Chinua Achebe (1930-2013) was a literary giant whose novel "Things Fall Apart" (1958) revolutionized African literature. Born Albert Chinụalụmọgụ Achebe in Ogidi, Anambra State, he was raised in a Christian household but remained deeply connected to Igbo culture. "Things Fall Apart" has sold over 20 million copies, translated into 57 languages, making it the most widely read book in modern African literature. The novel challenged colonial narratives by presenting pre-colonial African society as complex and sophisticated. Achebe's other masterpieces include "No Longer at Ease" (1960), "Arrow of God" (1964), "A Man of the People" (1966), and "Anthills of the Savannah" (1987). Beyond fiction, Achebe was a poet, essayist, and critic. His essay collection "The Trouble with Nigeria" (1983) diagnosed Nigeria's post-independence problems with surgical precision. He taught at universities worldwide, including Bard College, where he held the Charles P. Stevenson Jr. Professorship. Achebe received numerous honors: over 30 honorary doctorates, the Man Booker International Prize (2007), and multiple award nominations. He declined Nigeria's second-highest honor, the Commander of the Federal Republic, protesting the government's state of affairs. Despite a car accident in 1990 that left him partially paralyzed, Achebe continued writing and mentoring young African writers. His death in 2013 was mourned globally as Africa lost its literary conscience. His legacy endures in every African writer who dares to tell African stories from African perspectives.