Chimamanda Pays Tribute to Achebe

Author Chimamanda Adichie, has written an elegy to the recently deceased Chinua Achebe. Written in their native dialect of Igbo, the ‘Half Of A Yellow Sun’ author mourns the great Achebe and praises his life.

The elegy reads after the cut;

Ife mee (Something has happened.)

Nnukwu ife mee (something big/grave has happened.)

Chinua Achebe anabago(Chinua Achebe is gone.)

Onye edemede nke di egwu, onyennukwu uche, onye obioma (A

great writer, a man of great wisdom, a man with a good heart.)

Keduzi onye anyi ga-eji eme onu? (Who shall we brag about?)

Keduzi onye anyi ga-eji jee mba? (Who are we going to tell the world

about/take to other lands?)

 Keduzi onye ga-akwado anyi? (Who will guide us?)

Ebenebe egbu o! (A storm has passed/a catastrophe has happened.)

Anya mmili julu m anya (Tears fill my eyes.) Chinua

Achebe, naba no ndokwa (Chinua Achebe rest in peace)

 O ga-adili gi mma(it shall be well with you.)

Naba na ndokwa (rest in peace)