Igbo group honours Achebe for truthful writing

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the award was presented at the organisation’s 2012 End of Year Colloquium.

The IYM also gave a leadership award to retired Adm. Ndubuisi Kanu, while it recognised Sen. Uche Chukwumerije, as the “People’s Hero”.

Its President, Elliot Uko, said in his opening remarks that the award on Mr. Achebe was to recognise his truthfulness in his writing.

Mr. Achebe’s latest book, “There Was a Country” sparked controversy over his portrayal of late Yoruba leader, Obafemi Awolowo as the mastermind of an alleged genocide against the Igbo during the civil war.

Mr. Uko described Mr. Achebe as a great writer who had put the tradition of the Igbo in the contemporary map of the world with his writing.

He said the literary icon was worth celebrating because he portrayed things succinctly as they occurred, adding that he deserved more than the award.

On Mr. Kanu, the youth leader said he was given the award because he championed the cause of the Igbo selflessly and fearlessly.

He also said that Mr. Chukwumerije was honoured because he spoke for the people wherever the opportunity arose, describing him as a real hero.

In a paper entitled: “Ndigbo and 2015: An exhortation’’, Mr. Chukwumerije said the Igbos were in trouble politically and needed urgent and decisive remedies to tackle the situation.

“Every other national group, big and small, are currently unifying their ranks, realigning their forces, establishing linkages, creating alliances and girding their loins for the great political confrontation ahead.

“What do we witness in Igboland other than disunity, inaction, inertia, silence? We must take control of our political destiny, we cannot outsource it to any other person or group,’’ the senator said.

He said the Igbos must make an unqualified, unapologetic and uncompromising bid for the Nigerian presidency in 2015.

“Our presidential bid has all the required moral content. It also has a geo-strategic value as well as a demographic force behind it.”

Also reacting, Mr. Kanu reiterated his call for a national conference to decide on the country’s federalism, saying that no amount of state creation would solve the imbalance in the system.

He said the ethnic nations existed before the emergence of Nigeria, arguing that the country’s constitution did not emanate from the federating units.