Good day distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the honourable
commissioner, members of the high table, fellow students and fellow
writers, lecturers and teachers alike, school heads, participants and
the other members of the public here present this day to witness this
great occasion. I welcome you all in Jesus Name, Amen.
It is my humble pleasure to officially introduce us to the
reason for our gathering here this day, the 16th day of November 2016,
in this auditorium hall of the Prof. Kenneth Dike E-Library Awka.
We are gathered here this day to mark a great literary
event in the great immortal memory of a great literary icon and an
ebullient indigen of this state – Late Prof. Albert Chinualumogu Achebe,
an Ogidi born quintessential literary pioneer.
This venerable event tagged: ‘RememberingCHINUA ACHEBE: A LITERARY ICON’,
which is the first of its kind is organized in the super-heroic memory
of the valiant literary champion in whose name it is tagged, in the
remembrance, commemoration and celebration of his luminous life,
perpetual legacies and laudable achievements in the literary field of
life.
It is worthy to re-echo, at this juncture,that Anambra
State has given the world arrays of great writers, the likes of Prof.
Vincent Chukwuemeka Ike, Dr. Christopher Okigbo, Mrs. Chimamanda Ngozi
Adichie, Cyprain Ekwensi, Nkem Nwankwo, Mr. Okeke Chika Jerry, Ifeoma
Okoye, to mention but a few.
Of course every living soulon earthcould observe that this
short list is incomplete, no matter how terse it looks; the number one
name is missing. And thatis the man for whom we have gathered this day –
Prof. Chinua Achebe.
Albert Chinualumogu Achebe (popularly known as Chinua
Achebe) was born on a great day like this, the 16th day of November
1930, and died on the 21stday of March 2013 at the age of 82 years, 125
days, spending about 30, 076 days in his whole life with laudable
achievements and legacies of which the world is reaping today in our own
generation.
Achebe was a renowned author of all time, a great
intellectual of all ages, the father of the modern African Literature, a
cornucopiaof knowledge, a great teacher of repute, a pride of his
nation, a genius with pen, a voracious reader, a professor of
Massachusetts, a recipient of over hundred national and international
awards, America’s best lecturer in English, a recipient of over
fortyHonorary Degrees from Universities all over the world, a recipient
of the Nigeria’s highest award for intellectual achievement, an author
of magnum opus, a graduate of University College Ibadan, African most
widely read author, a great educator, a recipient of the Man Booker
International Prize, a recipient of the Honorary Fellowship of the
American Academy of Arts and Letters, plus the host of other numerous
landmark achievements, awards and legacies.
All these indeed worth recognition, commemoration andcelebration; and that is our purpose of gathering herethis day.
There are lots and lots of literary activities and packages
slated for this occasion which will soon begin to unfold in their best
footings.
So, ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you all to this
memorial and monumental occasion, and pray that the good Lord who made
it possible for us to gather here this day will bless and enrich us
mightily with the good things he has prepared for us, as well as enable
us to live a life worthy of emulation and to leave a legacy worthy of
celebration, even after our life here on this earth.
Once again, I welcome you all and declare this occasion open in the name of God the Father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit.
AMEN.
Izunna I. Okafor,the coordinator of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers,Anambra State Chapter.
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