Chinua Achebe Publishes Biafran Memoir

Renowned Nigerian author Chinua Achebe has published his long-awaited memoir, There Was a Country, about the brutal three-year Biafran war. He acted as roving cultural ambassador for Biafra when the south-eastern area tried to split from Nigeria in 1967. For more than 40 years he has remained silent about his war experiences. One of Africa's best known authors, Mr Achebe's debut 1958 novel Things Fall Apart has sold more than 10 million copies. It has been translated into more than 50 languages and focuses on the traditions of Igbo society and the clash between Western and traditional values.