He is gone. We won’t see him any
longer. This pains me beyond explanation. I share
in this moment of joyful sorrow and pray to God that your passing on will only
mark the rise of more of your kind. I am sad that you have to leave us, but I am
glad that you left an indelible mark on the skin of time. You were never afraid
of speaking up and exposing the evils that corrode our nation.
Chinua Achebe is dead but in his
courage, he was able to show us that things were truly falling apart, both in
ancient and modern times. I can hear Okonkwo welcoming his pen-creator into the
world beyond. Thank you, Professor Achebe for giving Africa hope. We pray to
nature’s forces that we will- all who aspire to be like you- become as great as
you were and even surpass your wondrous achievements. Thank you sir, you will be greatly missed.
By God’s grace, may the world be
able to hold together through this and show you that your existence was not in
vain.
