Chidi Amuta’s ‘Homage: Return to Familiar Places’ gets salute from IBB, Otti, Amaechi, Ogunbiyi, Ray Ekpu, others
By Ishaya Ibrahim
Abia State Governor Alex Otti and Vice Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, were among the dignitaries who attended the signing and public presentation of Chidi Amuta’s new book, Homage: Return to Familiar Places, on Saturday, September 12, 2026.
The two men were among Amuta’s former students at the University of Port Harcourt.
The event, held in Lagos, was chaired by renowned media executive and academic, Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi, with former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, as the Special Guest of Honour. Babangida was represented at the event by Abbey Ibrahim.
In his remarks, Ogunbiyi described Amuta as a uniquely gifted intellectual whose influence and writing style would remain relevant despite the emergence of artificial intelligence.
He said the book offered an opportunity to celebrate a remarkable friendship and the intellectual journey of an author he has known for about five decades.
Recalling their early years at the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ogunbiyi said Amuta emerged from a period of intense intellectual ferment that shaped his development as a scholar and writer.
He particularly highlighted Amuta’s seminal work, The Theory of African Literature, describing it as a classic that “has not been beaten anywhere yet.”
According to him, Amuta’s career subsequently cut across academia, journalism and public affairs, with his exceptional writing ability becoming particularly evident during his years in the media.
Ogunbiyi recalled that while working at Daily Times, Amuta could produce incisive editorials within minutes, demonstrating a rare ability to respond to complex national issues with speed and brilliance.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Ogunbiyi said Amuta’s greatest distinction was his unique intellectual personality.
In a goodwill message read on his behalf by Abbey Ibrahim, Babangida described Amuta as a national asset, praising his bold, courageous and balanced writing, as well as his ability to examine Nigeria’s challenges beyond ethnic, regional, religious and partisan considerations.
According to Babangida, Homage traces Amuta’s journey from a modest rural childhood through academia, journalism and public affairs, offering readers “an insight into the modest life of a fine writer and a notable intellectual.”
The memoir, he added, is “literary and refreshing in style” and rich in insight into both Amuta’s life and Nigeria’s complex national history.
Amaechi, in his remarks, credited Amuta with playing a significant role in shaping his intellectual outlook, ideology and conduct in public life.
He described Amuta as one of the “best materials” at the University of Port Harcourt during their time, praising his academic brilliance and contribution to African literary scholarship.
Amaechi, who said Amuta supervised his long essay while he was a student, also linked the author’s influence to the emergence of a generation of students who later made their mark in Nigerian public life.
He identified himself, Abia State Governor Alex Otti, former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva and other former students as examples of people who went on to make an impact in politics after their university education.
“I’m sure that as you write, and as we buy this book, you will be very proud that you trained us. You’ll be very proud that we took after you in terms of ideology,” Amaechi told Amuta.
Amaechi also praised Amuta’s scholarship, particularly The Theory of African Literature, which he described as a groundbreaking contribution to African literary theory.
He said the memoir would give readers an opportunity to understand the intellectual journey of a man whose influence extended from the university classroom to journalism, politics and national discourse.
Otti, in his intervention, commended Amuta for his enduring commitment to writing, describing his new memoir as an engaging account that demonstrates the author’s exceptional literary ability.
Otti said he began reading the memoir while travelling and found its narrative style particularly compelling.
According to him, the book is written in such a fluid manner that readers could easily feel like participants in the experiences being narrated.
“Let me thank Dr Chidi Amuta for this book. And it made a fantastic reading. In fact, if you take the book, you’ll probably not be able to put it down,” Otti said.
He also praised Amuta for completing the memoir at the age of 73, describing the feat as a challenge to those who consider age or busy schedules obstacles to intellectual work.
Also speaking at the event, veteran journalist Ray Ekpu praised Amuta’s contributions to journalism and publishing.
Ekpu said Amuta has contributed to the evolution of journalism as a serious intellectual profession.
He recalled meeting Amuta during the intellectual debates of the 1980s and described their relationship, alongside those of Ogunbiyi and others, as one built on quality and shared intellectual engagements.
“Dr Chidi Amuta, you’ve added to that trajectory, and I am very, very thankful,” Ekpu said.
The book was reviewed by former presidential aide and journalist, Olusegun Adeniyi, who hailed Amuta’s memoir as a profound record of Nigeria’s journey.
The reviewer said the memoir moves from Amuta’s childhood and experiences of the Nigerian Civil War to his academic career, journalism, public service, family life and reflections on Nigeria.
According to Adeniyi, the book’s greatest achievement is its ability to connect personal memory with Nigeria’s post-colonial history.
He praised Amuta for avoiding self-celebration, instead presenting his life as a witness to the people, institutions and events that shaped him.
The reviewer described the memoir as a combination of biography, intellectual history and reflection on Nigeria’s unfinished national project.
In his remarks, Amuta described the memoir as an acknowledgement of friendship, saying he is “a product of friendship.”
Other speakers at the event included members of the author’s family and former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside.
