The leading Igbo sociopolitical organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has expressed approval of the Federal Government’s decision to name a road in Abuja after the late literary icon, Professor Chinua Achebe. The group praised this honor as a fitting tribute to a figure who brought global recognition to Nigeria through his literary works.
Chief Vincent Afam, Vice-President (South-East) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, conveyed the group’s sentiments in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday. While commending the government for this gesture, Afam voiced disappointment that the issues Achebe stood against—bad governance, corruption, disregard for the rule of law, hunger, and oppression—persist 11 years after his death.
“Naming a road in Abuja after Achebe is a welcome development,” Afam stated. “This is because the late literary icon brought global recognition to the country through literature. The honor is long overdue, as such individuals highly deserve national emoluments named after them for future generations to appreciate.”
However, Afam criticized the government for not addressing the critical issues Achebe fought against. “It is appalling that bad governance, corruption, lack of respect for the rule of law, hunger, and oppression that the late novelist stood and fought against remain unaddressed. The worsening state of the country is totally worrisome and unacceptable.”
Afam questioned whether Achebe would have accepted the honor given the current state of the nation, noting that Achebe had previously rejected a similar national honor from the Goodluck Jonathan administration due to these issues. “The things that made him reject the honor then are still greatly manifesting, and the country is currently in a worrisome situation.”
He urged the Federal Government to focus on meaningful development rather than symbolic gestures. “The Federal Government should stop playing to the gallery and channel its energy into meaningful development. There are lots of things begging for attention and enough frivolities.”
This development follows other recent efforts to honor Achebe, including the renaming of Anambra Airport after him by Governor Charles Soludo and various commendations for Achebe’s enduring legacy in Nigerian and global literature.
