Chinua Achebe award snub 'surprises' Nigerian president

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan regrets acclaimed author Chinua Achebe's rejection of a prestigious national award, his spokesman says.

Mr Achebe said the concerns he raised about Nigeria when he first rejected the award in 2004 remain unresolved.

At the time, Mr Achebe said the situation in poverty and violence-hit Nigeria was becoming worse.

Nigeria's presidential spokesman said his continued rejection was surprising and "flies in the face" of reality.

Mr Jonathan won elections in April that were hailed by foreign observers as free and fair.

But an estimated 500 people were killed and thousands displaced from their homes in northern Nigeria in post-election violence after supporters of the main opposition Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) party denounced the result as fraudulent. …

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Copyright, Blaise APLOGAN, 2010,© Bienvenu sur Babilown

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