Former Pope Benedict has reportedly passed away at age 95 on Saturday in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican where he had lived since his resignation in 2013 which made him the first pontiff in 600 years to step down.

In a news article by CGTN, a Vatican spokesperson who declared the death of the pontiff in a written statement made the following remark:

“With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican”.

The Vatican was also reported to have said “his body will lie in state from Monday in St. Peter’s Basilica for the greeting of the faithful.”

Earlier in the week, Pope Francis who took over from Benedict had announced the ill-health status of his predecessor and asked for people to pray for him. The CGTN article reads as follow:

“Born Joseph Ratzinger in Germany, Benedict was 78 when he became one of the oldest popes ever elected in 2005. He led the Catholic Church for less than eight years until, in 2013, he became the first Pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415.

“For nearly 25 years, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Benedict was the powerful head of the Vatican’s doctrinal office, then known as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF).

“Conservatives in the Church have looked to the former pope as their standard bearer and some ultra-traditionalists even refused to acknowledge Francis as a legitimate pontiff” .

According to Britannica, the funeral of the former pope will be held January 5, 2023 and presided over by his successor, Pope Francis.

Since the announcement of the death of the former pope, state leaders across Europe and in other parts of the world have been sending their tributes and condolences:

“Benedict XVI was a giant of faith and reason. A man in love with the Lord who put his life at the service of the Universal Church and has spoken, and will continue to speak, to the hearts and minds of people with the spiritual, cultural and intellectual depth of his Magisterium. A Christian, a pastor, a theologian: a great man whom history will not forget” Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s Prime minister.

“My thoughts go out to Catholics in France and around the world, bereaved by the departure of His Holiness Benedict XVI, who worked with all his soul and intelligence for a more fraternal world” French President Emmanuel Macron.

“I am saddened to learn of the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. He was a great theologian whose UK visit in 2010 was an historic moment for both Catholics and non-Catholics throughout our country. My thoughts are with Catholic people in the UK and around the world today” UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

My early decision to study at the university of Ibadan was generally impacted by the collection of literatures I was exposed to as a pupil in the foundational school. Onward, my penchant for the Nigeria’s premier University was often projected with a show of devout resoluteness. Consequently, I was often described as UI-obsessed by my peers.

Many of the books I was made to read as a teenager, some with a threat of being beaten up and others based on my personal volition, were authored by notable names that were invariably linked to the University of Ibadan as the school’s alumni or retired teachers. The list comprised of Nigerian first generation writers such as Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, JP Clark, Ola Rotimi, etc whose contributions transcend schorlaship and literary appreciation to politics and sociocultural milieu.

Another influence, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is in her own league and has dignifiedly extended the legacy of the first generation writers. Hailed from Abba, Anambra state in the southeastern part of Nigeria, Chimamanda Adichie has contributed to knowledge and spiced the global stage through her literary works, public lectures and speeches.

From her début, Purple Hibiscus, to Half of a yellow Sun, based on Nigerian political history, and then to Americana which got much eclat in the US, Adichie has projected herself as a highly imaginative juggler of words. Her TEDx speech, Danger of a single story, brought about a paradigm shift in storytelling.

However, her début novel seem to have the most striking influence on my childhood. Adichie’s constructive characterization of Kambili and picturesque description of the University of Nigeria (NSUKKA), Enugu in  Purple Hibiscus offered me a fresh perspective about diligence, romance, and education in the southeastern part of Nigeria.

The Nigerian-American novelist and award-winning global celebrity author was conferred a chieftaincy title in recognition of her contributions to the welfare and development of her hometown during the 45th Ofala festival and 80th birthday celebration of HRH. Igwe Sir Leonard Nwankwo Ezeh (Eze Abba) on Friday December 30, 2022. Present at the ceremony was the Governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludo, amongst other dignitaries.

Adichie’s newest title “Odeluwa Abba” which means “The one who writes for the world” is indeed a well deserved honour.