A former Senator , Shehu Sani has revealed what Late Chinua Achebe told him , when he asked for the reason he rejected the Nigerian National Honours Award before his demise.
In a tweet he made on his verified Twitter handle, the former Senator who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone, Shehu Sani , said that he once inquired from Chinua Achebe why he rejected the Nigerian National Honours Award , his response was to refer him to read the content of the letter of his rejection , making him to understand that the letter was written in English and not Mandarin or Greek.
Recall that Chinua Achebe , a Professor of Literature, award winning novelist of ‘Things Fall Apart ‘fame, rejected the Nigerian National Honours Awards in 2004 years before his demise.
Prof. Achebe rejected the award owing to poverty, hunger and violence in Nigeria as depicts in some of his works in literary studies . He rejected the award not because he did not deserve it but because of his love for Nigeria and Nigerians. He preferred to humble himself than being hypocritical in the face of starvation in the land. He could not pretend all was Eldorado.
Few Nigerians have done what this great literary Guru did? Titles and awards are now for sale and now at beck and call to the well connected!
