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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Celebrated Nigerian writer Chike Momah is visiting |
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the State Capitol on February 22, 2011, hosted by the Honorable |
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Yvonne Davis and members of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Aba, Nigeria, in 1930, Christian Chike Momah |
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was selected to attend Government College Umuahia, an all-boys |
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citadel of secondary boarding school learning that was founded by |
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the colonial British government in 1927 and modeled on the famous |
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English public schools Eton and Harrow; he went on to earn a |
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bachelor's degree in history, English, and religious studies from |
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University College Ibadan in 1953; he and his peers were part of a |
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remarkable generation that produced many of Africa's most notable |
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artists, leaders, and thinkers, including the poet Christopher |
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Okigbo, the Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, and the novelist Chinua |
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Achebe; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Momah enjoyed a long and varied career before |
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turning to writing full time; he served as the first Nigerian |
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graduate land officer in the Public Service of the Eastern Nigerian |
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Government from 1954 to 1956 and then worked as a librarian at |
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University College Ibadan and the University of Lagos; he continued |
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in this profession with the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, |
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from 1966 to 1978, when he transferred to UN headquarters in New |
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York to accept a position at the Dag Hammarskjold Library; and |
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WHEREAS, Although Mr. Momah had published a story in the |
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1950s, it was not until after he retired in 1990 that his words saw |
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print again; today he is the author of five novels, Friends and |
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Dreams, Titi: Biafran Maid in Geneva, The Shining Ones, The Stream |
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Never Dries Up, and A Snake Under a Thatch; his work evokes his |
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native Nigeria as well as the experience of the Nigerian diaspora |
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and reflects Mr. Momah's own humility and moral vision; and |
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WHEREAS, Now living in Arlington, this esteemed gentleman is |
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supported in his endeavors by his wife of 51 years, Ethel, and their |
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three children, Chukwudi, Azuka, and Adaora; Mr. Momah remains |
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active with the Nigerian community in the United States, serving as |
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a board member of the Texas chapter of GCUOBA-USA, a nonprofit |
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organization of ex-students of Government College Umuahia, whose |
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members are referred to as "old boys" and their wives as "young |
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girls"; in 2003, he was honored with the chieftaincy title |
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Nnabuenyi-Nnewi by HRH Kenneth Orizu, Igwe Nnewi; and |
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WHEREAS, Members of GCUOBA-USA and its Texas chapter, under |
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the able leadership of Chike Momah, Dr. Bato Amu, M.D., Dr. Emma |
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Okafor, M.D., and Ike Egbuoyne, P.E., who respectively serve as the |
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grand patron, board chair, and president of the national |
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organization and president of its Texas chapter, recently funded |
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and rehabilitated five school buildings in Government College |
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Umuahia; and |
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WHEREAS, Acting as chair of the Launch Committee, Jay O. Oji |
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(GCU Old Boy) of Southlake, along with committee members Angie N. |
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Nduka (GCU Young Girl) of Flower Mound, Paul Iwuchkwu of Arlington, |
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Nnaerika Okonkwo of Cedar Hill, and Ali N. Talib (GCU Old Boy) of |
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Richmond, has organized a Texas launch of three of Mr. Momah's |
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novels, including The Shining Ones, The Stream Never Dries Up, and A |
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Snake Under a Thatch; and |
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WHEREAS, Chike Momah has distinguished himself through his |
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outstanding contributions to the literature of his homeland, and it |
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is indeed a pleasure to welcome him to the Texas State Capitol; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize Chike Momah for his literary |
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achievements and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued |
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success and happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Momah as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Davis of Dallas |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 462 was adopted by the House on |
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February 16, 2011, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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