzz

Funny, you read the reply of woke Soyinka and didn't understand a single thing , then you consoled yourself by saying all he wrote is meaningless.
RDb!

Sanchez01:
Achebe was a novelist and wrote interesting, thought provoking books. Soyinka covered more genres than Achebe. Depth wise, Achebe wasn't close. Soyinka never really had a strength. Of the 3 genres, he covered all and did that effortlessly.

As a student of Literature, myself and the entire class had issues analyzing 'Think it Rains', a poem by Wole Soyinka. So good and confusing was it that reference materials couldn't help an entire class of undergraduates.

Soyinka's books might not appeal to non-literature students for several reasons; his choice of words, poetic license, unconscious confusion he creates in his works amongst many other things.

Sentiments aside, Achebe was the better novelist of the two when compared. But when we talk about the man who understands the very depth of Literature, then Wole Soyinka takes it.

Both were incredible in their writing days but Achebe was just a man of one field. Soyinka's works are not for every Tom, Dvck and Harry.

You're standing by yourself. Smh

Sanchez01:
Achebe was a novelist and wrote interesting, thought provoking books. Soyinka covered more genres than Achebe. Depth wise, Achebe wasn't close. Soyinka never really had a strength. Of the 3 genres, he covered all and did that effortlessly.

As a student of Literature, myself and the entire class had issues analyzing 'Think it Rains', a poem by Wole Soyinka. So good and confusing was it that reference materials couldn't help an entire class of undergraduates.

Soyinka's books might not appeal to non-literature students for several reasons; his choice of words, poetic license, unconscious confusion he creates in his works amongst many other things.

Sentiments aside, Achebe was the better novelist of the two when compared. But when we talk about the man who understands the very depth of Literature, then Wole Soyinka takes it.

Both were incredible in their writing days but Achebe was just a man of one field. Soyinka's works are not for every Tom, Dvck and Harry.

You're standing by yourself. Smh.

Sanchez01:

The emboldened is a suicidal comparison. I read tons of John Milton's works way back as I did Shakespeares. Achebe can clearly be likened to Milton. Both focused on a genre while Shakespeare and Soyinka found a genre to be restrictive.

As good as Milton was with poetry, Shakespeare was referred to as a national poet and the 'Bard of Avon'. That tells a whole lot. It is only fair to compare writers who focus solely on one genre. Example: Frank AIG-Imokhuede vs J.P. Clarke or Niyi Osundare, etc.

Achebe and Soyinka's argument is like drawing comparisons between a fixed player vs a utility player in football. They are not even close by a mile. Whatever Achebe wrote in his prose world, Soyinka translated into the same genre and extended to the other two. Even his plays I saw alongside that of Ola Rotimi way back left me dazed.

You pick Soyinka's works to study and analyze only to start wondering what he was thinking when he wrote that particular work. Achebe is an amazing writer in his own right and his novel enjoyed more popularity than Soyinka's for several reasons. Sadly, comparing saying Achebe is better as far as literature is concerned is committing a literary Seppuku.

Haha haha. Well said. "Literary Seppuku".

genabc:


I've read their works, they are great orators and a big blessing to Africa literature. However, Achebe's work is meant for the commoners, an average reader who doesn't av in-dept knowledge of literary appreciation while Prof. Soyinka work is for the elite, you have to go to a great length to decipher it, and that's the beauty of literature. Mind u, Literature comprises of poetry, drama and prose.

How many of his work have you read?

Keffi's Birthday Treat (1954)
The Invention (1957)
The Swamp Dwellers (1958)
A Quality of Violence (1959)[71]
The Lion and the Jewel (1959)
The Trials of Brother Jero
A Dance of the Forests (1960)
My Father's Burden (1960)
The Strong Breed (1964)
Before the Blackout (1964)
Kongi's Harvest (1964)
The Road (1965)
Madmen and Specialists (1970)
The Bacchae of Euripides (1973)
Camwood on the Leaves (1973)
Jero's Metamorphosis (1973)
Death and the King's Horseman (1975)
Opera Wonyosi (1977)
Requiem for a Futurologist (1983)
Sixty-Six (short piece) (1984)[72]
A Play of Giants (1984)
Childe Internationale (1987)[73][74]
From Zia with Love (1992)
The Detainee (radio play)
A Scourge of Hyacinths (radio play)
The Beatification of Area Boy (1996)
Document of Identity (radio play, 1999)
King Baabu (2001)
Etiki Revu Wetin
Alapata Apata (2011)

Novels

The Interpreters (1964)
Season of Anomy (1972)

Short stories

A Tale of Two (1958)
Egbe's Sworn Enemy (1960)
Madame Etienne's Establishment (1960)

Memoirs

The Man Died: Prison Notes (1971)
Aké: The Years of Childhood (1981)
Ibadan: The Penkelemes Years: a memoir 1946-65 (1989)
Isara: A Voyage around Essay (1990)
You Must Set Forth at Dawn (2006)

Poetry collections

Telephone Conversation (1963) (appeared in Modern Poetry in Africa)
Idanre and other poems (1967)
A Big Airplane Crashed Into The Earth (original title Poems from Prison) (1969)
A Shuttle in the Crypt (1971)
Ogun Abibiman (1976)
Mandela's Earth and other poems (1988)
Early Poems (1997)
Samarkand and Other Markets I Have Known (2002)

Essays

Towards a True Theater (1962)
Culture in Transition (1963)
Neo-Tarzanism: The Poetics of Pseudo-Transition
A Voice That Would Not Be Silenced
Art, Dialogue, and Outrage: Essays on Literature and Culture (1988)
From Drama and the African World View (1976)
Myth, Literature, and the African World (1976)[75]
The Blackman and the Veil (1990)[76]
The Credo of Being and Nothingness (1991)
The Burden of Memory – The Muse of Forgiveness (1999)
A Climate of Fear (the BBC Reith Lectures 2004, audio and transcripts)
New Imperialism (2009)[77]
Of Africa (2012)[78][79]

Movies

Kongi's Harvest
Culture in Transition
Blues for a Prodigal

what ur point and what do you want to achieve listing this.

be straight to the point.