Achebe To Nigerian Youths: Rise And Reclaim Your Country

         
Rise and reclaim your country, Achebe challenges Nigerian youth         
WRITTEN BY SAHARA REPORTERS, NEW YORK      
MONDAY, 19 OCTOBER 2009 10:59

Professor Achebe and Ribadu at his home last Thursday


Chinua Achebe, the author "Things Fall Apart," one of the world’s most popular novels, says the time has come for Nigerians to challenge their bad leadership, or be doomed.
The famous teacher and writer was speaking last Thursday at a meeting with the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu in his quiet home Bard College at Redhook/Annadale-on-Hudson, a two-hour drive from New York. As what was originally planned as an informal meeting blossomed into a wide-ranging conversation about the state of the Nigerian nation, Professor Achebe said those looting Nigeria needed to be stopped, and urged Ribadu to reach out to young Nigerians to rise up to the challenge of halting the corruption and ineptitude of the nation's rulers.

“We should feel we have come around and that we missed the bus the first time and that the correction of the situation in our country is in our hands. We can’t call the British back even though some people have suggested that. But we can’t allow this to go on any longer. Already our people are getting used to living in that ugly style,” the professor of literature said.

He declared: “This is the time to bring an end to it. If we do nothing, we are doomed.”

The meeting with Ribadu, at the exclusive liberal arts college founded in Annandale–on-Hudson, started at about 2 p.m. and lasted for several hours. After 15 years as the Charles P. Stevenson Professor of Languages and Literature at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, Achebe will be leaving the school at the end of the year to join the faculty of the Brown University as the David and Marianna Fisher University Professor of Africana Studies.

Mr. Ribadu had driven from Washington DC to meet Professor Achebe on what he described as a "private visit" in appreciation of Achebe’s contribution to humanity. He said that Achebe remains one of the most genuine personalities of Nigerian origin in the entire world. He lamented that a nation that could produce a world-class writer of his calibre could not produce a national leader capable of managing a local government.

He therefore called on Achebe to use his clout and powerful voice to ensure that Nigeria finds its feet and place in the world, particularly, in ensuring that the nation finds the courage to run free and fair elections and elects good leaders.

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Professor Chinua Achebe meets with Nuhu Ribadu at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson

 More photos of Achebe and Ribadu shot last week in the US :
http://www.saharareporters.com/index.php?option=com_rsgallery2&Itemid=425&gid=23&limit=12

Ribadu is playing to the gallery and getting ready for the elections, check out the poses. But we are wise to your tricks nah the turn of south east or south south.

What has Ribadu got to do with this now?

Beats the hell out of me,

Sounds like people just get axe to grind against anything and everything.

How do we start? From Nairaland?

Ribadu is only acting. I'm sure someone with Chinua Achebe's credibility can't fear nothing of Ribadu cause I'm sure death doesn't scare him a bit so Ribadu isn't a match for his braveness. He said what needed to be said. He said what most real and fearless minds would say. I'm sure he knows Ribadu is corrupt that's why he faced him with the corruption in Nigeria. These guys are getting old and their time is almost up. Who will stand up for us? They all stood their ground during their time. Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Ojukwu (You don't have to like him), Awolowo (you still don't have to like him) and Gani Fawehimi. All these guys are dying and this Hip Hop generation seems to be an end to the struggle but in a bad way.

God bless you jare. The corruption in NANS and the various SUGs in our higher institutions make the PDP criminals look like angels.

Good advice there from Achebe but not Ribadu standing by because he is same of same

It is well with my country.

Most times people say only God will save us, an i critisize them but now i realize there is a lot of wisdom in that statement. We have a lot of faith in God and our religious institutions. Now if we can use religion positively we would achieve our freedom. Imagine what will happen if all the churches say No church on sunday rather we are marching to the villa to deman for the removal of Aoondoakaa, Iwu and implementation of the Uwais report and same thing with the mosques. DO you know the population of the masses who worship. The religious organizations are the best avnue to mobilize people to sy no to bad ledership. Think about it.
Its time the church raise their heads up and open thier eyes from prayers and act. Jesus was a Socail Changer. He is brought the greatest changes to the reliogious order, enough of Siddon look and pray, the church should rise and do the work of God by standing for truth, fairness and justice. We have heard enough of sermons, Its time o take the bull by the horns and do like Rev. Martin Luther, one sunday  He said Brethren, we aill not do church today, we will walk accross that bridge and they did

@SapeleGuy Honestly, you talk too much,
I do not care if it's south-south, east-west , west south, north-north or wat eva
 that's our major problem,  Tribalism,
 let anyone who is capable of resurrecting the dreams of our founding fathers hold the position, or Nigeria will remain doomed!

Wh\at is wrong with most of you? So in all Chinua Achebe said all you can see is Ribadu? Is Ribadu now the President or owner of Nigeria?

Are you people not feeling the pain already? Why can't we take Achebe's message and leave whoever he addressed at that point alone abi the thing no dey pain una as Nigeria be so?

For me I am tired and fed up. Nigeria is OUR country. We cannot continue to allow charlatans and mediocres treat us like we are the biggest fools on earth. There are over 150million of us that is 150,000,000!!! If we let them continue like this, if we let PDP or Mega Party or any one of those idiots parading themselves as political parties rule us from 2011, I doubt if we will survive the next four years.

Something has to be done. I don't know what but Im sure we have strategists and good planners and executionists in the house.

WE HAVE GOT TO TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK!

We organise a march. A peaceful demonstration where people will come together on a saturday or sunday and march round a city with banners.
There should be no shouting and no arms. No violence of any kind.
Lagos and Abuja for starters. This has to be done at least once inn 5months. Constructively and in an organised manner!

Whilst I appriciate your concern. I ask you. What do we do instead?? PRAY??

Let Ribadu RETURN ALL of the money he has stolen. and WHY the heck is he NOT in Nigeria, Let him RETURN AS WELL. The powers that be are just tooo POWERFUL.    


Look at the likes of Fela ? Dele Giwa ? Ken Saro wiwa ? ,  we don't even celebrate our heroes.

IF YOU WNT TO EAT OMELETTE, U HAVE TO BREAK EGGS.

LET'S START ROM NOV 29TH