We want see pictures of the dignitaries at his funeral. Let us see how the world he drew closer was represented.

ACM10:

Now I have a question for you. Define "legitimate" millitary target?

Where did you see that in my quote?

See the same article from Huffington post
More detailed

So they carried ojionu,agaba and Ijele Masquerade come America eh kwa
Fantastic!!!

See the calibre of humans at this gathering and we are contending with people wey dey find akara to eat belleful
People wey dem and dem papa no go even get obituary for nairaland sef should they kick the bucket
Bwahahahahahaha

A celebration of life for the late renowned Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe was held on June 2, 2013 at Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington DC.

An evocative Arts exhibition featuring Obiora Udechukwu and other artists, as well as a reception began the celebrations. While the background Afro-beat music of Eme and Heteru electrified the audience. Other musical and dance acts of the evening for Achebe's celebration were the riveting Igbo masquerade dancers, such as "Oja (Ojii) Onu" "Aga ba Masquerade, and "Ijele Masquerade, who performed to honor the dead, a person they believed lived in "immortal state" in spiritual world.

In her introductory remarks, the Mistress of Ceremonies Dr. Johnetta B. Cole, a director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African Art, says the lesson Professor Achebe taught us lives on. She further described him as a gentleman from Ogidi in Eastern Nigeria who became a literary icon, and whose classic novel "Things Fall Apart" was translated into 60 languages.

Dr. Derrick Harkins who said the opening prayer extolled Achebe's writing for speaking truth to power and conscience. For Dr. Ruth Simmons, former President of Brown University, while rendering her own tributes eulogized Achebe as a sage, peacemaker, statesman, groundbreaking artist who represents for her a complete human being. She stated further that her first reading of Achebe was to say the least epiphany.

A letter delivered by Dr. Joe Leonard Jr. Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Agriculture, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama described Professor Achebe:
"A revolutionary author, educator, and cultural ambassador, Chinua shattered the conventions of literature and shaped the collective identity of Nigerians throughout the world. With a dream of taking on misperceptions of his homeland, he gave voice to perspectives that cultivated understanding and drew our world closer together. His legacy will endure in the hearts of all whose lives he touched with the everlasting power of his art."

Other highlights of the events were a tribute by poet, Sonia Sanchez, Simon Gikandi a Professor at Princeton University, who read from Achebe's poem "Beware Soul Brother." Scott Moyers the publisher of the Penguin Press.

Jules Chametzky, Professor Emeritus of University of Massachusetts Amherst, where Achebe spent time in the 1970s and 80s, remembered vividly how Achebe came to his class in 1972 and talked about Biafra war.[size=18pt] He described the second transformation of Achebe as his critique of Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" he opined that the essay which was published in The Massachusetts Review changed literary criticism.[/size]

The Francesca Harper Project provided symmetry ballet to test the aesthetic boundaries.
The Chuck Mike theatre group engaged an enthusiastic crowd with a theatrical production of a scene from "Things Fall Apart" adapted by Biyi Bandele. Chuck Mike had the audience burst out laughing with his witty and caustically funny narration of his experiences in Nigeria; and the idiosyncratic gestures of Nigerians to response with the phrase "We thank God" when asked a variety of questions in various scenarios.

One of the heartfelt moving tributes for the late Achebe were delivered by his grandchildren, represented by Chochi who began her speech by quoting Abraham Lincoln "You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was."

They remembered their grandfather left a legacy behind when he died. They remembered he left them wisdom, he left them his shoes, they said they must forget tears to celebrate his legacy, his shoes, and accept responsibility to live life with dignity.

I am glad they highlighted Eastern Nigeria as his origin
Cool
This is how a man ought to be remembered!!!

Have you tried to find out what Obama said about him when he was alive, we all know people hardly speak evil of the dead?

Ola Johnson: Have you tried to find out what Obama said about him when he was alive, we all know people hardly speak evil of the dead?

Since na you e dey pain past,find out and tell us since you can't accept what he said at his death
Oya

Ola Johnson: Have you tried to find out what Obama said about him when he was alive, we all know people hardly speak evil of the dead?

True this.

Obama had to say sth lol

Incidentally the guy who wrote the Huffington post piece above is Ademola Bello,a playwright

I bet some of his tribesmen would want to throw a dagger at his chest

babyosisi:

Since na you e dey pain past,find out and tell us since you can't accept what he said at his death
Oya

No, you do that.

Ola Johnson: Have you tried to find out what Obama said about him when he was alive, we all know people hardly speak evil of the dead?

Lots of people die and I don't see Obama writing letters to them. Either you will have to dig deep into your festering and tribalism filled heart and finally admit Achebe was an important person in the world or continue pretending that the views of one waterlogged village in Ekiti, where you hail from, express the views of the world.

babyosisi: Incidentally the guy who wrote the Huffington post piece above is Ademola Bello,a playwright

I bet some of his tribesmen would want to throw a dagger at his chest

For your information, Yoruba people are cultured, and have independence show of opinion irrespective of who is involved.

Ola Johnson:
For your information, Yoruba people are cultured, and have independence show of opinion irrespective of who is involved.

And you guys are showing your cultured side by having a fit over a letter. Very high brow thinking.

Obama is just being nice
Obama is high
Obama never read any of his books

Please do tell us your next line of attack.

Crayola1:

Lots of people die and I don't see Obama writing letters to them. Either you will have to dig deep into your festering and tribalism filled heart and finally admit Achebe was an important person in the world or continue pretending that the views of one waterlogged village in Ekiti, where you hail from, express the views of the world.

Yes, many people die, but only the renown appear to be more honoured. CA was a renown author.
Ekiti may be waterlogged, at least it is for a period, and the new global warming. But your place, SE has been terrorised by gully erosion for years. Some villages have been lost to this.

Ola Johnson:
Yes, many people die, but only the renown appear to be more honoured. CA was a renown author.
Ekiti may be waterlogged, at least it is for a period, and the new global warming. But your place, SE has been terrorised by gully erosion for years. Some villages have been lost to this.

So now he is renowned before he was a common novelist.

Global warming is not what you think it is.

Errosion is a problem throughout Southern Nigeria, but I can't expect much from lazy bastard who can't google simple facts

Crayola1:

And you guys are showing your cultured side by having a fit over a letter. Very high brow thinking.

Obama is just being nice
Obama is high
Obama never read any of his books

Please do tell us your next line of attack.

Direct your energy at knowing Ndiigbo are sidelined in Nigeria. It will do you good.

Ola Johnson:
Yes, many people die, but only the renown appear to be more honoured. CA was a renown author.
Ekiti may be waterlogged, at least it is for a period, and the new global warming. But your place, SE has been terrorised by gully erosion for years. Some villages have been lost to this.

My dear, are you from Ekiti?

Still no one can explain how Achebe drew the world closer, especially when he couldn't draw his own country together.
Political niceness and the need to say sth that would appease the African community led Obama to this speech. He is an orator, by the way

Ola Johnson:
For your information, Yoruba people are cultured, and have independence show of opinion irrespective of who is involved.

talk another thing joor.

Ola Johnson:
Direct your energy at knowing Ndiigbo are sidelined in Nigeria. It will do you good.

And yet you are up in arms at what Obama wrote to one Igbo man.

Sucks to be you

Crayola1:

So now he is renowned before he was a common novelist.

Global warming is not what you think it is.

Errosion is a problem throughout Southern Nigeria, but I can't expect much from lazy bastard who can't google simple facts

Bwahahahahahaha
Abi o
He is now a renowned not a story teller and ordinary fiction writer of children's books
The people are pathetic.

Honestly it is entertaining to see their pain
I love it.

Malawian: talk another thing joor.

Sweetheart, don't be like that. Don hate.


The only thing on this thread is defensive posts, no answers at all. How did Achebe draw the world together?