Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart continues to hold a timeless place in African literature, with the upcoming Things Fall Apart Festival offering a new chapter in its celebration.
According to The Guardian Nigeria, the Things Fall Apart Festival will be hosted in Enugu from June 29 to July 5, 2025, organized by the Centre for Memories (Ncheta Ndigbo). The festival has received the royal endorsement of His Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe, the 21st Obi of Onitsha.
One of the most anticipated moments of the festival is the scheduled address by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on July 5. Chinua Achebe once remarked about her, “We do not usually associate wisdom with beginners, but here is a new writer endowed with the gift of ancient storytellers.”
Published in 1958, Things Fall Apart has remained in continuous print for over six decades. The novel’s influence spans global classrooms, translated into numerous languages, and studied across disciplines including history, sociology, and anthropology.
At the centre of the Okonkwo story is a man battling personal fear and cultural change. Okonkwo, once celebrated for his strength after defeating Amalinze the Cat in wrestling, faces his greatest challenges not from external enemies but from within his own family and society. His life becomes defined by his struggle to reject weakness, especially when he sees it in his son, Nwoye.
Achebe’s narrative tells of Okonkwo’s exile following a tragic accident, his return to a changed homeland overrun by Christian missionaries, and his final act of rebellion. The story ends with Okonkwo’s death, a powerful statement about cultural disintegration and personal tragedy.
The Things Fall Apart Festival serves as a tribute to this enduring work that reshaped African literature. The book’s success paved the way for the African Writers Series, opening doors for many other authors across the continent. Achebe’s storytelling shifted global literary focus from colonial portrayals to authentic African voices.
The festival will not only revisit the Okonkwo story but will also honour Achebe’s larger impact on literature. His work moved beyond traditional narratives to present Africa in its complexity, free from the outdated images presented by earlier European writers.
Achebe’s literary journey included celebrated works like No Longer at Ease, Arrow of God, A Man of the People, and Anthills of the Savannah. Yet, Things Fall Apart remains the cornerstone of his contribution to African literature. Its influence even reached legal settings, such as a United States court case where a judge required a convicted individual to read the novel as part of the ruling.
The Centre for Memories in Enugu has curated this festival to reflect the enduring relevance of Achebe’s masterpiece. With the participation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and other literary voices, the Things Fall Apart Festival is set to be a remarkable event celebrating Achebe’s work and the richness of African literature.
Article updated 4 days ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
