Nigerian Newspapers
As Chinua Achebe joins the immortals…
By Chido Nwakanma
“Chinua Achebe was well known throughout the 55 countries of Africa and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements. As a young man of 28, he had brought honour to the continent by telling the authentic story of Africa in the work Things Fall Apart. His work changed the narrative of years of denigration of the African as if he had no culture, nor language nor history.
“The drums beat and the flutes sang and the people held their breath as African countries struggled for independence. The Western narrative of Africa was strong and deep seated, but Chinua Achebe was determined and equipped with knowledge, passion, and the craft and wisdom of ancient storytellers. Every line, every proverb and every sentence of that book stood out. In the end, Achebe defeated the Tarzan narrative and gave Africans a voice.
“That was many years ago, 50 years and more, and during that time Achebe’s fame grew like a bush-fire in the harmattan. He would write several other novels, essays, short stories, poems and works all evincing deep wisdom, knowledge, prescience and impassioned advocacy for the betterment of Africa and the black race.”
This recasting of the opening lines of the most famous book out of Africa and one of the best books in world literature played through my head in contemplation of a truly outstanding life whose passage is being celebrated this week as the University of Nigeria held a Special Senate Session to honour Chinua Achebe.
There was a sense of the dramatic and surreal at the occasion. As is the tradition at Senate meetings, University Registrar, Ogbueshi Anthony, Okonta called out names of members of Senate present. They responded. He called several names, certainly with no intention of calling the more than 100 professors present. Then he called Emeritus Professor Chinua Achebe. Silence. He called thrice. Silence.
The grave silence provided an entrée for the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bartho Okolo who observed that it was unusual for Achebe not to answer to his name. The VC then called him once more as Achebe’s body rested in the casket at the centre of the Main Hall of the Enugu campus. There was no response as the hall fell deeply silent at the further calling of Achebe’s name. “Truly, this is a solemn confirmation that the earthly sojourn of our revered colleague, Emeritus Professor Chinualumogu Albert Achebe, our compatriot who rose to become a citizen of the world, has come to an end. It is, therefore, with profound grief and regret that I preside over this special senate in his honour,” the Vice Chancellor added.
It would be a tad too dramatic to say that things have fallen apart with the passage of Chinua Achebe. The literary community is certainly no longer at ease either with the impeding of our hopes concerning continued longevity for this Iroko who departed this plane on March 23, 2013 in the United States.
Scholars gathered, Tuesday, to pay their last respects to Chinua Achebe with an academic procession and special senate session at the Enugu campus of the University of Nigeria. It was sobering yet uplifting.
Chinua Achebe’s history is already well told across the world. At each event, through this week of his funeral, though, that life story would be told and retold. It is clearly important to share, acknowledge and deeply appreciate his life.
Achebe lived just short of a century but he was, pun very much intended, a man of the people; of his students; of his country and of the world. It is fitting that the world has acknowledged his passage and his monumental contributions in several tributes and eulogies ranging from formal proclamations in his honour from government entities in Nigeria, the United States, South Africa and Jamaica as well as tributes from writers and writers’ organizations worldwide as well as by citizens everywhere.
Chinua Achebe was an academic in the finest traditions of contributing to new knowledge, illuminating hidden or unclear aspects of life and opening the eyes of people to new vistas. He was the epitome of inspiration to all who heard the sound of his voice or read the words he wrote.
At the University of Nigeria, he served as a researcher, as a teacher, and as a fountain of knowledge and inspiration. He gave life to Okike, the journal of new African writing, and served as editor of the journal of socio-political discourse, Nsukkascope. His presence alone was an endorsement and enabler. He was professor emeritus until his passage.
In an earlier tribute, UNN Vice Chancellor Prof. Bartho Okolo asserted that Prof. Achebe was “one of the academic titans whose presence on the faculty served as a beacon of light that drew the world to the University of Nigeria.”
Chinua Achebe was an agada kpa here uzo, to quote Uzor Maxim Uzoatu. He was a pathfinder and trailblazer. Not only did he climb the tall tree of literature, he also held aloft the ladder so that other writers could climb through the African Writers Series and his vocation as writer and teacher.
No one expected Achebe to live forever; as god-like as he seemed, he still was but a man. When he wrote Things Fall Apart, it was a revelation. It not only was a fantastic read, it opened our eyes to so many issues with and about so many subjects beyond even the obvious.
It was clear that the gathering Tuesday was not really to mourn but to pay the respect of the university community. The university, through the Vice Chancellor, declared that, “He will be remembered as a remarkable teacher, astute administrator, a creative genius, a story teller and author of extra- ordinary ability.” VC Okolo said UNN mourns Achebe for “his unique contributions to the development of our university and for the enormous visibility he brought to our university through his creative works, even in his death.”
It is clear then that no one can be talking about LAST respects, as the debt of Africans to Achebe will never be fully repaid. Homage to Achebe will clearly never be a one-time thing.
Chinua Achebe by his work, life and passage on March 23, 2013, has joined the pantheon of immortals that would forever be remembered wherever the stories of peoples and nations of the world are mentioned.
The gratitude of the University of Nigeria is one that is shared across the world for the life and work of Chinualumogu Achebe. And it is gratitude that several people will express by telling it on the mountain, over the hills, across the seas, that there was a Country. And in that country, there were People, and in the hearts of those people…there was a Man. There IS a man. Achebe is dead. Long live Chinua Achebe.
Nwakanma, an alumnus of the University of Nigeria, is Chief Executive of Blueflower Limited.
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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