By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has hailed Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, for naming Anambra State International/Cargo Airport after the late literary giant, Prof. Chinua Achebe.

He described the gesture as a most delightful and welcome development.

Obo in a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, said that Achebe’s towering stature as a global literary pioneer and icon was deserving of such recognition.

The former Anambra governor thanked Soludo for the decision.

He wrote: “The renaming of the Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport to Chinua Achebe International Airport, is a most delightful and welcome development. The late literary icon deserves all the honour that the state and the nation can bestow.

“Chinua Achebe’s towering stature as a global literary pioneer and icon is deserving of such recognition. I congratulate the Achebe Family for the bestowed honour and Kudos to the Governor of Anambra State, HE Prof. Charles Soludo, for the timely and fitting decision, which is consistent with extant best practices.

“This latest gesture is in line with the practice of the state government naming our public institutions after our heroes and outstanding citizens.

“Examples include the public arena named after the former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme Square; the Chukwuemeka Odumegu Ojukwu University, the State Library named after Prof. Kenneth Dike and the science block at CKC Onitsha named the Prof. Chike Obi Building.

“The latest gesture is also consistent with Achebe’s exhortation that we must, of necessity, tell our own stories. By telling his own story so well, Achebe also told the Anambra and Nigerian stories, hence this most befitting memorial.”