Chinua Achebe’s death a loss to African literature – SESTUZ

–A teachers union says the death of Africa’s renowned novelist Prof Chinua Achebe is a great loss to African literature.

Secondary School Teachers Union of Zambia (SESTUZ) General Secretary Wamuyuwa Sitibekiso who is also a literature Teacher said Africa has been robbed of a great writer.

Mr Sitibekiso said the history of literature in Africa is not complete without Prof Achebe.

He said the late Prof Achebe contributed immensely in the development of African literature to where it is today.

Mr Sitibekiso explained to ZANIS that Prof Achebe was a good story teller noting that his story telling skills translated him into a good writer.

Meanwhile Mr Sitibekiso has implored families to develop a culture of storytelling as opposed to letting children watching television throughout the day.

He said story telling is a way of encouraging children to read hence the need to engage children in the culture of storytelling.

Mr Sitibekiso appealed to young African writers to emulate the late Prof Achebe in writing stories that tell the African content.

He said the death of Prof Achebe should not be the end of African literature but give birth to other pioneers who will carry on with Prof Achebe’s writings.

Until his death, Prof Achebe was the David and Marianna Fisher University Professor and Professor of Africana Studies at Brown.

He is most well known for the groundbreaking 1958 novel Things Fall Apart, a novel still considered to be required reading the world over, has sold over twelve million copies and has been translated into more than fifty languages.

Nigerian writer Prof Achebe 82 died yesterday after suffering from a long illness in a Boston Hospital, Massachusetts, United States.