Chiedu UCHE OKOYE
NATIONAL Association of Students of English Language and Literary Studies (NASELS) of the English Language and Literary Studies Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Unizik), Awka, Anambra State recently held its literary week.
The literary festival, which was co-ordinated by Mr. Afam Ezeaku, staff adviser of the association offered students the rare opportunity to display their talents in the areas of drama, spoken word and essay writing.
It also provided a platform to educate students on the importance and place of graduates of English language and literary studies in labour market.
The students were exposed to the exploits of the late Ohaeto Ezenwa, a one-time winner of the NLNG Literature Prize (poetry category) who was a former lecturer in the department.
The interactions were geared towards exposing the students to opportunities in film production, academics, broadcasting and print journalism among others.
Chairman Unizik Literary Festival, Mr. Chris Chikwelu, lamented that Nigerians show apathy to seminars and workshops, forgetting that ideas rule the world.
He told the audience that the ignorant cannot lead great countries as ideas rule the world, urging the students to take pride in studying English language and literary studies as it’s the foundation of knowledge.
The guest lecturer, Professor Onyeka Iwuchukwu who spoke on Relationship between creativity and criticism noted that criticism ought to be constructive that examines a work from a certain perspective.
She traced the origin of literary criticism to Plato, who recommended that artists should be removed from society.
She reiterated Alexander Pope’s thesis or postulation, which posits that writers would deviate from abiding by set literary traditions if criticism is non-existent. She went on to highlight the advantages of literary criticism to creative works.
“Reading the criticisms of a work will help us to avoid the pitfalls in it when we are writing our creative works. And critics should look at content and form when critiquing works,” she advised.
Dr Ada Ihueze, who represented the Head of Department, English Language and Literary Studies, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr Geraldine Nnamdi Eruchalu said that English language and literary studies is about creative ingenuity.
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She urged the students to be assiduous so as to realize their potentials and become useful citizens who can contribute their quotas toward the economic and technological advancement of Nigeria.
As the literary event progressed, the students performed Wole Soyinka’s play The Trial of Brother Jero which highlights the presence of religious hypocrisy and mountebanks in our morally decadent society.
More so, they performed a play by a Ghanaian playwright titled The Marriage of Anansewa. The students’ virtuoso dramatic performances are proofs that they can become seasoned thespians and renowned playwrights and dramatists in the future. The audience gave them resounding ovation for their impressive performance.
In the debate competition, which was part of the literary event, the winners were Precious Nwachukwu, Zikora Okoye, and Kingsley Emelie, who came first, second, and third respectively.
And in the poetry slam competition organized by Chisom Udeoba, who is the Awka Poets In Nigeria leader, Divine Onyekwena, Kingsley Emelie, and Edna Ohabighiro came first, second and third respectively.
The Unizik’s English language and literary department’s literary journal titled The wordsmith (volume one) was unveiled to the delight of the audience.
A member of the House of Representative from Anambra state, Honourable Val Ayika, who was a guest at the festival, bought some copies of the book.
Other guests who attended the literary festival were Professor Ike Okodo of African and Asian languages, Unizik; Dr Chike Okoye, of the Department of English Language and Literary Studies, Dr Ifeoma Odinye, Mr Emmanuel Ugwu, Dr Uche Nnyagu, Dr Chinwe Ezeifeka, and Dr Ngozi Ezenwa-Ohaeto.
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