Anambra is ready for Achebe’s burial – Obi

Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State on Sunday said that the state was ready to accord Prof. Chinua Achebe a befitting burial.
Obi stated this while inspecting the St. Philip’s Anglican Church, Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Area, where the burial service will take place on May 23.
The governor had inspected his country home and the author’s final resting place, which was nearly completed and designed as a mini museum to house all Achebe’s works.
Obi, who expressed satisfaction with the level of preparations, urged Nigerians to emulate the late literary icon, noting that the state government would not relent in honouring people like Achebe, who contributed positively to the advancement of the society.
Meanwhile, the state government is to partner with the Anglican Diocese of Aguata for the construction of a modern maternity in the area.
Obi said this on Sunday at the second session of the third synod of the Diocese at St. Thomas Anglican Church, Umuchu.
The governor said that the maternity, which would cost N30 million, was to encourage the deepening of the collaboration between the Church and government in providing the people with love and compassion.
According to him, the basic fact remains that any project executed either by the government or the Church is for the good of the people.
Most Rev. Christian Efobi, the Anglican Bishop of Aguata and the Archbishop of the Province on the Niger, thanked the governor for what he described as “good governance for the people of the state.”
Meanwhile, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, has described the controversy over Achebe’s burial rites as a clash between “the old and new.”
Speaking at a commendation service held in honour of Achebe on Sunday in Abuja, Okoh said that what the literary icon depicted in his epic novel, Things Fall Apart, caught up with him at death.
He said: “I was amused when I learnt that the Ogidi people were struggling for his body and they want the burial done the traditional way.
“The discussion we had with Ikechukwu (Achebe’s elder son) is that he will be buried by the church.
“I said the professor had become an example of what he had written, the old order struggling with the new order.”
The cleric recounted the story of Achebe’s epic novel, where he depicted the clash between African traditional religion and Christianity.
Eulogising the late author’s literary prowess, the cleric said: “Achebe had a gift from God and he presented it to the world.
“Achebe offered what he had to God and to the world and from their African was known, the Igbo man became known and the tradition of the people became known.
“We were exposed to the conflict between the old order and the new order, just like the kind of things you see in the New Testament.
“When Jesus came to the sick, the old order of the Jewish system was struggling with the New Testament covenant order being introduced by Jesus Christ.
“In Things Fall Apart you find that the old order was struggling with the new order of Christianity.”
Okoh, who had earlier expressed disappointment at the poor attendance of the commendation service, advised young people to emulate Achebe’s positive use of his God-given “gift”.
The cleric expressed concern that young people in the country were bereft of “role models to adopt.
“People like Achebe are role models we should recommend to our young people to emulate because people of today would only choose those who have made money.
“If we have more young people like Achebe there will be round transformation and we will be restored to wholesomeness.”
Okoh told the congregation at the National Christian Centre that the key lesson from Achebe’s death was for “everyone to prepare to meet his creator.
“Achebe was a world-class professor but the news today is he is dead. So great men die.
“The lesson is for us to prepare to meet our God and we have to do that by living responsibly and accountably.”
The Coordinator of Achebe’s Burial Committee, Prof. Uzodinma Nwala, apologised to the audience over the poor attendance.
Nwala promised that subsequent events lined up for the burial would be well-attended before the final funeral rites at Ogidi in Anambra on May 23.
Dignitaries present at the service included the Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Information Minister, Labaran Maku; and the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Emeka Sibeudu.
Also present were the ANPP Chairman, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu; a former Governor of Old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo; and the immediate past Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Ernest Ndukwe.
According to the organisers, Achebe’s body is expected in Abuja from the US on May 21 and will depart for Enugu the same day to begin his final journey.
NAN.