Uchenna Johnson
Awka
The unveiling of a statue in honour of the late literary icon, Professor Chinua Achebe, in his hometown of Ogidi has generated public debate, with a former Commissioner for Information in Anambra State, Dr. Paul Nwosu, criticising the artistic quality of the monument, while the incumbent Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr. Law Mefor, has defended the significance of the event, describing it as an important component of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s value reformation agenda.
Governor Soludo, over the weekend, unveiled the statue as part of efforts by the Ogidi community to immortalise the globally acclaimed author of the globally-celebrated novel ‘Things Fall Apart.’
During the ceremony, the governor reflected on Achebe’s enduring legacy, urging young people to embrace hard work, integrity and purposeful living rather than seek shortcuts to success through criminality or superstition.
However, reacting to photographs of the monument in an opinion article, Nwosu expressed disappointment with the sculpture, arguing that it failed to reflect the stature of one of Africa’s greatest literary figures.
According to him, the statue falls far short of the artistic excellence expected of a monument dedicated to a global icon whose works transformed African literature and continue to attract international admiration.
He contended that the sculpture lacked a convincing likeness of Achebe, describing its facial features as stiff and its anatomy as disproportionate, while also criticising the finishing, posture and overall craftsmanship.
Nwosu argued that the monument appeared more like a mannequin than a lifelike representation of the celebrated novelist.
“Public monuments are enduring symbols of history and collective memory and should therefore embody excellence. This is becoming a worrisome pattern of substandard public sculptures in Anambra. The monuments dedicated to Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu are all pointers to this worry,” he said.
The former commissioner urged authorities to commission competent professional sculptors for monuments honouring distinguished Nigerians, insisting that Professor Achebe deserved a work that matched his global reputation.
Offering a different perspective, the incumbent Anambra Information Commissioner, Dr Mefor said public attention should focus less on artistic criticisms of the monument and more on the enduring message conveyed during its unveiling.
According to him, Governor Soludo used the occasion to draw moral lessons from Achebe’s classic novel, Things Fall Apart, particularly the story of Unoka, whom he said became a metaphor for the dangers of attributing failure to mystical forces instead of hard work and personal responsibility.
Mefor said the governor linked the lessons from Achebe’s writings to contemporary challenges facing many young people, including the growing influence of criminal native doctors, fraudulent spiritualists and the pursuit of instant wealth through practices such as Okeite and other criminal activities.
Reiterating the governor’s oft-quoted maxim, “Aka aja aja na-ebute onu mmanu mmanu” (hard work brings success and prosperity), Mefor said the administration remains committed to promoting values of diligence, discipline and integrity among the youth.
He explained that the unveiling of Achebe’s statue aligns with the state’s Value Reformation Agenda, which seeks to reshape social values through legislation, moral persuasion and enforcement of legal framework for value reformation, sustained public enlightenment and strict enforcement of laws against criminal relevant laws.
According to him, the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, in collaboration with stakeholders, is implementing a three-pronged strategy comprising a legal framework for value reformation, sustained public enlightenment and strict enforcement of laws against criminal practices.
Mefor noted that the state had already recorded convictions under the Anambra Homeland Security Law and related legislation targeting fraudulent native doctors and other criminal activities, stressing that the government’s broader objective is to build a safer and more ethically grounded society.
While opinions remain divided over the artistic quality of the Achebe monument, both Nwosu and Mefor agree on one point, that Professor Chinua Achebe remains one of Anambra’s greatest sons whose legacy deserves to be preserved for future generations.
Their divergence lies in whether the newly unveiled statue adequately honours that legacy or whether its greatest significance lies in the values and message it was intended to reinforce.
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