REMEMBERING
CHINUA ACHEBE
Even if I lack words, the thousands of pens lying in my household would
continue to be unhappy if I remain silent. In other words, in most cases,
silence could warrant a state of anarchy which may lead to unbearable mayhem or
unimaginable massacre. Thus, these incessant road carnages being witnessed
almost on a daily basis on our roads could be attributable to the increasing
pace of silence amongst our apex leaders.
Let’s take it this way: The last time I checked, millions of corpses
belonging to various Nigerian citizens were peacefully or disturbingly lying in
different morgues situated at strategic points across the federation. On this
note, we are expected to realize that among these aforementioned corpses, some
deserve to be given a thorough befitting burial to encourage as well as please
billions of souls they mentored and left behind. Therefore in such
circumstance, some of us who benefitted immensely from the deceased persons are
expected not to be silent, rather ought to be chanting dirges coupled with
eulogies in order to prove to the Chief mourners that we are also deeply
touched by the forbidden departure.
This piece is solely in memory of Chinua Achebe. When the Late Professor
Chinua Achebe left the mother earth, I was the one who suggested that the
deceased deserved to be buried in a gold tomb. Mind you, I said “Gold tomb” not
golden tomb. I was of the opinion that he worked for it, hence was not meant to
be deprived of such gesture.
You will bear me witness that the world would
have remained blind or illiterate provided there is no profession known as
writing. I always tell people and would continue to say it that, learning is
not all about attending classes; it’s about telling yourself that you ought to
know that which you’re yet and meant/bound to know. Summarily, learning can
take place anywhere and anytime. For such fact to be upheld, we must embrace
reading. And, it’s no longer news that there’s nothing to be read if there’s
nothing written. Thus, the chorus remains ‘No writing, No reading.’ Q.E.D. In a
nut shell, writing begets reading.
If truly that the globe cannot dwell
successfully without embracing the writing profession, then what stops us from
celebrating those found in such intense intellectual profession? To be frank
and candid, writers/authors ought to be seen as God’s most leading messengers,
hence deserve to be regarded as apex celebrities. Honestly, the members of the
writing profession are the people who are really liberating the universe from
all sorts of bondages. Let’s ride on!
Having stated the fact that authors are global celebrities, I wish to
use this avenue to sincerely inform us that some authors supersede others. This
is what we call ‘hierarchy’. Yes, there are writers who are like gods to their
fellow writers. And such set of people should not just be celebrated but ought
to be immensely adored by all and sundry.
It was on Thursday 21st of March, 2013 that the global
literary giant, Prof. Albert Chinualumogu Achebe who happened to be a member of
the world’s leading stakeholders’ confraternity kicked the bucket leaving
billions of immeasurable footprints behind, and alive too. The news of the
passing away of the renowned Nigerian novelist filtered into the country in the
early hours of Friday March 22. Chinua Achebe (1930-2013) shot to the global
literary stage with the iconic prose, ‘Things fall apart’ in 1958.
Chinua Achebe – prolific publisher, author and educator, born on
November 16, 1930 in Ogidi in Eastern Nigeria. Things Fall Apart, the stature
of Achebe never diminished until death. ‘A Man of the People’, published in
1966, is a bleak satire set in an unnamed African state, with the ending of the
novel bringing attention of the military personnel who suspected him of having
foreknowledge of the coup. His latest book, There was a Country: a Personal
History of Biafra, immediately caused a stir in Nigeria and beyond as it
reignited discussions about the Nigerian Civil War as seen from Achebe’s point
of view.
Known vastly for his frankness and involved commentary on issues of
language, religion, freedom, as well as the perception of Africa by other
global communities, Achebe voluntarily retired from the University of Nigeria
in 1982, thereafter devoting time to editing and becoming active in politics
with the left-leaning People’s Redemption Party (PRP). He became the party’s
National Vice-President in 1983, and also published ‘The Trouble with Nigeria’
at the time.
On March 22, 1990, Prof Achebe was involved in a ghastly auto accident
while in a car heading to Lagos State with his son, Ikechukwu; and the driver
suffered minor injuries. With the car flipping on its side, the weight of the
vehicle fell on Achebe and his spine was severely damaged. After undergoing
treatment in England, doctors came out with a damning statement that he was
paralysed from the waist down and would require the use of a wheelchair for the
rest of his life.
In spite of the predicament, he still thrived relentlessly, assiduously
and overwhelmingly in his field of endeavour owing to his extreme passion for
humanity. Across the world, the legacy of Achebe is in the reach and
universality of his works, talent and vision with international figures like
Margaret Atwood, Maya Angelou, Nelson Mandela, and several others lauding him
and his works. He was a recipient of over thirty (30) honorary degrees from
universities in Nigeria, England, Scotland, the United States, Canada, and
South Africa. He twice refused the Nigerian honour of Commander of the Federal
Republic in 2004 and 2011 respectively, with a reason that Nigerian was not doing
well in her political stride and needed to pay more attention on that rather
than issuing honours or awards.
As soon as I heard the news of his glorious exit, I told him that silver
nor gold I had none, but I candidly promised him that by His grace, my unborn
great grand children shall live to chant eulogies in regard to his worthwhile
existence here on earth. I also disclosed to the deceased that I shall live to
proclaim the good gospel on the fathomless contributions he recorded towards
the growth of mankind.
It is needless to reiterate the fact that the late Prof Chinua Achebe
lived a life worthy of emulation, that, his name deserves to be reckoned with
for eternity. But it is so pathetic that the name of the man in question is yet
to be immortalized by the Nigerian government ever since he departed. For
crying out loud, even if there is no available monument or edifice to be named
after the late literary icon, two years is enough to erect a new one. This
issue deserves to be given an urgent attention for posterity sake. Think about
it!
FDN
NWAOZOR
(The Media Ambassador)
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frednwaozor@gmail.com
+2348028608056
Twitter: fdnnwaozor
