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Chinua Achebe: Nigeria holds funeral for author | Chinua Achebe: Nigeria holds funeral for author |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Thousands of mourners have paid their last respects to renowned Nigerian author Chinua Achebe in his home town in Anambra state. | |
A host of dignitaries attended the funeral including Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. | |
Crowds of mourners surrounded the church, some wearing traditional shirts emblazoned with Mr Achebe's image. | |
The author is widely regarded as the founding father of African literature in English. | |
The BBC's Will Ross, who was at the funeral, said that Mr Achebe was given a colourful, grand send off in his home town of Ogidi. | |
However, much of what he abhorred was on full display at the service - political patronage and the trappings of power, he says. | |
Local politicians were escorted into church by men from the State Security Service wielding sophisticated weapons while a large number of men and women came dressed head to toe in political party outfits, our correspondent adds. | |
President Jonathan and Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama flew in by helicopter to attend the service at the packed Anglican church. | |
Thousands of mourners followed proceedings from huge marquees outside. | |
President Jonathan said Mr Achebe's writings - which were often fiercely critical of Nigeria's leadership - remained an inspiration for political leaders to do better. | |
He said he had not known Mr Achebe personally, but had admired him. | |
In a reference to the author's last book, There Was a Country, Mr Jonathan said: "All of us must work together so that our children will know there is a country." | |
After the church service, Mr Achebe was buried in a mausoleum on the family compound in a private ceremony. | |
Mr Achebe's body had arrived back in Nigeria on Wednesday from the US, where he died in March at the age of 82. | |
His 1958 debut novel, Things Fall Apart, which dealt with the impact of colonialism in Africa, has sold more than 10 million copies. | His 1958 debut novel, Things Fall Apart, which dealt with the impact of colonialism in Africa, has sold more than 10 million copies. |
The writer and academic went on to write more than 20 works - some fiercely critical of politicians and what he described as a failure of leadership in Nigeria. | The writer and academic went on to write more than 20 works - some fiercely critical of politicians and what he described as a failure of leadership in Nigeria. |
He had been living in the US since 1990 after a car crash left him partially paralysed and in a wheelchair, returning to Nigeria infrequently. | He had been living in the US since 1990 after a car crash left him partially paralysed and in a wheelchair, returning to Nigeria infrequently. |
Although people have been mourning, the life of the influential Nigerian writer was also being celebrated, our reporter says. | |
"I left my house in Asaba (a nearby city) at 05:00 this morning (04:00 GMT) in order to pay my last respects for this illustrious son of Nigeria who has done his people proud," said Sylvanus John, a 31-year-old engineer, AFP news agency reports. | "I left my house in Asaba (a nearby city) at 05:00 this morning (04:00 GMT) in order to pay my last respects for this illustrious son of Nigeria who has done his people proud," said Sylvanus John, a 31-year-old engineer, AFP news agency reports. |