Ebonyi ANA, ex-commissioner mourn passage of Nzekwu
NAN-H-46
Nzekwu
By Douglas Okoro
Abakaliki, April 23, 2017 (NAN) The Ebonyi chapter of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), has described the death of Mr Onuora Nzekwu as a colossal loss to Nigeria and literary world.
Mr Mathew Odonor, chairman of ANA in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abakaliki, said that the association received the news with shock.
Odonor described the late Nzekwu as a consummate writer and technocrat who contributed immensely to the development of literary creativity in Nigeria.
He said that the demise of the erudite author has left a vacuum that would be difficult to fill in Nigeria ‘s literary landscape.
He further described Nzekwu, the author of the popular novel “Eze Goes to School” and founding General Manager of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as one of Nigeria’ s finest humourists.
“Nigeria has again lost one of its greatest pillars of literary creativity and humour icon.
“His popular novel `Eze Goes to School’ remains an intellectual masterpiece and a celebrated literary genre which is read and enjoyed by all.
“He contributed so much to the development of literary creativity, especially prose literature through his many other literary works.
“A big vacuum has been created by his death and he will be missed by Nigerians especially those who were greatly influenced by the popular Eze Goes to School.
“ANA mourns his death and wishes his soul a peaceful reposed in the bosom of the Almighty, “Odonor said.
Also Prof. Akachi Ezigbo, a member of ANA and lecturer at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo (FUNAI) described the death as a great loss to the literary community.
She described the late Nzekwu as a literary giant and also an administrator par excellence, adding that he would be missed by his colleagues in the literary world.
“He was a fine and easy going gentleman and his popular novel Eze Goes to School is read both within and outside the shores of this country.
“His death is a great loss and it has created a vacuum that will take a long time to fill, ” she said.
A former commissioner for Education in Ebonyi, Mr Ndubuisi Chibueze-Agbo in his reaction, said that another literary ‘iroko’ has fallen and regretted that he died when crops of new generation of writers needed his advice and guidance to grow.
“The death is a tragic loss to the nation and his kind will be very difficult to get again; I mourn his death and pray God to give his family and the literary community where he belonged the heart to bear the great loss, “Chibueze-Agbo said.
NAN reports that Nzekwu, 89, died on Friday, April 21.
(NAN)
ODO /OU
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Edited by Obike Ukoh
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