By CHIEDU UCHE OKOYE

The President General of the Obosi Development Union (ODU), Barr. Chimezie Obi, has praised Gov. Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra state for commissioning the erection of Chinua Achebe’s statue at Ogidi, Anambra state.

The statue of the late Chinua Achebe, the iconic novelist whose magnum opus, “Things Fall Apart”, blazed the trail in the evolution of African prose, was unveiled by Gov. Soludo on July 18 at Ugwu Nwasike roundabout, Ogidi.

Commenting on the unveiling of Achebe’s statue, Obi said that the statue signified a call for the people of Idemili LGAs to embrace literary writing, as Achebe did, so as to re-launch Idemili cum Anambra state into global literary reckoning.

“We celebrate the government of Anambra state under Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the initiators, and the people of Idemili people, who made this possible.

“Let this statue be more than bronze. Let it be a call for our youths to read, write, and lead to make Idemili proud, again,” Obi said.

More so, a writer, Patrick Oguejiofor, commended the Anambra state government for erecting the statue of Achebe at Ogidi while urging it to endow a literary award in honour of the literary legend, too.

“I must commend the Anambra state government for this bold step. But it is not enough. It should go beyond naming the state airport after the literary icon and funding the erection of his statue.

“The Association of Nigeria Authors wants the Anambra state government to endow a literary award in honour of Achebe as another means of honouring him,” Oguejiofor said.

Chinua Achebe’s place in the pantheon of great African writers is guaranteed and cemented owing to his works, which are literary classics.

The erection of his statue at Ugwu Nwasike, Ogidi, his home town, is a befitting tribute and ode to a literary icon whose legacies will endure for eon period.

•Chiedu Uche Okoye is of the Anambra State Ministry of Information and Value Reformation.

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