Writing for African novelist and 2007 Man Booker International Prize winner, Chinua Achebe, as to most African writers, is a means of assertion of African identity, humanity and dignity. It is a way of ‘recovery’, of reclamation of the past – history, language and culture that was negated by European history and literature about Africa. It is Achebe’s firm faith that literature has a vital role to play in the contemporary society obsessed with the notion of ‘development’ or ‘modernisation’.
Exponent of (what he describes) ‘Beneficent Fiction’, Achebe argues that a good novelist should use history not to perpetuate the past conflicts but to outgrow them, and to seek ‘fictional truth’ which lies beyond what a parochial novelist gives as historical truth. Beneficent novel doesn’t insist the reader to believe the historical facts ingrained in his novel as truth. Achebe’s views on the truth of fiction perhaps illumine the ongoing controversy concerning the treatment of history by Kannada novelist S L Byrappa in his new novel, Aavarana. Born in 1930 at Ogidi, Eastern Nigeria to devout Christian parents, Albert Chinualumogu Achebe brought up in the ‘crossroads of culture’ imbibing the values of traditional Igbo society and of the new Christian religion and European education. As a boy he grew up witnessing the cultural encounter consequent to the arrival of missionaries.
Christian religion and colonial education have been the decisive moments in shaping the consciousness of young Achebe.
Early years
 Like most great writers of the world, Achebe too was a product of seminal moments of history that coincided with his childhood. He grew up in his native village watching the transitional phenomenon of his society. Achebe recounts, “On one arm of the cross we sang hymns and read the Bible nights and days. On the other my father’s brother and family blinded by heathenism offered food to idols” (Hopes and Impediments, 35).  Most of these historical events have been interwoven into his fiction beginning with Things Fall Apart (1958). It is instructive for any of Achebe’s readers to know the significance of history for the better appreciation of his novels.
Recipient of the ‘Man Booker 2007’ Chinua Achebe is perhaps the most authentic voice of all the African writers. Prolific, as it were, there is no genre of literature (except drama) in which Achebe failed to excel: novel, short story, poetry and criticism. Launched his literary career with his seminal work, Things Fall Apart’(1958), Achebe has written five novels, and Anthills of the Savannah (1987) after a gap of 21 years since the appearance of his last novel, A Man of the People (1966). The other two novels are No Longer at Ease (1960) and Arrow of God (1964).
Turmoil transformation
This long spell of exile from novel-writing is one of the tumultuous periods in the life of his country wherein he witnessed some seven military coups and a lot of bloodshed as a result of civil war (Biafra) between 1966-70.
From this period onwards one can see the fundamental transformation in Achebe’s art and life. He came to believe more and more that a novelist’s role is not just to interpret or represent but to “act rather than react”. He even turned a political activist and actively took part in Biafran cause.
The Troubles with Nigeria (1983), Hopes and Impediments (1987), Home and Exile (2000) are among his most important books of essays wherein Achebe talks about the role of a writer in changing society; writer’s commitments and responsibilities to the humanity; the form, substance and function of art as conceived by African; the necessity and power of fiction – re-storying people; the threats of a new world order; the return of colonialism in different guises and so on.
Beneficient fiction
An appraisal of these works of non-fiction is crucial for the better understanding of his fictional world— the fiction making for which he is awarded The Man Booker 2007. In his analysis of novels dealing with recreation of history and historical situations, Achebe classifies novels into ‘Beneficent fiction’ and ‘Malignant fiction’.
He further explains difference between the two and lists the characteristics: ‘The Beneficent fiction’ never forgets that it has fiction whereas the malignant fiction never knows that it is.
An exponent of Beneficent Fiction, Chinua is constantly seeking fictional truth i.e.; truth as fiction. Achebe travel farther from the colonial hangover in his new novel Anthills of the Savannah where he exposes the betrayal of the African rulers. He comes down heavily upon neo-colonial rulers who have distanced themselves from the people.
Achebe diagnoses the failure of political leadership as the cause of current state of affairs in Nigeria or elsewhere in Africa. It is this objectivity – the willingness to see life with openness of mind – renders authenticity to Achebe’s art.