By Val Obienyem
In 2004, Professor Chinua Achebe declined a Nigerian national honour in protest against what he perceived as leadership failures in Nigeria, particularly evident in the political turmoil of Anambra State. He believed that accepting the award would be hypocritical amidst his country’s challenges. His refusal served as a poignant expression of his principles and deep concerns for Nigeria’s political and social state.
Today, the situation remains troubling. The current president is widely seen as an illegitimate leader still struggling for legitimacy over a year into his tenure. Can evil ever be legitimized? This is the keystone of the arch of Aisha Yusuf’s thought.
Part of the search for legitimacy was the naming of a road after Achebe. If Achebe were alive, do you think he would have accepted that Greek gift, concealing many indignities of the country, especially the demonstration of the capture of Nigeria through the Presidential election of 2023?
