Africa's Tarnished Name: Chinua Achebe (Penguin Modern)

This is a member of the Penguin Moderns series, which are true pocket-sized books. It has 56 small pages. The author was a Nigerian national, although he notes that he was born a “British Protected Person” and continued as such until Nigerian independence (1). He is well known for his novel  Things Fall Apart . This book is divided into four sections: “What is Nigeria to Me?”; “Travelling White”; “Africa’s Tarnished Name”; “Africa Is People” (2). All of these can be found in Penguin’s  The Education of a British Protected Child .“What is Nigeria to Me?” discusses his roots in the Igbo nation, the coming of independence for Nigeria and the hopes for its future, dashed by the Biafran War and the author’s subsequent exile in the United states. “Travelling White” is set just after Nigerian independence, when he travelled to some of the other English speaking African colonies. He was in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Rhodesia, North and South. He describes how, as a member of newly-independent African nation, he had a Jim Crow experience in other parts of his own continent. “Africa’s Tarnished Name” discusses the attitude in Western writing to Africans during and after the transatlantic slave trade. Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is given particular criticism. He describes the time before the start of the transatlantic slave trade when the King of Portugal and the King of Congo were in correspondence and consider each other equals. The painter Gainsborough is praised for his sensitive and humane rendering of the portrait of Ignatius Sancho, an African living in Georgian London (3). “Africa Is People” is based on a speech to international economists. He lambasts neoliberal economic fashion in favour of the African people themselves.At the end of the book is a two page Notes section containing references to other books used as sources. (4)______________________________________________________________________________________________________(1) Chinua Achebe was born in 1930.(2) “What is Nigeria to Me?” is adapted from a speech he made in Lagos in 2008. “Travelling White” was originally published in The Guardian in 1989. “Africa’s Tarnished Name” was originally published in Another Africa in 1998. “Africa Is People” is adapted from a speech to the OECD in Paris in 1998.(3) The painting of Ignatius Sancho can be seen in the National Portrait Gallery, London.(4) The Notes section includes:Dorothy Hammond and Alta Jablow’s  The Africa that Never Was - Four Centuries of British Writing About Africa Basil Davidson’s  The African Slave Trade James D. Wolfensohn’s “Africa’s Moment”Johan Raskin’s  The Mythology of Imperialism

He uses words so well to illustrate and talk about his pride and his shame. He paints a country in a particular time and place - a time of confusion and possibility, a place of potential riches - both of which were unfulfilled, squandered and unsupported. Betrayed from within by local corruption and from without by the superpowers, the world bank and Western Capitalism.And all done in a relaxed, smooth and deceptively easy style.

It’s still so relevant and urgent.

Wow, what a book. I learnt so much about the history of Nigeria and how tough things were back a number of African countries were still being controlled by the colonists.

Absolutely brilliant idea. I encourage my students to invest in these short reads to extend their vocabulary, ideas, and get an idea of the type of authors they like. Sir Chinua presents some sturdy ideas in a funny and clever way

Small, easy, quick read of a few essays from the late Chinua Achebe. I enjoyed it. I would recommend buying more of his books as he paints African politics in a very interesting light and while used his home country Nigeria for relevant examples of the politics in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

A view of the Africa continent through the eyes, thoughts, feelings and experiences of Chinua Achebe, with a reflection upon history.

I don't think he's a fan of Joseph Conrad's heart of darkness....a good insight from one of Africa's greatest authors