Chris Anyokwu Q & A

       In Vanguard McPhilips Nwachukwu has a Q & A with Chris Anyokwu -- who argues that in Nigeria Old generation writers better than the present:

I must say that the past is better than the present. And that is true. When you look at the writings of Wole Soyinka, Achebe and members of their generation, when you pick up their works to read, you find out that their works are better than what is produced now.

A number of reasons can be adduced for this: a culture of excellence was there. They had better teachers, who were expatriates. They had better environment. Even when they started writing, they had reverence for the written word. They also had mentors, people they looked up to as their role models, particularly from abroad and they wanted to write like them.

But these days, people are not taking time to learn their craft.

       I think it's safe to say that, while Soyinka and Achebe are certainly towering figures, I wouldn't give all the "members of their generation" such an easy pass -- a lot of their writing is pretty weak. Conversely, there are quite a few contemporaries who seem to me to be pretty good at what they .....