Chinua Achebe to be buried May 23 – South-East Governors

Governors of the South-East states on Sunday said the burial date of the late literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe has been fixed for May 23, 2013.

Chairman of the forum and Anambra Governor, Mr. Peter Obi announced this after a meeting between the Governors and Achebe’s family.

The meeting was also attended by Theodore Orji, Martin Elechi and Sullivan Chime of Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu states respectively.

Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, who is currently receiving medical treatment at a London hospital, was represented by his Deputy, Mr. Madumere.

According Governor Obi, “we met today and took decisions on security as well as the Enugu International Airport.

“I want to announce to you that we also met with Achebe’s family today, and we have fixed his burial for May 23, 2013”.

He said, President Jonathan would soon be at the Enugu Airport to flag off its main construction projects.

In an interview, Mr. Ikechukwu Achebe, son of the literary giant described his father as “a great family man”.

He commended the federal government and the South-East Governors for their support to the family since Achebe’s demise.

“The Governors have also accepted to assist in his burial; we are very grateful. President Jonathan was also the first to commiserate with us when our father died, we are grateful to all of them”, he noted.

Asked whether the family would accept post humous national honour, the young Achebe said “we have not come to that yet, when such comes, we shall take a decision on that”.

He added that his father should be remembered for what he stood for, which according to him was “a Nigeria that is fair to everybody, a Nigeria that meets the expectations of her citizens”.

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