Amawbia Town Union and Igwe-in-council have approved the conferment of the chieftaincy title, Ode Nkpisi 1 of Amawbia on Prof. Okey Ndibe. In a letter sent to Amawbia people worldwide, the town gloated about Prof. Ndibe’s contribution to the name recognition their town is currently enjoying. The letter also mentioned his continuing insistence on good governance in Nigeria in his columns punlished by the Sun Newspapers and Saharareporters.com. The award is slated to be bestowed on the Brown University Professor of Literature during the Christmas celebration.

There is no word on whether Prof. Ndibe is going to accept the honor. Ode Nkpisi means great writer. The well-deserved title is coming at a time when Prof. Ndibe’s new book is set to be published in January of 2014. The novel, titled, “Foreign Gods Inc.” is set in a small town like Amawbia. It tells the story of a disgruntled and desperate town’s man who returns from America to steal the town’s god, sells it to a New York art dealer and then faces the consequences.

All efforts by Znn247 reporters to reach Prof. Ndibe were futile as the eccentric writer is said to be in the midst of a heavy promotion of his upcoming novel. But from his past antics, there is serious doubt that the author of “Arrows of Rain” will accept the award.

Most Amawbia people who spoke to our reporters all agreed that it was a well-deserved honor.

“It’s been long that Awka overshadows Amawbia,” said Joy Okeke a proud Amawbia woman married to an Amawbia man, “so this is a good change for us to recognize an iroko amongst us, an illustrious son of Amawbia.”

Prof. Ndibe’s Facebook friend told our reporter, “It’s about time he is called Chief Prof. Dr. Okey Ndibe,” he said. “After all, small boys who do not speak or write the English language as good as he does are already Chief, Sir, Prof. Dr.”

However, not everyone was enthusiastic. An Amawbia man who didn’t want to give his name for fear of retribution from what he called misguided town’s people questioned what concrete contribution Prof. Ndibe had brought to Amawbia.

“Has he used his connections to build a school or a road or a hospital to Amawbia?” he asked. “What does a book do for hungry man and women of Amawbia?”

http://znn247..com/2013/11/okey-ndibe-to-receive-chieftaincy-title.html