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Renowned Nigerian literary icon, Professor Chinua Achebe, has for the second time in seven years rejected an offer of a National Honor by the Nigerian government.
Professor Achebe, globally recognized as one of the world’s most outstanding novelists and intellectuals, rejected the “national honor” in a terse statement.In a statement today, he said:
“The reasons for rejecting the offer when it was first made have not been addressed let alone solved. It is inappropriate to offer it again to me. I must therefore regretfully decline the offer again.”In 2004, in the letter in which he rejected the same honor, Achebe sent to President Olusegun Obasanjo the following, longer letter:
“The reasons for rejecting the offer when it was first made have not been addressed let alone solved. It is inappropriate to offer it again to me. I must therefore regretfully decline the offer again.”In 2004, in the letter in which he rejected the same honor, Achebe sent to President Olusegun Obasanjo the following, longer letter:
“I write this letter with a very heavy heart. For some time now I have watched events in Nigeria with alarm and dismay. I have watched particularly the chaos in my own state of Anambra where a small clique of renegades, openly boasting its connections in high places, seems determined to turn my homeland into a bankrupt and lawless fiefdom. I am appalled by the brazenness of this clique and the silence, if not connivance, of the Presidency.“Forty three years ago, at the first anniversary of Nigeria's independence I was given the first Nigerian National Trophy for Literature. In 1979, I received two further honors – the Nigerian National Order of Merit and the Order of the Federal Republic – and in 1999 the first National Creativity Award.“I accepted all these honors fully aware that Nigeria was not perfect; but I had a strong belief that we would outgrow our shortcomings under leaders committed to uniting our diverse peoples. Nigeria's condition today under your watch is, however, too dangerous for silence. I must register my disappointment and protest by declining to accept the high honor awarded me in the 2004 Honors List”.saharareporters.com
FROM MBAISE BLOKE- AFAM NNAJI
ReplyDeleteThis refusal by the most worthy to emulate from Chinua Achebe, is by far unprecedented in the annuals of history of mankind. For me, it beats or tops every thing as it vividly and explicitly, without an iota of misgivings, makes a huge statement to these dirty and corrupt dregs of the society called leaders about the real man himself that, " however you try, you can not buy my soul or get me to sacriface it at the altar of greed and gluttonness, ."