Chinua Achebe's death: we have lost a brother
By Wole Soyinka and JP Clark

For us, the loss of Chinua Achebe is, above all else, intensely personal. We have lost a brother, a colleague, a trailblazer and a doughty fighter. Of the "pioneer quartet" of contemporary Nigerian literature, two voices have been silenced – one, of the poet Christopher Okigbo, and now, the novelist Chinua Achebe. It is perhaps difficult for outsiders of that intimate circle to appreciate this sense of depletion, but we take consolation in the young generation of writers to whom the baton has been passed, those who have already creatively ensured that there is no break in the continuum of the literary vocation.

We need to stress this at a critical time of Nigerian history, where the forces of darkness appear to overshadow the illumination of existence that literature represents. These are forces that arrogantly pride themselves implacable and brutal enemies of what Chinua and his pen represented, not merely for the African continent, but for humanity. Indeed, we cannot help wondering if the recent insensate massacre of Chinua's people in Kano, only a few days ago, hastened the fatal undermining of that resilient will that had sustained him so many years after his crippling accident.

No matter the reality, after the initial shock, and a sense of abandonment, we confidently assert that Chinua lives. His works provide their enduring testimony to the domination of the human spirit over the forces of repression, bigotry and retrogression.

source: http://m.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/mar/22/chinua-achebe-wole-soyinka-jp-clark

nenergy:
No matter the reality, after the initial shock, and a sense of abandonment, we confidently assert that Chinua lives. His works provide their enduring testimony to the domination of the human spirit over the forces of repression, bigotry and retrogression.

Pa Achebe is more than a person, but a movement. He lives on in our hearts and through his works! RIP to a man who found purpose and touched lives!

The grand literary quartet...Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka Christopher Okigbo and JP Clark . Legends. They represent a testament of the fact that there are/were some individuals that evil and vice never overwhelmed or compromised.

TO CHINUA ACHEBE'S MEMORY

From afar, is the sound i heard;
Sounded from the Iroko that Fell.
Alas! The finest Gold has melt,
Like the beautiful ship that recked.

Sure; you can't be buried with your name.
Your great and wonderful name,
will never seize to reign.

The fall of a great Iroko
Forms dyke for its river to flow.

To a journey, went the light;
And closer, comes the night!

The red sand owns the cover
to the life and death border;
but your work can't be covered
but will alway highly hover.

Adieu, prof. Chinua Achebe
It's a call everyone obeys

nenergy: Chinua Achebe's death: we have lost a brother
By Wole Soyinka and JP Clark



We need to stress this at a critical time of Nigerian history, where the forces of darkness appear to overshadow the illumination of existence that literature represents. These are forces that arrogantly pride themselves implacable and brutal enemies of what Chinua and his pen represented, not merely for the African continent, but for humanity.

source: http://m.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/mar/22/chinua-achebe-wole-soyinka-jp-clark

For a moment there i thought he was referring to nairaland.

Nice ode!

This deserves to grace the front page!