Ikenga

It is not sickness that I am afraid of It is not disease that makes me tingle It is not the number of days months and periods I go hungry that makes me shiver It is your demise that makes me dizzy I never knew I had this feelings for you until now I never knew how invaluable you are until the eyes of my pen was opened I never knew I was living with a god in the form of a man I never knew I was dining with a human God many people think your death is a serious tragedy to this land many think it is the wrong time for our hero to die many are already envisaging retribution in the land but a few persons know that you are not dead my family loves you my kindred adores you my villagers reverence you my town cherishes you and my state magnifies you The news about your demise infuriated me an epitome of peace has departed literature par excellence is gone quintesscence of justice is gone aboard of wisdom is gone Ojezuru mba has passed on Even the dead are aware that you are a paragon "We don't need you here now"... They quipped "those over there are wailling" they repeated Why must this tree that has no replica be allowed to fall? It is well Even in the well You are ever revered the great one Ije oma A tribute to a great literary scholar, Chinua Achebe.