The United Nations has devoted November 15 as a day to honor the late Prof. Chinua Achebe with a post-humous celebration in New York. The late Prof. Achebe who is regarded as Africa's most acclaimed author is to be honoured by the United Nations (UN) on November 15 with the day set aside to celebrate his 83rd post-humous birthday in New York.
Professor Achebe, the author of the legendary classic Things Fall Apart, passed away in Boston on March 21 in Boston where he was working as a lecturer. Between 1999 and 2005, Professor Achebe was a UN goodwill ambassador and to recognise his contributions, the body has decided to dedicate what would have been his birthday to him. Holding at the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium at the UN headquarters in New York, the event will feature featuring music, film, readings and recollections by family and friends. It will be organised by the UN Staff Recreation Council (SRC) Society of Writers and the UN SRC Film Society.
Dr Babatunde Osotimehin, the executive director of the United Nations Population Fund, said: “Professor Achebe will forever be credited for his leading role in shaping the course of Africa’s literary traditions and for conveying its authentic voice to the world at large.” Things Fall Apart, Professor Achebe's most acclaimed novel, went on to become one of the most important books in African literature. Selling over 8m copies around the world, it was translated into 50 languages, making Achebe the most translated African writer of all time. In addition, Things Fall Apart is the only African novel to make the list of the world's top 100 books and in June 2007, Achebe was awarded the Man Booker International Prize. US critic Elaine Showalter, who was on the judging panel said Professor Achebe illuminated the path for writers around the world seeking new words and forms for new realities and societies.
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Part Courtesy - nigerianwatch
RIP Chinua Achebe u were a blessing to ur gtrenaeion. But you have a lot to settle with Awolowo when u get to heaven on the purported role you claimed he played in the Nigeria civil war of 1973 in ur book “there was a country”. There is no doubt that the book is so tribalistic in both content, nature and character..You, Ojukwu, Awolowo & other veterans of d civil war have a lot scores to settle in ur eternal country