Like Achebe and Soyinka

The death a few days ago of Antonio Lobo Atunes, Portuguese writer and perennial candidate for the Nobel Prize, brings up the quiet feud between Soyinka and Achebe. The writer of about 30 novels, and best known for Fado Alexandrino, was often pained that he, Antonio Lobo Atunes, did not get the Nobel Prize. Rather the honours fell on the laps of Jose Saramago, the author of Blindness.

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There is a contrast with the Nigerian fight. Atunes did not win, but he was bitter just like Achebe. Atunes is acused, like Soyinka, of obscurity and of daring experimentations, plot somersaults and linguistic densities. Saramago, who won it is simpler, like Achebe, although he mythicizes just like Soyinka. Atunes was prolific just like Soyinka. Saramago did not write as many.

Literary feuds are not created alike, just like Dickens and Thackeray.