Kenyans break last ‘kola’ for Achebe

The Kenyan literary community gave Chinua Achebe a hero’s send-off last Saturday in Nairobi.

The legendary Nigerian author was laid to rest on Thursday at Ogidi Village in Anambra State in southeast Nigeria.

Literature scholars, writers and readers converged on the Professional Centre in Nairobi “to break some kola” and celebrate the works of the pioneer African author.

Achebe died on March 21 in Boston, USA. His body arrived in Abuja, Nigeria, on Monday to a flurry of elaborate funeral activities.

The memorial ceremony in Nairobi was organised by the East African Educational Publishers. The EAEP chairman, Dr Henry Chakava, said Achebe’s friends, who could not travel for the funeral in Nigeria, had expressed their wish to honour him here.

Dr Chakava said he had a 40-year working relationship with Achebe.

Prof C.J. Odhiambo of Moi University was the chief guest. The function was coordinated by Prof Egara Kabaji of Masinde Muliro University.

Among those who attended were Prof Henry Indangasi and Wanjiku Kabira of the University of Nairobi, Dr Hellen Lung’aho of Moi University and Prof Waveney Olembo and Dr Kamau Wangu of Kenyatta University. Veteran authors Majorie Oludhe MacGoye and David Mailu were also present.

Prof Odhiambo took the audience through Achebe’s works, likening the author to egwugu — the intermediary between the living and the dead in Igbo mythology — and that his spirit will be present in all literature talks. Things Fall Apart resonated well with his life in Eastlands, Nairobi, in which Okonkwo resembled an estate bully they nicknamed “Bodie.”

Dr Lung’aho regretted Achebe’s death that came so soon after that of Kenyan playwright, Prof Francis Imbuga, saying Africa had lost great talent.

David Mailu identified Achebe’s concern for African values as the most outstanding element of his works. Playwright-cum-civil society activist Okiya Okoiti Omtatah credited Achebe for having laid the foundation for the African struggles even before independence.

Dr Olembo, who is of Caribbean descent, described the experiences and impact of Achebe’s novels in Guyana, her native country. She said the author was equally acclaimed in the American islands as his books provided a social link between Africa and the Caribbean.