Afrigather 
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has renamed the state’s Worldwide Airport after the late literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe.
Soludo, who introduced this on Sunday, October 1, 2023, throughout the Independence Day celebration on the Dr. Alex Ekwueme Sq. in Awka, the state capital, said that the airport would now be known as, “Chinua Achebe Worldwide Airport, Umueri”.
The governor mentioned Achebe was not simply an Anambra nor Nigerian hero, however an African and world hero and but largely unsung at residence.
Soludo added that it was heartwarming {that a} good variety of those that contributed to the independence of Nigeria in 1960 have had various levels of tasks named after the
He, nonetheless, famous that the majority of these whom the tasks had been named after have been public workplace holders, including that his authorities had damaged away from the norm to recognise Achebe by naming the Anambra airport after him.
“We should say that you just don’t have to carry a political place to contribute to the development of our civilisation,” he said.
“Henceforth, we will be deliberate in fishing out and celebrating our largely unsung heroes, as a motivation to our kids and youths when it comes to what issues, together with distinguished lecturers, medical and different professionals, individuals of honesty and integrity, philanthropists with identified sources of wealth, entrepreneurs/job creators, group leaders/builders, clergy with nice devotion, and so on
“An instance of Africa’s unsung hero is the late Prof. Chinua Achebe. Achebe was not a president or a governor or minister. He didn’t construct bridges or roads or airports. However he’ll outlive most presidents, governors or ministers
“Achebe gave the African literature an identification and a voice. In a manner, he rightly reconstructed and redefined who we’re and we’ll always remember. Certainly, he was not an Anambra hero, nor a Nigerian hero. He was an African and world hero, and but largely unsung at residence
“Achebe rejected Nigeria’s nationwide honours twice in protest towards what he perceived as injustice to his residence state Anambra. At this time, Anambra will lastly honour him
“After spouse consultations, there’s a broad consensus that nobody is extra deserving to be named after the primary airport in Anambra than Anambra ‘s all-time best literary reward to the world, Chinua Achebe
“Consequently, we’ll rename the Anambra Worldwide Cargo and Passenger Airport, Umueri, to Chinua Achebe Worldwide Airport, Umueri. Sure, it needs to be a world airport, and we hope to work with the Federal Authorities to provide full impact to its worldwide standing.”
Prof Achebe, a local of Ogidi in Idemili North Native Authorities Space of Anambra State, died on March 21, 2013, at age 82, in Boston, Massachusetts.
