Achebe’s nephew set to honour his uncle with foundation launch

From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

The Achebe Hope Foundation, a humanitarian foundation in honour of the late literary icon, Chinua Achebe, is set for launch in Nigeria soon.

Founder of the foundation, Chief Alex Ubaka Achebe, who made the disclosure to newsmen, in Owerri, Imo State, said it would take care of the less privileged in the society.

“We are going to focus on assisting children who are interested in going to school, but do not have the money. We would cater for the widows; we know times are hard, so we’re moving to hospitals to pay for medical bills of those who have been discharged, but do not have the money to pay. All these and more we’re going to do.

“We are doing these to honour my late uncle, Chinua Achebe, who’s known in the literary world. His compassion and love for humanity knows no bounds; these are the things we would be doing for him.

“My foundation is called Achebe Hope Foundation. As the name signifies, it’s a household name in Nigeria. Professor Chinua Achebe brought our name to limelight; he brought it to the whole world, but that was in literature.

“Two months after my uncle passed on, in 2013, I decided to take it up to capture the needs of orphans and all those indigent women who’re struggling to fend for their homes. I’ve been doing that. I’ve had to pay for six women who couldn’t pay their hospital bills after they were discharged in Nigeria, and I want to do more,” Achebe said.