Okigbo  family.  I
spoke  to  Dr.  Pius
Okigbo. His reply
was delight  and
he said: 'unveil-
ing plaques are
only  done  in
c i v i l i s ed
countries'. He
gave  all  his
support  and
ensured  that
members  of
the  Okigbo
family  would
be present to-
day.

Wole  also  nar-
rated, with an ele-
ment of  nostalgia,
the  many  pleasant
parties  they  had  in
Cambridge House dur-
ing the sixties. Many peo-
ple  seem  to remember  the

white chapel!

This house has a history. It was built
in 1960 by Cambridge University Press
and ever since publishers have lived here.
I continue this tradition.

It took 27 years to pay public tribute to a
great poet who gave his life for a cause he
so strongly  believed  in.  Let's  hope  that
Christopher did  not die in  vain. The un-
veiling of the plaque will give Christopher
Okigbo a permanent place in Cambridge
House, Ibadan  and Nigeria. May I stress
that  it  was Wole Soyinka's  idea  and all
credit must go to him. I am just the humble
executor of Wole' s very laudable and origi-
nal idea.

I  never  had  the  privilege  of  knowing
Christopher Okigbo, wherever he is I am
confident he is in our midst today smiling
and happy that we are remembering him.

I now have the greatest pleasure to call on
Professor  Wole  Soyinka  to  unveil  the
plaque in honour of Christopher Okigbo
born  1932 died  1967, and declare Cam-
bridge House open.

Thank you all for being here today at this
most historic, memorable occasion. GR

32"

iiiltif

?«lii

UNVEILING
THE
PLAQUE

JOOP BERKHOUT

IB  welcome  you  warmly  to my per

I manenthome 'Cambridge House'.

This is indeed a very special house
warming.  A  few  months  ago, I
mentioned to Wole Soyinka that I
would move to Cambridge House.
He suggested that I should dedicate the
house to the late Christopher Okigbo, one
of the most versatile earlier Nigerian po-
ets,  who  lived  here  from  1962 -  1967.
During that time he was the Cambridge
University Press representative.

Chief Joop Berkhout

Of  course,  I  needed  approval  from  the