Buhari Hails Achebe’s Contributions To Good Governance

The National Leader of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), has described the late literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe, as a courageous advocate of good governance principles.

In a message of condolence on behalf of all CPC members, and signed on Buhari’s behalf by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Rotimi Fashakin, Buhari said Achebe was known for an inimitable courage in freely expressing his personal convictions on prevalent national discourse, irrespective of the powers that be.

He also described Achebe as a Nigerian writer who effectively combined intellectualism and simplicity.

Buhari noted that his debut literary work “Things Fall Apart’’, which was published in 1958, had continued to attract wide readership across the globe.

In her remarks a former Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili on Sunday in Abuja joined other prominent Nigerians to pay tribute to Prof. Chinua Achebe.

The former minister described the literary giant as her hero, adding that the death was a great loss to the nation.

In a statement, signed by Mr Isaac Umunna, her Special Assistant (Media), Akunyili  said Chinua Achebe was not only from my state Anambra, he was also one of my heroes and role models right from my days at the University of Nigeria Nsukka where he taught.

“I therefore feel a deep sense of personal loss by his death. It is like losing a part of me. “Prof. Achebe’s death leaves a void not only in Nigeria and Africa but globally because he is one of the best novelist the world has ever produced,” she said.

The former minister said that Achebe would be greatly missed, adding that Nigerians and indeed, the world should take solace in the rich legacies that he left behind.

Achebe, described by his admirers as the “Eagle on Iroko” is best known for his novel, ‘Things Fall Apart’.