PORT HARCOURT—RIVERS State Government has confirmed the outbreak of cholera in Andoni Local Government Area of the state, saying that about 20 persons have so far died from the disease.

This is a true story. A close friend was driving on a fairly busy road on Lagos Island when he was stopped by a traffic light. He looked right and his eyes caught a nine or ten year old child crying uncontrollably by the side. The sight so moved him that he parked his car and got down to see what was making the child so distraught. It turned out that the figures didn’t add up for the poor child.

Finally, the story ends. The story teller has gone to sleep. He has gone with his stories – a bagful. But then another story begins. It is telling the story according to the story teller. It is the story of Chinualumogu Achebe and his stories. It is also about the stories of Chinua Achebe, the man with the stories. Ugo belu n’enu oji – the eagle on the iroko. It is a story that thrills, enthralls and captivates – both sides of it.

On March 22nd this year 2013, the World lost one of its greatest story–tellers and Africa one of her most strident voices for liberation, freedom and equality. Chinua Achebe known in childhood years as Albert Chinualumogu Achebe of Nigeria is no more. We are here at the invitation of the African Leadership Institute USA and Wright State University, to celebrate his life and pay tribute to the enormity of Chinua Achebe’s accomplishments.

It would have been difficult if the burial of Chinua Achebe had passed without any controversy.

Apart from the fact that the dust his autobiography, There was a Country raised was yet to settle, the announcement of his death started another round of controversy.

STILL basking in the euphoria of the success of the burial of the literary icon, Professor Chinua Achebe, the Anambra State government yesterday commended President Goodluck Jonathan and his Ghanaian counterpart, Dr. John Mahama and other people from all over the world for according the great writer a befitting burial.

Eulogies and tributes have continued to trail the death and burial of literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe. Eminent personalities, heads of governments, his literary community, the academia, socio-cultural groups, to mention a few, have had glowing things to say about this popular author at different fora and in the media.

Professor Chinua Achebe’s pioneer books; “Things Fall Apart” and “Arrow of God”, are the most libelous books ever written against an indigenous Nigerian Community. I speak of Abam Community and no one needs be astonished. For decades Chinua Achebe through his books has been dehumanizing Abam people, portraying them as savages, cannibals, war mongers and plunderers. He denies them history of any form of civilization. It is precisely this image of Abam in Chinua Achebe ‘s books that made the Biafran authorities to make Abam community the first port of call for recruitment into their rag-tag army.

Paying tribute to a great man like Professor Chinualumogu Achebe is certainly not the kind of race a man runs carrying snuff in his palm. It is a serious task, not for want of great deeds worth mentioning and reflecting on, but for too many exploits begging for mention.

Nigerians who graced the funeral service of late Prof. Chinua Achebe on Thursday at St. Phillip’s Anglican Church, Ogidi, Anambra state have continued to pour encomiums on the literary icon.