The Senate will today hold a session in honour of the late literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe, who passed away on March 21 in Boston, United States of America.
This decision was adopted following a motion by Senator Chris Ngige (ACN – Anambra), the senator representing the late Achebe’s senatorial district, on matters of urgent national importance.
Ngige acknowledged the tributes that have been pouring in since the icon passed away, and requested that the Senate honour Achebe by holding a session of tributes.
Also, the House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to name the National Library under construction or any other monument after Achebe.
This was contained in a motion moved by Rep. Charles Odedo (ACN – Anambra), titled, “Tribute to Chinua Achebe”, which was adopted after being put to a vote by the Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
Odedo said the late Achebe brought honour to Nigeria with his literary works that included his novel, “Things Fall apart’’, which was written in 1958 and ha been translated into more than 50 languages, had selling more than 12 million copies.
Odedo said the late Achebe in 1992 was represented in Everyman’s Library Collection.
In his contribution to the debate, Hassan Saleh (PDP – Benue) said the late Achebe was one of the greatest human beings to have emerged from Nigeria.
He said the late Achebe had done so much in his literary works for “past generation and other generations to come’’, and thus, urged members to support the motion so that future generations would draw lessons from the late literary icon.
Toby Ikechukwu (PDP-Enugu), while paying tributes to the late Achebe, said that the writer was a poet and novelist, adding that his works represented various stages of Nigeria’s democracy.
Ali Madaki (PDP-Kano) said Nigerians do not celebrate their heroes until their death.
He said: “We should learn to identify our heroes when they are alive and not wait until they are dead.”
The motion was not opposed and the Speaker, thereafter, referred it to the Committee on Governmental Affairs for further legislative inputs.