Which writer is often called the father of modern African writing or father of the African novel?

Introduction / Context:
African literature in English gained worldwide attention through several major novelists and playwrights in the twentieth century. Among them, one Nigerian writer is especially honoured as the father of modern African writing or the father of the African novel because his work presented African perspectives in powerful narrative form. This question checks whether the learner can correctly connect that title with the right literary figure.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The title mentioned is father of modern African writing or father of the African novel.
• The options list well known African and related authors.
• The learner is assumed to know at least the most famous novel from this tradition.
• Only one option matches the widely used title in literary criticism.

Concept / Approach:
The core concept is recognition of the writer whose early novel opened the way for African voices in world literature. Chinua Achebe from Nigeria wrote the novel Things Fall Apart, which portrayed the impact of colonialism on Igbo society from an African point of view. This book is often treated as a foundational text in African literature courses. Because of this central role, critics and readers frequently refer to Achebe as the father of modern African writing. The other authors, though important, do not usually carry this particular title.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the phrase father of modern African writing, which implies a pioneering role. Step 2: Recall the most discussed early African novel in English, Things Fall Apart. Step 3: Remember that its author is Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian writer whose work influenced later generations. Step 4: Look at the options and locate Chinua Achebe among other names like Wole Soyinka and Ngugi wa Thiong o. Step 5: Select Chinua Achebe as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, check how introductions to African literature in guidebooks and anthologies describe Achebe. They frequently present him as the father of the African novel or as the central pioneering figure. Wole Soyinka is widely known too but mostly for drama and for being a Nobel laureate, not for this particular title. Ngugi wa Thiong o and Nadine Gordimer are also important writers, yet standard exam material usually reserves the father of modern African writing phrase for Achebe alone, which confirms the correct choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Wole Soyinka is a major Nigerian playwright and poet and the first African Nobel laureate in literature, but he is not typically labeled as father of the African novel. Ngugi wa Thiong o from Kenya is famous for novels and essays but emerged slightly later and is not given this foundational title in most references. Nadine Gordimer and J M Coetzee are South African writers whose work focuses on apartheid and its aftermath, again without carrying the specific father of modern African writing tag. These authors are important yet do not match the phrase used in the question.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners may be tempted to pick Wole Soyinka simply because of his Nobel Prize or to choose any familiar African name in a guess. Another pitfall is to confuse the term father of African literature with some other general cultural leader rather than a specific novelist. A reliable strategy is to tie each key phrase to one flagship work, for example father of African novel with Things Fall Apart and its author Chinua Achebe. This association strengthens memory and improves accuracy in literary general knowledge questions.

Final Answer:
The writer often called the father of modern African writing is Chinua Achebe.