Achebe is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers of modern Africa and is credited with adapting the folk-telling tradition of Nigeria into the novel format. But Achebe was partially paralyzed in an automobile accident in 1990 - a factor that required him to live in the United States since the infrastructure in Nigeria isn't well-suited to take care of persons with disabilities. His visit home required a lot of advance planning, including a police-escorted motorcade to bring him back to his native village.
Achebe still hopes one day to return to his homeland. He is building a house designed to accommodate his disability, and because of the lack of infrastructure in Nigeria, the house will have to have its own electrical and water supplies - things Achebe can't do without in his condition.
Achebe hopes to write future novels when (and if) he can in fact return to Nigeria for good, he says there are still many stories to tell. “There are stories all over the place, not written. Stories waiting to be transformed into novels,” Achebe said.
Note - In addition to "Things Fall Apart", check out "Man of the People" for a good tale of how political power tended to corrupt even the most honest men in post-colonial Africa.
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