This is as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has said, as part of its own contributions to immortalise him, the body will work with the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) to translate the books of the late sage into several other languages of this world, including Igbo.

Speaking at the symposium entitled ‘The Life, Time and Works of Chinua Achebe’, organised by the National Transition Committee, in conjunction with ANA, held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, on Monday, representative of UNESCO, Prof. Hazzana Aliduo, said his (Achebe) works should be disseminated in all languages of the world.

Prior to this assurance, ANA president, Prof. Remi Raji, said that though Achebe’s classical novel, Things Fall Apart, had been translated into over 100 languages across the world, it was not translated into the writer’s indigenous Igbo language.

Raji, who described Achebe as “a conscience of the country and a voice in a complex and problematic issues”, on a sad note, lamented that the original manuscript of the widely celebrated novel, Things Fall Apart, had been declared missing.

He charged the Federal Government to retrieve the document, which he described as immortal.

“Since 2008, the original script of Things Fall Apart was said to have been whisked away to Cameroun by a core scholar, who found his way into Achebe’s place.

“Perhaps he died in transit or didn’t return the script deliberately; it is not known yet.

“Nigeria government should make effort to retrieve it to immortalise the great man,” he said.

Chairman of the programme, governor of Niger State, Muazu Babangida Aliyu, who, was represented by his Commissioner for Information, Prof. Mohammed Yahaya Kuta, described Achebe’s death as a monumental loss to the whole world.

As a front wheel in world literary politics, Aliyu said Achebe midwifed African Literature as an important tool of decolonisation, adding that, the memory of his effort to domesticate English Language to reflect the Igbo locale and the dynamism of its cultural life would linger forever.

He therefore called on Federal Government to give Achebe an honour that could be equated to a National Merit Award.

Former Abia State governor, Ogbonaya Onu, said though so much has been said about Achebe as a writer, but he was also a politician.

“He is a political activist, and it pained him that we, as a nation, is not where we should be unveiling our potentials,” he said.

On his denial by Swedish Academy of Nobel Prize for Literature, United States of America-based poet, Prof. Tanure Ojaide, said the Prize was foreign and unnecessary.

“We don’t need a foreign body to affirm our excellence in Africa. Things Fall Apart was written to chastise the imperialists. So they may not have been happy with him,” he said.

Chairman, Transition Committee, Prof. Uzodinma Nwala, confirmed the arrival of Achebe’s body on Tuesday (May 21) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, where a brief reception would be held in his honour.

The remains would be flown to Enugu after another reception at the National Assembly, Abuja.

Meanwhile, Ike, first born of Achebe, has also confirmed that the final burial rites would take place on Thursday May 23 at Ogidi, to be conducted by Anglican Communion.


http://dailyindependentnig.com/2013/05/achebe-things-fall-aparts-original-manuscript-missing/

Achebe the greatest African and the father of modern African Literature. Gee nke oma..

chino11: Achebe the greatest African and the father of modern African Literature. Gee nke oma..

Eko ile, eggheader, aigbofa, bluetooth, desola aka obiagelli and dayokanu won't be happy with this news

mike404:
Eko ile, eggheader, aigbofa, bluetooth, desola aka obiagelli and dayokanu won't be happy with this news

But they cannot suppress the fact with the lies they taught them with free substandard education. Am sure that even Soyika will be bitter and furious now on seeing this report too.

He is quite intimidated as to why this man Achebe has been celebrated worldwide more than him even in death.

mike404:
Eko ile, eggheader, aigbofa, bluetooth, desola aka obiagelli and dayokanu won't be happy with this news

add wole soyinka to the list

[quote author=]
add wole soyinka to the list[/quote]
Lolz