Chinua Achebe, Nigerian-born novelist and poet, turned down a national honor over the failings of his nation.
(Associated Press)
Editorial
The revered Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe says there is a moral obligation “not to ally oneself with power against the powerless.’’ The author of the 1958 novel “Things Fall Apart’’ recently lived up to his words once again by rejecting one of his nation’s highest civilian honors for the second time in seven years as a protest against public corruption. It’s an inspiring example of how an individual can use his fame to hold governments accountable.
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