Literary students mourn Achebe
Professor Albert Chinua Achebe
English, Communication and Literary Studies students of Nigerian universities have expressed sadness over the death of prominent writer, Chinua Achebe.
They described him as a motivator and a “moonlight in the literary world.”
The students also described the author of Things Fall Apart, who died on March 21, as a “soldier of words and generalissimo of alphabets.”
Some of the students, under the aegis of National Association of Students of English and Literary Studies in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, said Achebe’s death was a great blow to the literary community.
The President of NASELS, Hanson Joshua, who spoke on behalf of the students said, “The man of Biafra and a language lawyer was forced to hang his pen when death paid his soul a courtesy visit.
“When a man of the people goes, tears will become the only wine to drink. Whenever there is an issue that calls for intellectual discourse; that is particularly African literature; Achebe is an authority to appeal to. Adieu our minister of polemics and criticism.”
He urged other writers to emulate Achebe’s prowess in literature by writing books that could line the shelves of world best collections.
Also, Mass Communication students from Lagos State University and Adebola Adegunwa School of Communication, described Achebe’s death as disheartening and a loss of an inspirer.
The President, LASUAASOC, Ibrahim Fatoyinbo, in a statement on Friday, said, “Honestly, his death is disheartening to us as communication students because his works had inspired us and others. However, Achebe has registered his foot in the sand of time. And he will forever be remembered.”
A 200-level student of OAU, Busayo Olatunde, in a poem titled "A tribute to Chinua Achebe", described the late writer as an intellectual stream, from where travellers on the road of writing satisfy their thirst.
“When the arrow of God hits the soul; things fall apart. And the body cannot hold; the soldier of words has fallen. Let forest trees mourn the fallen of the great Iroko tree; let all citizens of the grave welcome the wizard of letters.
“I can see the sky in sombre mood; library books shedding tears, the trembling of the ground for the coming of a generalissimo of alphabets,” said the poem.
The students of literature also lamented Achebe’s death, saying they have lost a mentor and a representative of literature.
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
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