Abidjan – Nigerian youths in Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday in Abidjan described the death of Nigeria’s literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe, as` `a loss to Africa’’.

Mr Bright Moses, the President of Nigerian Youths in Cote d’Ivoire, in a statement, said that Achebe’s place in African literature would be missed.

Moses said Achebe still possessed the mental fitness to produce more intellectual works for Africans before death snatched him away.

“It is a huge loss to the entire continent; this death has created a vacuum that will be difficult to fill.

“A great teacher, a source of inspiration to lovers of literature, Achebe will greatly be missed in the world of African literature,’’ he said.

Moses said that it was difficult to come across any African youth who had not read at least one of Achebe’s works.

“The boom in the movie industry in Nigeria to us is traceable to Achebe’s `Things fall Apart’, which was acted out by some Nigerians in the 80s.

“While we feel deep pains over the death of this African, we pray God for the repose of his soul,’’ he said. (NAN)