Tribute to Prof Chinua Achebe

• Posted on March 25, 2013March 25, 2013
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Shhhh

Piam!

And silence erupts after a loud blast

Has Amadioha stepped foot on land

Where are the greatest soothsayers

Come and tell us what’s invisible to the eye

Where from the dark clouds

The circling of birds up in the sky

What is happening?

Things have fallen apart

And the center of humanity can’t hold

The soothsayers talk of a fallen tree

A tree so huge and roots so deep

A tree of ancestral greatness

Everyone asks

Which tree has been uprooted from the very bosom of mother earth?

Foots steps of the gods are heard at yonder

And in unison they shout

Achebe Achebe Raise Achebe

Welcome to the Spirit World Achebe

Women wail and men ask

Is it Obiageli’s son Achebe?

Or Nnamdi’s father Achebe

Is it Achebe the palm wine tapper?

Or Achebe the great hunter of Igbo land?

And still the gods chant

Achebe Achebe Raise Achebe

Welcome to the spirit World Achebe

Humanity runs to the fallen tree

A tree so huge and roots so deep

A tree of Ancestral greatness

A flash of lightning strikes

And behold a soothsayer goes into trance

And starts dancing

An old mourning dance of Amadioha

Every turn so calculated with meaning

Behold he shouts

He is Achebe

Chinua Achebe

And with that the earth goes silent

Calamity has fallen

Igwe must soon commence rituals for the departed soul

Not just any soul?

The soul of Achebe, Chinua Achebe

Fia!!!!

Ibano

Who will tell Okonkwo?

That the very veins and blood he comes from, lies still

Achebe women wail mentioning your name

Achebe great men mention your name and shake their heads

Achebe little children ask is he the one we heard of?

Achebe the gods chant

Achebe ooo Achebe Raise Achebe

Welcome to the spirit world Achebe

Yet lying is Achebe

Chinua Achebe

Mother Africa’s very beloved son

There lying still is the very hands

That scribbled Okonkwo and his many brothers and sisters to life

There lying still is the very brain

That made Okonkwo so strong yet weak

Achebe Achebe Raise Achebe

Welcome to the spirit world Achebe

At last Chineke’s son returns to Him

Accomplished of his earthly duties

May the tears of humanity

Flow thee great man of words

Into the spirit world Achebe

The center no more holds

And things have fallen apart

A hero goes back to Chineke

Achebe O Achebe

Chinua Achebe.

Author: Nii Palm (www.233times.net)