Leadership (Abuja)
Sunday Isuwa
8 September 2008
World renowned writer and author of the epic novel, Things Fall Apart, Professor Chinua Achebe, will be the guest lecturer at this year's annual Ahiajioku Lecture which comes up at the Concord Hotel, Owerri, Imo State, on Friday, December 12 . The last time the lecture held was in the year 2000.
This year's Ahiajioku Lecture is part of the elaborate programme of events being planned by a network of some Igbo-based organisations in celebration of the golden jubilee of Things Fall Apart.
The groups organising the events include the Conference of Democratic Scholars (CODES), Aka Ikenga, Izu Umunna, Whelan Research Academy (WRAC), Ndigbo Lagos and Igbo Studies Association (ISA), USA. Catholic Institute for Development, Justice and Peace (CIDJAP), World Igbo Congress (WIC).
Other activities lined up by the groups in honour of Professor Achebe and celebration of Things Fall Apart include: an Art and Film exhibition on Igbo civilisation, youth conference on Igbo Civilisation, World Igbo Day of prayer and religious worship, Conference of Religious Leaders on the Church and Igbo Civilisation, Conference of traditional rulers on Igbo Civilisation, Women's Conference on Igbo Civilisation, International Conference on Igbo Civilization, Rally and Cultural display and Conference of Igbo Law Makers.
The events' planning committee headed by Timothy Uzodinma Nwala, a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), but now with the University of Abuja, met at Owerri, Imo State, on Saturday, 30 August, for over six hours, to fine tune their strategies for hosting the events which they have tagged 2008 Festival on Igbo Civilization.
Ohanaeze Ndiigbo was said to have endorsed the programme on August 7, during it joined meeting of Ime Obi and General Assembly which held in Enugu.
Apart from leaders of the network of Igbo groups, other members of the planning committee on honorary basis, include the President - General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, Dr. Pascal Dozie, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Professor Pat Utomi, Professor Patrick O. Ngoddy of UNN, Eze C.I Ilomuanya, chairman South East Council of Traditional Rulers Mr. Peter Obi (chairman, South-East Governors' Forum), some traditional rulers, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and chief whip of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha.
At the end of its Owerri meeting, the planning committee was able to set up sub-committees to handle the co-ordination, planning and execution of each of the programmes.
National Daily gathered very reliably, that each of the five Governors of the South-East states is directly involved in the programmes which are spread among the state. For instance, the Imo State government is planning to construct a wheel chair-friendly hut in Owerri, which will house Achebe when he comes to Nigeria to deliver the Ahiajioku lecture.
The hut, when completed, will contain the things needed to make Achebe's stay in it very comfortable.
Professor Achebe has been on wheel chair since 1990 when he had a ghastly motor accident on his way to Lagos , from the East. He has been resident in the United States of America , ever since.
LEADERSHIP gathered that Professor Achebe's son, Dr. Ike Achebe, has been liaising with both the planning committee and the Imo State government, to work out the modalities of ensuring that his father makes the trip to Owerri.
Both Ike Achebe and the Imo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Chief Johnson Chinyelugo Okafor, attended the Planning Committee's meeting in Owerri.
Chief Okafor informed the committee that the state government had already written Professor Achebe on his nomination as the guest lecturer and assured him of the governments' readiness to make his trip and stay in Owerri comfortable.
The last time Achebe visited Nigeria was in the year 2000 when he delivered the Odinigbo lecture titled: "Ndigbo - Echi Di Ime, Taa Bu Gboo" which was facilitated by the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Dr. Anthony J.V Obinna.
At the planning committee's meeting, a letter was sent to the World Igbo Congress (WIC) in the United States of America, intimating it of the programme of events as well as the roll expected of its members towards the successful hosting of the programme.
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