By CHIEDU UCHE OKOYE

Nobody can gainsay the fact that the late Chinua Achebe, who was one of the founders of the modern African literature, has immortalized himself with his oeuvre that teems with literary works. His works’ timelessness, their values to our society, and their literary merits have always ignited debates among Nigerians. Little wonder, literature buffs and aficionados do remember him.

In order to keep the memory of the late literary sage, Chinua Achebe, alive, and highlight his correct diagnosis of Nigeria’s socio-political cum economic problems, the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (Anambra state chapter) collaborated with the Anambra state library to host the 2025 Chinua Achebe Literary Festival & Memorial Lecture at the Kenneth dike Central Library, Awka on November 14, 2025.

The literary soiree, the theme of which was, “Revisiting The Trouble With Nigeria, The Achebean Perspective”, featured the Chinua Achebe Memorial Lecture, Chinua Achebe Writing Competition Award, and the unveiling of the 10th Chinua Achebe poetry/Essay Anthology.

In her keynote speech, the guest speaker and commissioner for education in Anambra state, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, who was represented by Brian Ude, surmised that James Joyce’s “Mr. Johnson” distorted the African peoples’ pre-colonial reality, which provoked Chinual Achebe to write “Things Fall Apart” to correct the historical fallacies contained in “Mr. Johnson”.

“Achebe believed that the African society was organized before the coming of the white people.

“And he stated, unequivocally, that colonialism destroyed it,” Prof. Ude said.

Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, who was given the Chinua Achebe Excellence Award at the event, advised the students, who attended the event, to Imbibe the Achebean spirit of love for literature, the virtue of integrity, and embrace hard work.

More so, while speaking at the event, Prof. Chinyere Stella Okunna, who stood in for Mr. Peter Obi at the literary event, extended greetings to the attendees on behalf of Mr. Peter Obi, who was the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election in Nigeria.

She expressed joy for being in the midst of her friends and stated that Mr. Peter Obi is genuinely and deeply committed to giving poor people the opportunity to acquire education, revamping of our health sector, and the lifting of poor people from the dungeon of poverty.

“Mr. Peter Obi’s love for children is legendary.

“He is keen on giving children from poor homes the opportunity to acquire quality education.

“And he is committed to the revamping of our health sector and the lifting of poor people from the dungeon of poverty,” Okunna said.

And in his own remarks, the Anambra state commissioner for information, Dr. Law Mefor, advised the students to embrace hard work, imbibe street wisdom, and cultivate the habit of diligence.

He said that their deployment of those virtues in carrying out their quotidian tasks would yield positive results to them and lead them to achieve their goals in life.

More so, Dr. Mefor attributed Nigeria’s underdevelopment to the existence of structural imbalances in our country and called for their remediation to guarantee our country’s rapid and sustainable development.

“There are factors that make Nigeria not to work. One of them is structural imbalance.

“The military changed the formation of Nigeria and gave us a constitution that is more unitary than federal.

“For example, the southeast is the only geopolitical zone in Nigeria that has five states.

“That is a clear case of structural imbalance,” Mefor said.

Again, Mr. Ikenna Jibike, who represented Igwe Chidubem Iweka of Obosi, lamented that our male youths are showing utter disdain for education, which does not bode well for our country’s development.

“The truth of the matter is that our boys don’t go to school, anymore. And according to them, education is scam.

“But we are celebrating a man, whose works are read all over the world, although he is dead.

“His novel, Things Fall Apart, has been translated to more than sixty languages,” he said.

Jibike further stated that the Emeka and Bunmi Anyaoku Foundation Center, Obosi is more suitable than the Kenneth Dike Central Library Awka for the hosting of the annual Chinua Achebe literary festival.

“The Emeka and Bunmi Anyaoku Foundation Center is more commodious and salubrious than the Kenneth Dike Central Library.

“So hosting the annual Chinua Achebe literary festival at the Anyaoku Centre rather than at the Kenneth Dike Central Library is better,” Jibike said.

Jibike, who is a liaison officer on chieftaincy matters to Igwe Chidubem Iweka of Obosi, said that Chief Emeka Anyaoku could coax Gov. Soludo to attend the next edition of the Chinua Achebe literary festival as both of them are boon companions.

The highpoint of the event was the unveiling of the 10th Chinua Achebe Poetry/Essay Anthology, which is titled Achebe: Arrow of Wisdom; and the presentation of awards to the winners of the 2025 Chinua Achebe Essay Competition and authors of the 2025 Chinua Achebe Poetry/Essay Anthology.

Students from these schools attended the event: Differential College, Okpuno; Kings International School, Amawbia; Igwebuike Grammar School, Awka; Kenneth Dike Memorial Secondary School, Awka; and Community Secondary School, Okpuno.

Among the dignitaries that attended the event were Christian Aburime, media aide to Gov. Soludo; Kenneth Abana; Hon. Afam Ogene, who presented awards and certificates to the best-performing students; and others.

•Chiedu Uche Okoye writes from Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State.