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U-Report: “Disqualify Yourselves From Achebe Burial Committee”----CD To S/E Govs

Late Chinua Achebe

Report By: Campaign For Democracy South-East Region Publicity Arm

The Campaign for Democracy (CD) South East zone has called on the members of the Prof Chinua Achebe’s burial committee to disqualify themselves on the ground that they lack integrity to handle the burial programme.

CD through its South East Chairman, Dede Uzor A Uzor also condemned the hijacking of the composition of the burial committee of the late literary icon billed to be buried on May 23, 2013, by the South East Governors  and other top politicians from the zone.

Dede Uzor wondered the sudden interest of the South East Governors, the deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who is said to be heading the national burial Committee as well as the Federal Government in late Achebe’s family now that he is dead.

The human right body said it was ridiculous that people whom Achebe never shared the same ideological leaning with, when he was alive, will now come to play prominent roles in burying the literary genius, saying "these are the people Achebe did not believe and agree with in his lifetime".

The group noted that those who dominated the burial committee are the beneficiaries of misrule of Nigeria and marginalization of Ndigbo, which made him to reject the national honour on two occasions from the former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan.

“What did the South East Governors do for Achebe when he was living except former Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim, who invited him for  a lecture in Owerri. Even in his home State Anambra, what has the  Government done for Achebe?” CD queried.

The organization blamed the immediate family of Prof Achebe for allowing those who their patriarch has never shared the same view ideologically, to hijack his burial because of political and pecuniary gains, which negates what Achebe stood for.

The group reasoned that, although, Achebe was an Igbo man who used Igbo culture and tradition to show the World that Africa has an established way of life, he should not be localized to his Igbo origin as he is far more beyond that.

CD challenged Achebe family to include renowned African writers like Prof Wole Soyinka, Ngugi Wa Thiongo, JP Clark, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), prominent literary critics, academics and others who share a lot in common with Achebe in the burial committee.