EXACTLY 161 days after releasing his latest and most controversial book: There Was A Country, literary giant, Emeritus Professor Chinualumogu Achebe, yesterday, died of complications arising from old age in a hospital in Boston, United States of America, aged 82. The iconic poet, novelist and critic had been ill for some time.
Unarguably, one of the world’s most celebrated writers, the death of Achebe, the David and Mariana Fisher Professor of Literature at BrownUniversity and author of the classic novel, Things Fall Apart, threw Nigeria, the world’s largest black nation into mourning. The polity was awash with ocean of tributes to the literary Iroko yesterday.
Among those who mourned and paid glowing tributes to Acbebe yesterday were President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark, Governors Peter Obi (Anambra), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Chibuike Amechi (Rivers), Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), former Head of State, Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), former National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, former Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Author and Traditional Ruler, Prof Chukwuemeka Ike, Senator Chris Ngige, former EFCC Chairman, Malam Nuhu Ribadu and MASSOB Leader, Chief Ralph Uwazurike.
Tributes also came from two former governors of AnambraState. Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju and Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Poets and Authors, Prof JP Clark, Odia Ofeimum and Femi Osofisan; Prof Damian Opata, Prof Walter Ofonagoro, Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orietation, Edem Duke; Senator Ben Obi, Senators Bukola Saraki and Anthony Adefuye; Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Aka Ikenga, Chief Ebenenzer Babatope, member of the House of Representatives, Hon Tobias Okechukwu, Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, the Igbo Youths Movement, IYM and Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.
Achebe was committed to a better Nigeria – Jonathan
President Jonathan said the deceased would be remembered for his ‘’immense patriotism and sincere commitment to a better Nigeria,’’ adding that he ‘’will be greatly missed’’ by Nigerians.
A condolence message signed by Presidential Spokesman Reuben Abati, read in part: ‘’President Goodluck Jonathan has received with immense sadness, news of the passing away of Nigeria’s globally acclaimed writer, scholar, tutor, cultural icon, nationalist and artist of the very first rank, Prof. Chinua Achebe.
President Jonathan joins Prof. Achebe’s family, his friends, colleagues, past and present students, admirers and all who have learnt indelible lessons of human existence from his award-winning works of literature in mourning the legendary author.
’’As he mourns however, the President is consoled by the knowledge that Prof. Achebe will live forever in the hearts and minds of present and future generations through his great works which brought him enduring international fame and countless honours.
The President believes that Prof. Achebe’s frank, truthful and fearless interventions in national affairs will be greatly missed at home in Nigeria because while others may have disagreed with his views, most Nigerians never doubted his immense patriotism and sincere commitment to the building of a greater, more united and prosperous nation that all Africans and the entire black race could be proud of.
He recalls that with maturity and global stature, Prof. Achebe fearlessly spoke the truth as he saw it and became, as he advanced in age, a much revered national icon and conscience of the nation who will be eternally honoured for his contributions to national discourse as well as the immense fame and glory he brought to his fatherland.’’
Vice President Namadi Sambo in a message signed by his Special Adviser, Media, Alhaji Umar Sani, also condoled ‘’the family, well wishers and numerous fans of our departed literary icon, Chinua Achebe who passed on in the USA.”
He prayed for the repose of the soul of the deceased and the fortitude for the family to bear the irreparable loss.
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