Do You Think Wole Soyinka is Responsible For Chinua Achebe's Accident ? See The Facts

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Professor Wole Soyinka has berated critics, who attributed the cause of late Chinua Achebe’s accident that eventually confined him to a wheel chairuntil he recently breathed his last, to the “spotless ram” he presented to him as a gift for his sixtieth birthday.

 

What actually happened? Why are people accusing Prof Soyinka? Details below:

Soyinka, in a release entitled “The Village Mourners Association,” lamented the reaction of a category of people he likened to “homicidal clerics,” whom he said began to spread the falsehood after Achebe’s burial.

According to Soyinka, it was wrong for people to situate the ram he graciously presented to a friend on his birthday, which he (Achebe) warmly received with a comment “Typical of Wole,” as the cause of Chinua Achebe’s motor accident. Soyinka tells his own story in the release.

 

Continue After The Break

Security Aides Shut Bishops, Nigerian Governors Out Of Achebe’s Burial Service

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Overzealous security officers on Thursday shut invited bishops, ministers, as well as state governors out of the burial service of Chinua Achebe.

This happened moments before the arrival of President Goodluck Jonathan, who was accompanied by his Ghanaian counterpart, John Dramani.  At the end of a moving sermon in which he highlighted Achebe’s immortality, Rt. Reverend Ikechi Okafor said that he “deliberately” left the matter till the end of his preaching. “If these priests are not here, Achebe will not be buried.

The security men broke the rule of order of service by locking the bishops outside. Without the men of God, everybody will be seated here doing nothing,” said Rev. Nwosu, the Archbishop of Aba, who represented Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion. While half of the priests were standing at the altar awaiting the others to join them, the other half were locked out alongside Governors Peter Obi and Theodore Orji of Anambra and Abia States respectively.

(Photos) Professor Chinua Achebe Buried !!!

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Prof. Chinua Achebe was buried this afternoon at his country home in Ogidi, Idemili North LGA of Anambra state. His burial was attended by president Goodluck Jonathan, Ghana’s President John Mahama, all governors of Eastern states (minus Sullivan Chime of Enugu state), governor Emmanuel Iduaghan of Delta state and members of the international community of writers.

See more photos after the Break

Achebe, no father of African literature — Soyinka

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As celebrated author, Chinua Achebe’s final burial rites hold this week, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka in this exclusive interview with Sahara Reporters paid tribute to the famous author but says he(Achebe) is not the father of African literature. Soyinka, who won the 1986 Nobel Prize for literature, also spoke on his personal relationship with Achebe and other Nigerian writers; his regrets about Achebe’s last book, There Was A Country: A Personal History of Biafra; and his attempt to talk the late Biafran leader, Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, out of fighting a war

Do you recall where or how you first learned about the death of Professor Chinua Achebe? And what was your first reaction?

Where I heard the news? I was on the road between Abeokuta and Lagos. Who called first – BBC or a Nigerian journalist? Can’t recall now, since other calls followed fast and furious, while I was still trying to digest the news. My first reaction? Well, you know the boa constrictor – when it has just swallowed an abnormal morsel, it goes comatose, takes time off to digest. Today’s global media appears indifferent to such a natural entitlement. You are expected to supply that instant response. So, if – as was the case – my first response was to be stunned, that swiftly changed to anger.

Chinua Achebe's body arrives Nigeria - Photos

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The body of late literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe arrived Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport Abuja, earlier today May 21, where it was received by government officials. The body was then moved to Enugu, the home town of the late author, aboard a private aircraft, where it was received by Achebe's elder brother, Chief Augustine Achebe, other family members and state government officials.

He will be buried Thursday May 23. See more photos after the Break.

‘South East govoment to give Achebe befitting burial’ – Orji

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Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State has expressed shock at the death of Professor Chinua Achebe, a literary Icon who just passed away. And Orji captured the shock of his death in the deceased literary words: “Things have fallen apart, the centre cannot hold, we are no longer at ease.”

The governor, however, said the governors of the South-East would do their best to give the departed a befitting burial. Ugochukwu Emezue, Chief Press Secretary to Orji, said that Ndigbo has lost a literary icon, a legend of all times and a hero whose novels remain a reference point in and outside the country.

The governor who lamented the exit of Prof Achebe maintained that he was yet to come to terms with the sudden demise of this statesman of international repute. He declared that the late Prof Achebe impacted positively on the lives of people through his literary works.

Achebe, the Abia governor stated, would be remembered for always standing up for Ndigbo at all times, despite all odds.

“Though Professor Achebe was challenged through an accident that affected his normal movement , he waxed stronger, impacting knowledge to the younger ones as a lecturer abroad” , the governor added.

Nigeria novelist Achebe dies in Boston

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Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe, widely seen as the grandfather of modern African literature, has died at the age of 82.

The statesman, dissident and author of the novel "Things Fall Apart" died on Friday following a brief illness, said Andrew Wylie, Achebe's agent

Achebe's death in Boston was confirmed by Brown University, where he taught.

Literary critics have compared Achebe's eminence worldwide to Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Toni Morrison and a handful of other writers.

Jacob Zuma, president of South Africa, described Achebe as a "colossus of African writing", expressing sadness at his death.

Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa and an icon of the Apartheid era, has called him a writer "in whose company the prison walls fell down".

Torrents of tributes pour for Chinua Achebe

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President Goodluck Jonathan said on Friday that late Prof. Chinua Achebe will be greatly missed for his immense patriotism and sincere commitment to a better Nigeria.

“President Jonathan 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’’, said Reuben Abati, the special Adviser to the president on Media and Publicity.

“The president believes that Prof. Achebe’s frank, truthful and fearless interventions in national affairs will be greatly missed at home in Nigeria 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.

Jonathan’s tribute was among the torrents of tributes that poured forth globally for the literary icon, who died early Friday in the US at the age of 82.

A GEM IS GONE: Foremost novelist Professor Chinua Achebe dies at 82

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Novelist, poet, professor, critic and the author of the most widely read book in African literature (Things Fall Apart) professor Chinua Achebe, has passed on. Professor Achebe died last night March 21 in a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. He had been ill for a while. He was 82 years old.

What More Does Achebe Want?... I Did All I Could For The Igbos ––Obasanjo

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In his usual no-nonsense posture, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has cautioned Prof Chinua Achebe and his likes to drop issues relating to the Biafra war in the trash can of history once and for all. Obasanjo a principal actor during the war, in a recent chat said Achebe keeps dragging Nigeria back with his negative views due to certain reasons. Below is how Obasanjo chronicled his efforts for the Igbos...

Obasanjo Cautions Achebe, Awolowo’s Loyalists Against Civil War Comments

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Former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday in Abeokuta ,cautioned the literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe and the loyalists of late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo against uncomplimentary comments over the 3 -year old civil war in the country. 

Obasanjo reacted in Abeokuta during the grand civic reception organised by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the South West to formerly welcome him home after his resignation as the Chairman, Board of Trustee, BoT, of the party.

Re: Achebe and trouble with truth

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Abimbola Adelakun’s incisive and dispassionate write-up concerning Chinua Achebe’s latest book, “There Was A Country”, at the back page of The PUNCH edition of Thursday, October 18, 2012, has convinced the reading public (inclusive of this writer) that one cannot stand logic on its head.  Adelakun demonstrated this by her cogent analysis of Achebe’s  ‘impression’ of Chief Obafemi Awolowo because