By Anthony Ochela, Abuja
National Council for Arts and Culture, NCAC, yesterday commemorated the induction of Christopher Ifekandu Okigbo’s archives into UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.
In 2007, Okigbo became the first Nigerian and African to receive this distinction, with his manuscripts, letters, photographs and unpublished works inscribed as part of humanity’s collective heritage.
The commemoration was contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the Head of Media, NCAC, Dr Dennis Olofu.
Olufu said the honor affirms the global significance of one of Nigeria’s greatest literary voices, whose poetry fused Igbo spirituality with modernist brilliance and continues to inspire the world.
It noted that this recognition immortalises a writer tragically lost in the civil war, but ensures that his words will endure for generations to come.
It also serves as an inspiration to the next generation of Nigerian poets, authors and cultural pioneers.
According to the statement, the NCAC celebrates Okigbo not only as a national treasure, but also as a symbol of Africa’s enduring contribution to world literature and culture.
