Government Loses No Sleep.

(From The News (Nigeria) - AAGM)

Byline: Femi Fani-Kayode

Presidential Assistant, Femi Fani-Kayode Reacts to Professor Chiuna Achebe's Rejection of the National Award

Though I can confirm that we have not received Professor Chinua Achebe's letter up until now, I discussed its contents with Mr. President yesterday (Tuesday) and our position is as follows: That since Professor Achebe has confirmed the content of the letter publicly by giving an interview to the BBC and other foreign media, we can fairly assume that the content of the said letter accurately portrays his position and we can, therefore, comment on and respond to it.

That being the case, our response is that his position as regards the state of affairs in his native land and his rejection of the great honour done to him by the Nigerian people is regrettable. It is not a slap in the face of the Nigerian government or Mr. President, but rather, it is a slap in the face of the Nigerian people.

The truth is that even though we continue to retain the highest degree of respect and admiration for Professor Chinua Achebe, it is painfully obvious that he is not fully conversant with the enormous strides and tangible achievements that this nation has made in the last few years and that the Federal Government has achieved since 1999 simply because he has not been here.

There is no doubt that things may be difficult in Nigeria today, but this is a sensitive and caring government that is led by an equally sensitive and caring president who has done and will continue to do everything in his power to better the lot of the Nigerian people and set this nation on the road to economic recovery.