Obiano, Soludo Rejoice As Achebe’s Son Bags International Award

Chidi Achebe

Dr Chidi Achebe, the second son of Africa’s legendary novelist, late Chinua Achebe, has won the 2022 prestigious John and Samuel Bard Award in the United States, for excellence in medicine and science.

On hearing the news, the outgoing governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, and the governor-elect, Chukwuma Soludo, expressed their delight and congratulated Dr Chidi, who is also a chief executive of African Integrated Development Enterprise.

This was contained in a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, and made available to The PUNCH on Wednesday.

“This is a parting gift to me and the Anambra people as I am about to depart office after eight years of giving my best to a great state”, Adinuba quoted Obiano as saying.

Obiano added, “Professor Chinua Achebe remains a very great man even in the grave, and it is reassuring that his children like Chidi, a medical doctor who trained in some of the best institutions in the world, is steeped in the tradition of global excellence,”

Soludo described worthy ambassador of Anambra State whose passion for Africa’s rapid development “is reminiscent of his father’s lifelong commitment to Africa’s emancipation”.

Professor Chinua Achebe held a distinguished professorial chair for several years at Bard College.

As AIDE chairman, the younger Achebe heads an organization that works to bring together international companies and expertise to create sustainable integrated delivery of medical care on the African continent.