Achebe tributes are still pouring in. From time to time, I will post excerpts from those I find particularly interesting. Nigerian Author, Chris Abani (Graceland), writes this lovely reflection on Achebe and his writing. Abani also touches on what it means to be one of Achebe’s literary descendants. *scroll down for excerpt*

“As a writer I have fought with Achebe. Railed against the anthropological bent of some of his work.  Struggled with his complicated positioning of gender. Chaffed against his statements that were often presented as unassailable truths. Tried to push “Things Fall Apart” out of the sun a little so that other writers from Eddie Iroh, Festus Iyayi, Okphewo to the more recent ones can also grasp and command the world’s imagination (and I am grateful Adichie has succeeded in the ways she has in this regard) such that we do not remain a people caught in the beautiful yet anachronistic moment of “Things Fall Apart.” And yet in the end, I have to admit that I did not only admire him, at some level, as a literary son, I loved him. Everything that I have described is the complicated struggle between father and son. And in the same way as it is with fathers and sons, I realize only after his death just how much I loved him.”– Chris Abani, Wall Street Journal read more