The Nation Newspaper

Category: Life – The Midweek Magazine

  • ‘Mbanefo an asset to tourism’

    ‘Mbanefo an asset to tourism’

    Abia State Governor Theodore Orji has praised President Goodluck Jonathan for appointing Mrs Sally Mbanefo as Director-General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC). He described her appointment the act as “a patriotic fetching of an appropriate person to excavate and exhibit a goldmine for the benefit of the nation.’

    Governor Orji spoke when he received Mrs Mbanefo in his office in Umuahia, the Abia State capital. Mrs Mbanefo was accorded a rousing welcome at  the airport where she was received by the Deputy Governors of Abia and Imo states, Chief Emeka Ananaba and Prince Eze Mbadumere. She was presented to Chief Uche Sunday Aja,  the chairman of Ukwa East Local Government.  Aja led the NTDC train to Oganihu Women Hall where the community had gathered to receive Mrs Mbanefo. “We are expecting in our midst  a lady of immense intelligence, a humble achiever, a go-getter, a woman who is showing to all that Nigerian women are not push over, a reasonable and responsible representative of President Jonathan.

    “A woman who has within seven months as the DG  toured over 14 states which none of her predecessors in office ever did. A woman of great aura who is coming to Abia to help us market and promote our tourism sites so that we the people will make money and enjoy from the blessings which God Almighty has blessed us with in the state.”

    The Chairman of the local government, Chief Aja, praised her for the seriousness of purpose, which informed her coming to Abia State in general and his local government in particular. The people were pleased with the DG ‘for not staying in her plush office in Abuja and talking grammar of domestic tourism without venturing to see the places by herself. This has distinguished and sets her apart from the crowd of armchair DGs.

    “We are happy to see you. We are seeing the seriousness of purpose in you. We pray that God Almighty will see you through.”

    Mrs Mbanefo described the ceremony as wonderful and unexpected reception held in her honour. “I am also short of words. This reception and your kind words are not only appreciative pills but rejuvenating tonic to do more. I promise you to do all within my capacity to promote the tourism potentialities of this great country and this wonderful community.”

    The DG assured the people of her desire to assist in the promotion tourists sites in the state. “We are going to collaborate with the state government, members of the private sector and foreign investors to turn this great lake into a global tourism site,” she added.

    DG and her team also visited the War Museum and said: “Though these are reminiscences of our past which might be not too palatable, but the right efforts should be made in preserving for the generations yet unborn, our strides and struggle during the process of becoming a nation. Also, it showcases to the world the innate ingenuity of the vibrant people called Nigerians. We at NTDC will not shy away from our charter in ensuring the effective marketing and promotion of these sites.”

    Governor Orji said: “I have to thank you for not only identifying the tourism potentialities of Abia State but also coming personally with your team to visit the bastion of tourism in the Southeast. I have been monitoring your activities since your appointment and I can boldly say you are an asset to the tourism sector. You have raised the stake in that sector. We shall support without looking back.”

    The Governor assured the DG of immeasurable support for the

    DG and NTDC, saying “we are going to reinforce your efforts

    which are geared towards the mobilisation of the hidden tourism wealth of the nation. You have displayed within a little time, your sincerity of purpose and commitment to the mission of the Federal Government. We are not going to let you down. Thank for coming to Abia State. We appreciate you.“

     

  • Celebrating a man of architecture

    Celebrating a man of architecture

    Amid cheers by family members, friends and associates, renowned architect Sir Gabriel Oladipupo Ajayi walked into hall of the civic centre in Lagos for his 60th birthday celebration. He was accompanied by his wife, Lady Alaba, for the twin-event which also featured a book presentation. Evelyn Osagie and Adeife Adebiyi report.

    As the band began to play, ushers decked in traditional short-styled Iro and Buba with matching Suku hairstyles bid guests a warm welcome to the ornate hall of the Civic Centre, Lagos.

    It was the birthday celebration and book presentation of renounced architect and illustrious son of Ilupeju-Ekiti in Ekiti State, Sir Gabriel Oladipupo Ajayi. He arrived at the venue accompanied by his wife, Lady Alaba.

    He was dressed in an Aso-Oke Agbada; on his neck and wrist were royal beads crafted stylishly with a gold pendant in the middle.

    The event was spiced with interesting activities, including the presentation of Amazing World of Architecture, an architectural compendium. The book identifies the author’s passion for creativity to illuminate, inspire and motivate.

    It was published by My Heritage Books. According tothe publisher, Mr Oluneye Oluwole, the celebrator is “a guru in architecture, arts and nature lover, and an unrepentant romantic” that is worthy of celebration.

    The 232-page compendium also captures the world’s most iconic buildings, superb photography and practical lessons in architecture. It was reviewed by the pioneer and immediate past Vice Chancellor, Afe Babalola University, Prof Sidi Osho.

    According to her, the book focuses on “a Man”, “an Artist”, “an Architect”, and “a Builder”. Amazing World of Architecture is a story of the successful journey of hard work, commitment, professionalism, achievements and contributions to national and environmental development.It takes the reader on an architectural journey, to exotic and interesting parts of the world, showcasing several masterpieces and brings the reader back to Nigeria, where other masterpieces are found.

    “Architecture is all around us and the book portrays the author as not only an excellent architect, but a builder exhibiting commitment and professionalism. The book identifies the author’s passion for creation to illuminate, inspire, create and motivate,” she said.

    The President of the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Architect Umaru Aliyu described it as “an inspiring documentation of architectural data in the annals of architecture in Nigeria”.

    The event also featured a short footage filmed by the celebrant’s children on the behavioural patterns of their father which portrayed him as a disciplinarian and workaholic who love to sacrifice his food and rest to pursue his passion. The footage, however, ended with the words: “Daddy, learn to take a rest; you are getting old”. In another footage, his wife also eulogised him, saying he is a caring father and brother,”who is passionate about his work and family and a role model to his children”.

    Yinka Ayefele was also thrilled guests with his fantastic musical. Men and women in matching outfits and gele in gay colours of red and gold thronged the venue to celebrate the architect. Itdrew Nigeria’s crème de la crème.

    The event, chaired by Chief Felix Fagbohungbe (SAN), was atteneded by past governors from Ekiti and Ogun states, captains of industries, business tycoons, the academia, family and friends. They included Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, Chief Niyi Adebayo, Chief Olusegun Osoba, Asiwaju of Ile-Ife Chief Oyekunle Alex-Duduyemi (OFR) and his wife, among others.

    They described him as a force in the world of architecture, while praising him for his tenacity and forthrightness.

    Born 60 years ago in Ilupeju-Ekiti, the celebrator obtained his West African School Certificate in 1975 with Grade One result. After a brief stint with the banking industry, he proceeded to the former University of Ife, (now ObafemiAwolowo University), Ile-Ife, where he graduated with bachelors and masters degrees in Architecture in 1982 and 1984.

    His professional career began in 1984 with the Lagos State Development Property Corporation as a Senior Architect and as the years went by, through years of hard-work, dedication and excellence, SirAjayi became a Principal Architect. In 1987, he established his company, Spatial Design Consults, an architectural design and construction company with a mind of inspiring the next generation of architects.

    Fayemi commended the trail-blazing achievements of his kinsman, as another feather to the cap of Ekiti State indigenes. A lover of books himself and a prolific writer, he said he would donate several copies of the book to architectural, environmental sciences and engineering departments in all state-owned higher institutions, saying it is in line with his support of academic excellence in the state.

    Chief Duduyemi described the celebrator as a “man of integrity”. “I have known him for some years and he has been a son that is consistent , full of integrity, he is very loyal and supportive. I confer on him the membership of my family. From when he left the University of Ife, he has always been on my right hand. He is our in-law. I treat him as an in-law, nephew and supporter. Architect Dipo is different. When I knew him as an undergraduate at the University of Ife, he was doing part-time teaching to keep up with finances at the university. And since then I started giving him a little job, he has grown up to be one of my best supporters in the industry,” he said.

    For the celebrator, architecture is life. While urging youths to utilise their God-given talents for the progress of humanity, he said, despite his humble childhood, he said hard work, dedication and determination were his driving force to success.

    According to him, his firm would be collaborating with universities to affect the lives of the next generation of architects.

    He said: “I dream architecture. It is a way of life which dictates the mood of the individual and nation. It has rhythm. Architecture is interesting and fulfilling. I could have gone into politics but as for me, architecture is love, architecture is romantic, and architecture is music. I intend to leave a name behind in my profession as well as contribute positively to the lives of the coming generation of architects.”

  • X-raying a literary amazon

    X-raying a literary amazon

    The pain and horror of the killing of some University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) students referred to as ‘Aluu Four’ were brought home when the literati and scholars gathered in Lagos to celebrate a literature doyenne, Prof Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, at the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA)Vintage Wine and Flesh Blends, reports Evelyn Osagie.

    They came protesting. Teenagers- boys and girls. They raised their voices and placards to protest the 2012 carnage that took place in Aluu, a Rivers State community.

    “It was a day dream died/Faith withered in the furnace of unbelief… Adieu, oh hapless victims of Aluu…” they chanted.

    It was no protest rally but the performance of the poem Season of Carnage from the collection Dancing Masks written by seasoned writer Prof Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo.

    There were mixed emotions as the kids, from four secondary schools, took turns to give theatrical interpretation of the poem on stage. Their reaction was not far-fetched. It was weeks after several bombings and killings in the northern part of the country.

    Emotions were high.While fueling audience’s emotion, the diverse interpretations and costumes added spice to the poem’s preoccupation. The poetic lines, which the poet said was borne out of the hideousness of the act, and the theatrics not only re-enacted the scenes, but also called for firm action against such inhuman acts.

    The Lagos City College’s performance, which was the most expressive of the four schools that included National College, Gbagada; Ikosi Senior High School and Gretech Educational Foundation, clinched the first place position.

    The teen-actors with budding passion for literature, were the “Fresh Blends” while the poet was the “Vintage Wine”, explained the Chairman, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Lagos Branch, Mrs Femi Onileagbon.

    She was one woman wearing many hats. She is a prolific writer, with over 50 publications, including 14 books and numerous journal articles. She is one of Lantern books award-winning authors, who has won diverse literary prizes such as the NLNG Prize for Literature Prize and ANA prizes for Prose Fiction and Women Writing; and has judged several others.

    Her achievements are not limited to the literary front alone. She is an English Language professor and was the head of department of English at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where the event was held. In the home-front, Adimora-Ezeigbo is also a success as wife, mother and grandmother. She was there with her hubby Prof Christain Ezeigbo, their children and granddaughter, bright Chinemenma. And on the traditional front, she is a chief with thetitle Ugonwanyi Edemede Ndi Igbo.

    With a large portfolio of accomplishments that serves as inspiration for the young and for her contributions to the advancement of the course of Literature, Onileagbon said,Adimora-Ezeigbo earned a spotlight at the Second Vintage Wine and Fresh Blends. The event was organised in conjunction with Literamed Publications Nigeria Limited, who donated books and prizes to the schools.

    According to the ANA Lagos Chair, the programme aims at creating a mentorship environment for new and budding writers. “It invites the best of established literary figures, publishers and political figures (Vintage Wine), whose experiences and life paths have the weight to influence positively the creative development of new, young or aspiring writers (Fresh Blends) with the aim to nurture them. This edition we chose to celebrate Prof Adimora-Ezeigbo and work with Literamed Publications Nigeria Limited that has published and promoted scholarship for 45 years.”

    Impressed by the efforts of the teen-actors, Adimora-Ezeigbo, who started literary voyage early as a member of Debating and Dramatic Society where she wrote her first play, encouraged the children to keep at their passion, saying she started many years ago like them. She advised parents and schools to encourage the budding talents in their wards, saying: “Encourage your children to imbibe the culture of reading and writing early. Schools should identify talents in their wards and begin to nurture them”.

    To her quiet mien are her vocal and activist sides that came alive during the interactive session with the reporter and a representative of Literamed Publications Nigeria Limited, Ms Busayo Sawyerr (Editor-in-Charge). To Ms Sawyerr’s observation of low quality of manuscripts being a reason behind fall in the number of works by budding writers published Literamed, the author advised to them not to lose faith but to engage the services of book editors.

    Adimora-Ezeigbo “the advocate” kicked against destructive criticism that seeks to damage the writer, observing that “sometimes critics can damage writers”. She opined that Nigeria has an abundance of destructive criticisms that are highly subjective. “I would wish we have more of the constructive criticism. Some so-called critics would begin to attack the writer instead of the book. Critics should look at the good and bad things about a book,”she said.

    Her novels promote African culture and cultural tolerance; the school of feminism that accommodates men. In a world that is often said to be ruled by men, the author canvassed for negotiation and cooperation between the sexes, while throwing her weight behind what she calls “Snail-sense feminism”. She said: “The Snail-sense feminism is based on the Igbo cultural belief that advocates that men and women should negotiate and work together. The snail negotiates and dialogues with its environment and other objects around it. I think that is what African women are and should be doing.

    “Some described it as an accommodative stand. Feminism is culture-based and is constrained by our social and cultural beliefs. In Africa, we believe we have to work with the men to move the society forward. If you watch women who are successful, it is not through aggression but through negotiation. You have to work together with the men. If you notice the home that is successful, it is where the man and woman work together.”

    Her novels often promote women empowerment with female lead characters with strong personalities, who wield influence and cause positive change.

    Coming from a background of strong and independent women, she hammered on the importance of women empowerment, saying it is the inspiration behind her advocacy.

    No doubt, African cultures are patriarchy and women are often at the disadvantage, however, Adimora-Ezeigbo said,the continent still prides itself of men who support and believes in the progress of their wives and daughters.

    “My husband is that kind of man. When we are talking about the best woman activist, encouraging women, he is Number One. Right from home, all the women in my family were strong, independent women, who are empowered. I grew up in a background of strong women. My two grandmothers were strong, independent women, who believe in the empowering of women. We were encouraged to be strong and independent. My parents empowered me and that is what I believe and encourage. And I am blessed to have a husband that also believes and encourages it,” she said.

    And how does it feel have a wife with such a lofty portfolio, Prof Christian Ezeigbo was asked. Hear him: “If you are lucky to have somebody who is successful, the least you can do is to encourage that person to the utmost because your joy and that person’s joy will multiply.”

  • East meets West documentary

    East meets West documentary

    “Crocodile in the Yangtze’ is a film that tells a story of how China’s first Internet entrepreneur and former English teacher, Jack Ma, battled US giant, ‘eBay’ to build China’s first global Internet Company, Alibaba Group. The “documemoir” written, directed and produced by an American,Porter Erisman, who worked in Ma’s company for eight years, Crocodile in the Yangtze captures the emotional ups and downs of life in a ‘Chinese Internet world’ between 1995 and 2009 when the Internet brought China face-to-face with the West.

    An english-language film, Crocodile in the Yangtze is a compilation of period footage shot in the 1990’s-2000’s in Hangzhou, China. Film editor, Giuseppe De Angelis spent hours in editing the footage into a comprehensive and smooth film drawing on 200 hours of archival footage filmed by over 35 sources.

    Erisman followed his heart to China and spent ten years living and working there. He worked as a Vice President at Alibaba.com and Alibaba Group in Hangzhou, China between 2000 and 2008. It is clear that from the film, Erisman was a truly integrated and respected member of the Alibaba family. In several scenes, he and Jack shared the glory of the developments that occured in the company.

    It is incredible to consider how this footage was captured in real-time and preserved, but according to Erisman, a camera was always rolling behind the scenes at Alibaba’s, even from the earliest days of the company’s formation. The film contains childhood photos of Ma as a small boy and his personal journey from English teacher to a global business leader. It also shows Erisman as a young boy in the US and later as a young adult in China, telling the story of what brought him to Alibaba and what caused him to want to stay.

    The story rolls forward on a double lane: Alibaba thrives in a time when social, economic and technological transformation are happening in China and the outside world watches Alibaba with a careful eye, finally realising its strength.

    In addition to behind-the-scenes footage, Erisman and De Angelis weaved in archival news coverage of reporters on Wall Street interviewing Ma and assessing his company to potential investors. It is interesting to watch the narrative about Alibaba’s change over time within the financial media.

    The film is more than an account of the history of a Chinese internet company. It gives a truly inside perspective on internal meetings and private conversations between Ma and his team, capturing the triumphs, but also repeated struggles to turn a profit.

    It mirrors how Ma led Alibaba to startup the business in a small apartment which later grew into a global company of more than 16,000 staff.

    One of Erisman’s goals in making this film was to inspire young entrepreneurs with a dream. As the film chronicles, Ma was originally trained as an English teacher, with no background in computer science or business. For that reason, his story is one about a simple man with a dream. That relatability makes this film accessible to everyone.

    Konga.com has hosted the technology business community to a special screening of the film documentary. Konga believes that 2014 will be a promising and rewarding year for the Nigerian technology and business eco-systems, not only because there will be growth, but because these sectors will provide solutions to Nigerians at large.

  • Writers tackle touchy Nigerian issues

    Writers tackle touchy Nigerian issues

    Let against the background of the ongoing National Conference, it was more than a coincidence that the last edition of the Guest Writer Session, of the Abuja Writers’ Forum (AWF), took on touchy Nigerian issues.

    Zainab Sule got proceedings going with one of her new singles, Fire Down Below. It was a good teaser to set the mood for an encounter with fun and excitement and it was evident her performance was enthralling as the audience sat transfixed, gazes locked at her like the future depended on their picking out every word of her lines and guitar strumming. A situation that would repeat itself when she came back in between the writers to run through a couple of her songs.

    The sobering highpoint of the evening came when multiple award-winning journalist, read from his book, Home Away From Home. He described the book in a recent interview as “my offering to making Nigeria a great nation as some of the ones I have visited.” Though the book is solely about the history of the Ogbomoso people in Jos, the scope turns out to be far beyond that. It actually tells the sorry story of the collapse of the inter-ethnic harmony that existed among Nigerians who had lived together in peace for so many years. The book chronicles the arrival of Ogbomoso people in Jos, their settlement there over the centuries, the peace, love and unity they enjoyed as they lived, did business and mingled with the indigenes other settler-tribes.

    However, tribal and religious differences suddenly crept into the picture and turned erstwhile friends, neighbours and brothers into sworn enemies. He recalled that in his days as a little child in Jos, his family, a Christian family bonded so well with their Muslim neighbours that they’d sometimes follow them to the mosque and the friends would also follow them to church. Oyegbile decried that such a scenario is impossible in the city today, with the incessant religious and tribal fights that have erupted over the years, claiming thousands of lives and reducing the city into a theatre of violence.

    According to him, his father got to Jos before the amalgamation in 1914 that gave birth to Nigeria. At the time he left Ogbomoso, the father, he said, was too young to pay tax. He settled in Jos, worked there for decades and paid his taxes to the Plateau State government. By the time he returned to Ogbomoso, he was too old to pay any taxes. In spite of his father’s loyalty and long sojourn in Plateau State however, Oyegbile said if he needed a scholarship, he’d have to go and apply for it in Oyo State! This, he said, often makes him wonder if indeed we are ready to live as one nation.

    He did not only paint a picture of the grim situation, he also proffered solutions to the strained relations between Nigeria’s ethnic and religious groups. He advised that citizens be educated on the gains of peaceful co-existence; recommended the prosecution of criminals who are caught in the act of sectional aggression and the development of the right political will by our leaders, towards mending the broken relations among the various divides of the Nigerian people.

    The audience had earlier savoured poems from Iruesiri Samson Kukogho’s debut collection What Can Words Do? Samson said of the title of his collection, that he derived it from the importance that words play in our daily lives as humans. “I have seen words start and also end wars; words have broken marriages and mended broken hearts,” he said. The question of what words can do, he said, is to bring to the consciousness of the reader, the importance of the words we speak and is one that everyone should ask themselves often so as to guard their choice of words when they speak to others as they have the potential to hurt and heal, give life and also kill.

    From the themes Samson explores in the poems in his collection, it is obvious that he is motivated by true-life experiences and is also driven to add his voice to issues of social justice and the general enhancement of society. His voice rails against rape, violence against women and social disorders. His passion for the family institution is also clearly depicted. “Society is being torn apart because families are collapsing,” he lamented. The poet emphasized that the more we lose the family, the more we lose our society and called for a show of concern by all citizens and especially parents whom he advised not to let the proper upbringing of their children and the responsibility to show them love and care, suffer because of the search for daily bread.

    Later while responding to questions, Samson expressed his gratitude to his father whom he said had a tremendous positive influence on his reading culture. He said his father was a very rigid man and forced him to read a lot of books from his well-stocked library and though it was quite a burden for him as a child, he is grateful today because it laid the foundation for his present appreciation for the literary arts, his writing prowess and the quality of his intellect.

    After the writers did their bit, Zainab Sule took her turn with a set of enthralling songs. The UniJos graduate of Mathematics and web designer proved why she is referred to as Nigeria’s queen of soft rock. After he performance, a member of the audience sought to know how long she took to perfect her handling of the guitar. She said she started playing the instrument in 2001 when she was a student at the University of Jos. She said she did a lot of online study on how to play the guitar which has paid off with her ability today.

    Zainab’s sounds have been referred to as a “mixture of Tracy Chapman and Avril Lavigne, mixed with a touch of soul”. A collection of beauty and talent, when she is not writing songs, or on some musical tour somewhere, she works as a consultant to some major companies under her company name and alter ego, Pishon Designs.

    Maiden graduates of the AWF Creative Writing Workshop Advanced Set collected their certificates, while some members of the audience won free books from a raffle-draw, and the three guests were given mementoes. The Guest Writer Session, which started in June 2008, holds at the prestigious Nanet Suites located at the Central Business District in Abuja, and runs from 4-7pm on the last Saturday of every month. The Abuja Writers’ Forum is a community of writers and book lovers. The forum creates opportunities for writers to develop their skills, helps in promoting and celebrating established and upcoming writers and also developing the book culture among Nigerians. Activities of the forum are free and open to members of the public.

     

     

  • Gabriel Garcia Marquez : Farewell to the Magic Muse

    Gabriel Garcia Marquez : Farewell to the Magic Muse

    Gone, the Magic Muse of Aracataca. In a manner similar to his wondrous tales, I can see him levitating towards the skies, a pen in one hand, a trumpet in the other, a rueful smile on his face. For his body is too precious, too imperishable for the grave’s cramping dungeon and its ravenous coven of worms. Beyond the clouds, Angel Gabriel is waiting for his famous namesake at Heavensgate, waiting expectantly for this curious mortal whose fame and flourish competed so triumphantly with those of hosts of heaven. And I can see the intrepid ‘Gabo’ later, negotiating a niche with a revolving door and a wide window through which he can continue to peep at the turbulent world he has left behind and watch how the strands of his magic narratives continue to unfold. Without a doubt, his dealings with other angels are likely to be contentious; for this Gabriel is a being who so often obeys his own rules; a spirit averse to time-worn routines and conventional thou-shalt-nots.. . .

    Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of the most influential literary figures in the past 100 years; and in literature in the Spanish language, his fame and impact are only rivaled by those of Miguel de Cervantes, the pioneering genius who gave the world the timeless Don Quixote. Veteran journalist and author of numerous novels and short stories, Marquez shook the world with the publication of One Hundred Years of Solitude in 1967, and literally rewrote the rubric of the narrative genre. Intensely political and socially committed, he assailed the incubi of colonial/imperial exploitation and social injustice in a language and style that made his narration of that exposure irresistible even to those being exposed. He settled, finally, the quarrel between History and Literature, Myth and Reality by making Politics the flexible Mediator between the four. He gathered the strands of our workaday life, wove them into tales with an indelible touch of weird wanderings and wonder. He erased – or extended – the traditional gulf between the probability of the improbable and the improbability of the probable. And therein lies the phenomenon which literary critics and avid name-givers have christened as “magic realism”, a terminology that has been with us for several decades now and which has been splashed rightly or wrongly on works from different parts of the world with little or no consideration for local peculiarities. Whatever name his style is called, in whatever critical lingo it is couched, Marquez is the master of the hint and hyperbole, of the awe in the story and the aura in its telling. His narrative invented other ways of perceiving reality, other ways of cognizing human existence, other ways of being human. That is why his works are so full of rumble and resonance. That is why his new realism unlinks the chains of the old one. That is why William Kennedy, the noted American writer, recommended that One Hundred Years of Solitude should be compulsory reading for the human race.

    Influence, or, better still, influentiality, comes naturally to women and men of Marquez’s stature. And he had it and made the best of it. His influence is easily seen in the literary sphere where he changed the content and form of the narrative genre since the last half of the 20th century. The other kind of influence, a little less easy to perceive, is his influence on the political scene (I almost said ‘destiny’!) of Latin America in a 20th century bloodied by military dictatorship and all manner of murderous incivilities. Marquez spoke out against evil. His voice was loud, insistent, unafraid. And when he spoke, the world listened, for he earned his space, his right to speak, his will to the Word. Not infrequently, his interventions made military dictators shake in their boots. Quite often, the people found their strength in his words. Like the great Pablo Neruda, his Latin American compatriot, he too made an unbreakable pledge to himself that the people would find their voices in his song. We must never underestimate the contribution of people like Marquez to the return of democracy to Latin America and other parts of the world afflicted by the absence of that ideal.

    Gather round this fire, therefore, oh ye acolytes of the Word. Sing a song and shake a leg. The master storyteller has levitated to the skies. Gabriel is back at Heavensgate. Banana leaves are clapping in the fields of Aracataca. Gabriel Garcia Marquez is laughing, his patented moustache lush and green like the forests of his beloved Colombia.

     

    •Osundare writes from New Orleans

  • Redemption of Africa (ll)

    (A review of Wole Soyinka’s Harmattan Haze on an African Spring)

    Politics of exclusion, intra and inter-country boundary problems, lust for power, warped ideology, etc. are identified as the heart of the crises plaguing the continent in the book. While underscoring the place of “strict adherence to democratic justice” in resolving most of the myriads of convulsions threatening the continent, the blind defence of these European-created boundaries of death certainly demand interrogation: “Is it truly in the interest of the occupants of that continent that the present boundaries are being consolidated, defended, held so inviolate that the population of the continent is routinely decimated, millions maimed and incapacitated for life, vast hectares of farm land rendered useless by liberally sown anti-personnel mines? Youths are robbed of their innocence and their humanity, as the continent becomes the corrupted playground of boy soldiers. In short, what price is worth paying for the illusion of boundaries and ‘sovereignty’?”

    To clear any misconception, the playwright-historian is not advocating the disintegration of the present nation entities. In fact, a proper interrogation could even lead to the opposite – amalgamation. The point is where such horrendous human conflict is traceable to this product of European fictioning, as in the case of Sudan, “Where this is seen clearly to be the case, and internal instability of a costly dimension evidently derives from such impositions, common sense urges that, at the very least, the basis for such amalgamations be revisited with a view to ascertaining where precisely lies the will of the people themselves, acting in freedom.”

    The criminality of the Janjaweed, under the banner of impunity, really troubled the human rights activist and he devoted a lot of attention to it. South Sudan eventually gained its independence after the publication of this book but then what does one make of the current internecine upheavals in the new country? I think the answer to the situation could be located in Soyinka’s lecture during his investiture as Awo Laureate on March 7, 2013: WINDING DOWN HISTORY: RELIGION AND NATION, POWER AND FREEDOM.

    One then comes to the conclusion that, whereas there are no absolutes in any propositions, it seems the path of “democratic justice” , as enunciated by the author, can be the best of all the alternatives as a way of restoring our humanity in Africa. The sanctity of the rule of law, constitutional provisions that safeguard the interest of minorities and entrenchment of democratic norms such as free and fair elections, all within the structures of government most suitable for different countries based on their cultural, economic and socio-political realities – federal, confederal or unitary. But admittedly, these can only be achieved through interrogation of the present in an atmosphere perfumed with burning passion for justice. Restructuring, either of the structures of government, forms of government or power relations, seems inevitable across the African continent.

    If I may add in passing; in Nigeria, for instance, the present unitary system disguised as federalism must be dumped without further ado. The aim of dividing the country into three regions, each with a regional council in 1947, according to the then governor of colonial Nigeria, Sir Arthur Richards, was “To create a political system… within which the diverse elements, may progress at varying speeds, amicably and smoothly, towards a more closely integrated economic, social and political unity, without sacrificing the principles and ideals in their divergent ways of life.” Inherent in this submission was federalism. Again at the Ibadan General Conference, preparatory to the promulgation of Macpherson Constitution of 1951, the question on the structure of Nigeria was asked: “Do we wish to see a fully centralised system with all legislative and executive powers concentrated at the centre, or do we wish to develop a federal system under which each different region of the country would exercise a measure of internal autonomy?” The London Conference of 1953 and Lagos Conference of 1954 that followed emphasised a full-blown federal constitution, which was later captured in the Lyttleton Constitution of 1954 and Independence Constitution of 1960… Now that history has come full circle in Nigeria, we need to return to the bequest of our founding fathers – federalism.

    In Harmattan Haze on an African Spring, Wole Soyinka (WS) also holds that the redemption of African spirituality, indeed, Africa and the world lies in the embrace of the doctrines of Orisa. “Thus, for all seekers after peace and security of true community, and the space of serenity that enables the quest after Truth… we urge yet again the simple path that was travelled from the soil of the Yoruba, across the Atlantic landmass to contiguous nations, across the hostile oceans to the edge of the world in the Americas – Go to the Orisa, learn from the Orisa, and be wise.”

    What WS presented in this book is an exegesis of Orisa worship. The Babalawo (traditional healer/diviner), the equivalent of a Bishop or Imam is “the wistful embodiment of all that is missing in the political life of a continent.” Ifa, the equivalent of Bible or Koran, according to WS, “emphasises for us the perpetual elasticity of knowledge. Ifa’s tenets are governed by a frank acknowledgment of the fact that the definition of Truth is a goal that is constantly being sought by humanity, that existence itself is a passage to ultimate truth, and that claimants to possession of the definitiveness of knowledge are, in fact, the greatest obstacles to the attainment of Truth.”

    He rejects the tag of paganism often placed on believers of Orisa by Christianity and Islam and cautioned that these traditional religions should not be conflated with cults. “The accommodative spirit of the Yoruba gods (Ogun, Esu, Oya, Sopona, Sango, etc) remains the eternal bequest to a world that is riven by the spirit of intolerance, of xenophobia and suspicion,” he submits.

    WS spoke of the “beneficent gods and their potencies, their curative and fortifying interventions…the combative, even malevolent, who can be invoked to work against the enemy,” citing the reference by a former head of state after a visit to Mandela in prison to the potency of these traditional powers: “Where is our egbe? Where is our onde? Where is our famed juju to take out these perpetrators of hideous injustice on our own soil?”

    Rightly or wrongly, the question cannot escape the attention of a reader, let alone a reviewer: Why did these traditional powers not work against the intruders, including their religions on the continent of Africa? The dramatist is a faithful of the Orisa but is he a worshiper in any shrine? This certainly is another conundrum.

    In summary, we cannot but agree with our erudite scholar that religion should be an evocation and constitute “the spice of life, not the trigger of strife.”

    The culture icon made a strong case for the efficacy and potency of traditional medicine, citing a haunting instance where the latter had come to the rescue of orthodox/western medicine. Harmattan Haze on an African Spring is a treasure trove, controversial to boot in some aspects.

    Finally, WS urged that the questioning of cultures and social norms within the concept of what is globally acceptable or fundamental human rights is a categorical imperative. Cultural relativism or respect for other cultures should be within such a context. You cannot say because in your own culture, the toe of the first born must be cut or that girls must not go to school, therefore I have to respect such.

    Of course, this lucubration cannot but contain some errors – the ritual every reviewer must perform. “African past and present” is given as “African past and presence” on page 19. Berlin Treaty of Partition of Africa took place in 1885, not 1881 as provided on page 50. “…is one of my favourite” should have been “favourites” on page 98; “it serves” is typed as “it serve” on page 196.

    Through the exploration in Harmattan Haze on an African Spring, Prof Wole Soyinka, my intellectual avatar, has once again reiterated the immensity and polyvalence of his knowledge. He has sown a seed on a fertile ground, which should sprout to produce “a new breed of explorers for the relay race towards a deeply craved Age of Universal Understanding – African inspired.”

     

    •Soyombo, is an Abeokuta-based journalist

     

  • Micah Ekpe the legend: 50 years after

    Micah Ekpe the legend: 50 years after

    It is said that Greatness is of three types – the one somebody is born into, like Royalty, the one that is entrusted on without one necessarily working for it and the greatness one achieves by dent of hard-work.

    Micah Okoye Ndibe Ekpe, Ezenwa 1 of Enugwu Ukwu na Umunri belongs to the last category as he rose from a very humble beginning to become the President General of the entire Enugwu Ukwu community in the former Northern Region of Nigeria.

    In Uruekwo, one of the 18 villages in Enugwu Ukwu, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, the name MICAH EKPE is highly revered, recognized and appreciated for good and noble deeds and famed philanthropy. Your father was a good man, he did this or that for me, he assisted us in one project or another, or he led us well, was a ready and willing response to any of his children by the generality of Enugwu Ukwu people and beyond who had any association with him.

    These testimonies are evidenced by the statement by Albert Paye – “what we have done for ourselves alone dies with us, but what we have done for others and the word remains and is immortal”. The tremendous goodwill that reverberated

    from his memory has been the leading and guiding light for all his children, opening doors of opportunities for them. After all the Holy book says in Proverbs 20 v 7 “The Righteous is working in his integrity, happy are his sons after him”

    Micah Okoye Ndibe Ekpe, was born in 1914. As the first son had the responsibility to assist his parents in their farm work and also cater for his younger ones. He was privileged to be sent to Central School Abagana for his primary school education, a rare opportunity in those days. Soon after his primary education, the problem of what to do to sustain his parents and siblings arose and he had to locate to Agbani to participate in Palm oil trade which seemed a thriving business in those days. He joined his brothers, friends and associates in Agbani including John Nwokedi and Obed Okonkwo who were already pioneers in the business and resident there.

    Micah was still doing business at Agbani when a fortuitous circumstance arose. One of his relations Ekwenugwo Okenwa who was then resident in Kano had died from an attack of meningitis. The mother of the deceased due to a very high regard for Micah’s trustworthiness and honesty confided that it was only Micah that she could trust to travel to Kano and evacuate her late son’s property home Micah did just that. While in Kano for this emergency assignment, he saw business opportunity in the ancient city and stayed back soon after the funeral to extend the frontiers of the palm oil trading business. He then formed a company which supplied palm oil to a Kano based soap factory Niger Soap Factory owned by some Lebanese nationals. Supply of Palm oil transported by train from Enugu and Agbani through his suppliers Obed Okonkwo, John Nwokedi, Michael Okafor (Dogo) and Augustine Ujuagu all of blessed memory to the Kano Soap Factory became his main business.

    Micah’s status in business grew tremendously and he bought and built houses in Kano, Nguru and Enugu. He also as a natural leader of men organized the Enugwu Ukwu community in Kano in particular and the entire Northern Nigeria generally towards development projects at home. His residence at No.37 Aba road, Sabon Gari Kano became the first port of call by any visiting Enugwu Ukwu indigene to the North. In the 10 laws of leadership articulated by Bill Newmer, Micah combined Vision, Wisdom, Development of friendships, Courage, Humility, Executive Capacity and Inspirational Power, to offer leadership to the Igbos in Kano. He rose to become the President of the defunct Enugwu Ukwu Patriotic Union (EPU), Kano branch and later President General of the Union in the entire Northern Region of Nigeria, positions he held until his voluntary relocation to Enugu in 1953. On his leaving the North, he was succeeded in his Kano branch seat by Chief A. N. Onwudinjo and the Northern Region portfolio by Chief F.G.N. Okoye both of blessed memory.

    He, along with the late Okonkwo (Okonkwo Kano) and others led the Igbos resident in Kano in their self defence during the Kano Riots of 1953. It was after this ugly episode that he relocated with his family to Enugu capital of Eastern Nigerian, naming his then 3 months old son Chukwudozie (may the Lord settle the problem between the Igbos and their Northern hosts).

    Micah’s decision to leave Kano and return to the East after the 1953 Kano Riots is very historic and of great significance. This was the first move by an industrious Igbo businessman to abandon his thriving business in Northern Nigeria to return to safety in Eastern Nigeria. This movement has remained a recurrent feature in the life of Igbos resident in the Northern part of Nigeria. The pertinent question asked then in 1953 and still being asked today in 2014, more than 50 years after, is why should Nigerian citizens not be free to live and practice their trade in every part of the country they call their own? If this matter is not satisfactorily addressed, will it not be advisable that Nigeria should be a Confederation of Six geo-political Regions instead of the so-called Federation in which many of her citizens are massacred on regular basis. It is very clear that the Nigerian Federation as presently constituted is just not working. There is so much hatred, bitterness, religious intolerance, malice, ill-will, ethnic jingoism, mutual suspicion and mistrust among the constituent ethnic groups in the country.

    This time that President Jonathan has convoked a National Conference is very opportune to discuss this nagging problem which has stunted the growth and development of Nigeria in the past 100 years

    On his return to his No.23 Udi Road, Asata Enugu, he engaged in some businesses including transport and cement sales supplied by Nigerian Cement Company (NIGERCEM) Nkalagu of which he was a shareholder.

    As an ardent Christian, Micah worshipped his creator to the best of his ability, assisting in the growth and development of the Anglican Faith in Enugwu Ukwu. He served as the Treasurer of Immanuel Anglican Church, Enugwu Ukwu until his death.

    Soon after the 1962 general return in Enugwu Ukwu, his illness deteriorated and on July 6, 1963, this excellent specimen of humanity, this philanthropist per excellence, this trail blazer in human development, with monumental achievements packed within his 49 years of life passed on.

    He is survived by seven sons, five daughters, many grand and great grand children all contributing their quota to the country’s social, political and economic development. A 50th year remembrance service will be held in honour at St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Enugwu Ukwu, Anambra State on Easter Monday April 21, 2014 after which the Micah Ekpe foundation for assistance to the less privileged in the society will be launched.…To live in the minds of those we leave behind is not to die.

  • Achebe’s Arrow of God in Jonathan’s hometown

    Achebe’s Arrow of God in Jonathan’s hometown

    The late Prof Chinua Achebe’s Arrow of God is a political satire on leadership. The novel’s 50th anniversary is being celebrated in some parts of the world. The celebration train was in President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s Otuoke, Bayelsa State hometown. At the ceremony, leaders were advised to heed the book’s message to save the country from going under. Evelyn Osagie reports.

    A mid tight security and the scorching sun, writers from across the country thronged President Goodluck Jonathan’s Otuoke hometown in Bayelsa State for the anniversary of the late Prof Chinua Achebe’s book Arrow of God.

    The event was held at the Federal University, Otuoke (FUO).

    It no coincidence that the epochal event, which is being marked across the globe, passed through Mr President’s town.

    As a novel which literary scholars say holds lots of lessons for contemporary political, it is fitting that the train of literary festivities, including symposia, dramatic performances (stage adaptations of Arrow Of God) and quiz competitions, should land in the town, the organisers said.

    With the theme: Literature, Leadership and National Unity, the celebrations began in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, where United States Political Scientist and expert on Nigeria politics Prof Darren Kew was the keynote speaker. The event will also hold in Abuja, Lagos, Awka, the Anambra State capital, Ogidi, the Anambra hometown of the late author, Sokoto and Port Harcourt, Rivers State, according to the National Organising Committee Chair, Dr Wale Okediran.

    Just as in Ibadan, the Otuoke scholars examined the political significance of the novel, published in 1964, alongside its historical, cultural and environmental relevance.

    In her keynote paper titled: Beyond the Boundary: Leadership and Abuse of Power in Achebe’s Arrow of God, Prof Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo said the work contains lessons for Nigerian leadership. She highlighted the negative effect of poor leadership skills and the abuse of power in society which the novel, Arrow of God, depicts, saying the novel also upholds that good leadership and proper management and use of power are indispensable to the well-being and development of the family and the nation at large.

    Although the book, which was written at a time when political rivalry made the question of responsible leadership an urgent one to warn future Nigerians to avoid rancour and embrace peace and harmony, she observed that they do not seem to have heeded the warning at any given time. She urged the leaders to heed the warning to save Nigeria from dissolution.

    She said: “Consider, for instance, the numerous disasters that have overtaken the country – civil war, military dictatorship, continued marginalisation and violation of women, militancy and terrorism in the form of political and religious violence and Boko Haram insurgency.

    “It is not too late to heed Achebe’s wise advice and save Nigeria from disintegration. Some Nigerians see the present National Conference as a way out of the woods. As the conference gathers momentum, the delegates who represent the different zones of the country must see the exercise as a viable way to salvage the country.”

    Prof Adimora-Ezeigbo also underscored gender and patriarchy preoccupations in the work, saying the oppression and the marginalisation of women in the novel constitute Achebe’s critique of Nigeria’s male-dominated society, saying: “Nigeria and its people must realise that the enhancement of women’s status in the society would not in any way reduce the social, economic and political standing of men. It is therefore in humanity’s interest to encourage rather than resist change”.

    According to Prof. Diri I. Teilanyo of the FUO and the University of Benin (UNIBEN), “present-day political leaders have some lessons to learn from the implications and consequences of certain rhetorical utterances in the fictional world of Arrow of God, noting that the use and acting out of such could result in much loss both to status and to life.

    While drawing parallels between the utterances of characters, such as Ezeulu, Nwaka and Ezidemili in Arrow of God and those of Nigerian political personalities like Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, Ibrahim Babangida and Atiku Abubakar (the statements of the Nigerian politicians having been gathered from the mass media), she noted that literary works such as Arrow of God constitute a source of political wit and wisdom for politicians.

    Dr Chris Onyema, who directed Emeka Nwabueze’s When the Arrow Rebounds, a dramatic adaptation of Arrow of God, spoke on environmental rights implications, the dislocation and trauma that the clash of cultures brings about in the work.

    The Arrow of God Quiz Competition added an interesting twist to the event. The struggle for the first position was between 10 students, from the initial competition among 35 students from seven secondary schools across Bayelsa State, said the state chairman of Association of Nigerian Authors, Mr Emmanuel Frank-Opigo, who presided over the quiz.

    At the end of the heated quiz, Aniso Teddy from Ayama Montessori won the N40,000 prize. Teddy said he hopes to set up a reading club with the proceeds of the quiz, saying: “I had sleepless nights trying to prepare for the competition. And so, I am happy that I eventually won. There should be more of this to help motivate us, the young ones to read and concentrate on our studies instead of watching films or playing games. As a prefect, the novel has taught me to take recognition of the plights of those I am leading. I think our leaders need to read the book, too, because they don’t seem to care about the masses.”

    Like Teddy, other contenders were not left out. The second prize winner went home with N20,000 while the third person got N10,000. All 10 contenders went home with a dictionary each.

    The FUO Vice Chancellor, Prof Mobolaji Ebenezer Aluko, said he was impressed by the efforts and commitment of the pupils and the organisers of the event. According to him, it is a thing of pride and joy that FUO and Otuoke are part of the celebration train honouring Achebe’s work posthumously. Though the institution is a very young one, he said: “It is determined to support literature in no small way as best as it can.”

    From the cocktail, a night before the symposium, to the farewell dinner that evening, the university treated guests to lots of feasting.

    For him, it was not just another event but a celebration of many firsts. He said it was the first international event in the town and the university and the first time both would host that number of writers. He added that it was also the first time they were using the auditorium of its adjoining Skills Acquisition Centre, which, he said, was quickly completed for the event.

    And to show his commitment to promoting literature, Aluko, who is a lover of arts and one-time ‘student’ actor, directed the Yoruba choreography of the University Dance Troupe that was constituted chiefly for the event alongside the Theatre Troupe, which had only two weeks to prepare. “I am also a lover of arts and acted in many stage plays as a student,” he said.

    In attendance were Bayelsa State Secretary General Prof Edmond Allison-Oguru; the Amananaowei Otuoke, HRH Lott Ogiasa, Oke X, who was represented by the Amananaowei of Imiringi, HRH Augustus Osomu; the Amananaowei of Tombia, HRH Christain Otobotere; Chief Simon Ambakederemo (ANA Bayelsa Patron); Elder Comish Ekiye (ANA Bayelsa Patron); Mr David Suowari (FUO Registrar); Mr Atonbara Ombu (FUO Bursar); Prof Philomena Ejele (FUO Dean, Humanities & Social Sciences) and Dr Okeke (FUO HOD, Humanities), among others.

  • X-raying a literary amazon

    X-raying a literary amazon

    The pain and horror of the killing of some University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) students referred to as ‘Aluu Four’ were brought home when the literati and scholars gathered in Lagos to celebrate a literature doyenne, Prof Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, at the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA)Vintage Wine and Flesh Blends, reports Evelyn Osagie.

    They came protesting. Teenagers- boys and girls. They raised their voices and placards to protest the 2012 carnage that took place in Aluu, a Rivers State community.

    “It was a day dream died/Faith withered in the furnace of unbelief… Adieu, oh hapless victims of Aluu…”they chanted.

    It was no protest rally but the performance of the poem Season of Carnage from the collection Dancing Masks written by seasoned writer Prof AkachiAdimora-Ezeigbo.

    There were mixed emotions as the kids, from four secondary schools, took turns to give theatrical interpretation of the poem on stage. Their reaction was not far-fetched. It was weeks after several bombings and killings in the northern part of the country.

    Emotions were high.While fueling audience’s emotion, the diverse interpretations and costumes added spice to the poem’s preoccupation. The poetic lines, which the poet said was borne out of the hideousness of the act, and the theatrics not only re-enacted the scenes, but also called for firm action against such inhuman acts.

    The Lagos City College’s performance, which was the most expressive of the four schools that included National College, Gbagada; Ikosi Senior High School and Gretech Educational Foundation, clinched the first place position.

    The teen-actors with budding passion for literature, were the “Fresh Blends” while the poet was the “Vintage Wine”, explained the Chairman, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Lagos Branch, Mrs Femi Onileagbon.

    She was one woman wearing many hats. She is a prolific writer, with over 50 publications, including 14 books and numerous journal articles. She is one of Lantern books award-winning authors, who has won diverse literary prizes such as the NLNG Prize for Literature Prize and ANA prizes for Prose Fiction and Women Writing; and has judged several others.

    Her achievements are not limited to the literary front alone. She is an English Language professor and was the head of department of English at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where the event was held. In the home-front, Adimora-Ezeigbo is also a success as wife, mother and grandmother. She was there with her hubby Prof ChristainEzeigbo, their children and granddaughter, bright Chinemenma. And on the traditional front, she is a chief with thetitle UgonwanyiEdemedeNdi Igbo.

    With a large portfolio of accomplishments that serves as inspiration for the young and for her contributions to the advancement of the course of Literature, Onileagbon said,Adimora-Ezeigbo earned a spotlight atthe Second Vintage Wine and Fresh Blends. The event was organised in conjunction with Literamed Publications Nigeria Limited who donated books and prizes to the schools.

    According to the ANA Lagos Chair, the programme aims at creating a mentorship environment for new and budding writers. “It invites the best of established literary figures, publishers and political figures (Vintage Wine), whose experiences and life paths have the weight to influence positively the creative development of new, young or aspiring writers (Fresh Blends) with the aim to nurture them. This edition we chose to celebrate Prof Adimora-Ezeigbo and work withLiteramed Publications Nigeria Limited that has published and promoted scholarship for 45 years.”

    Impressed by the efforts of the teen-actors, Adimora-Ezeigbo, who started literary voyage early as a member of Debating and Dramatic Society where she wrote her first play, encouraged the children to keep at their passion, saying she started many years ago like them. She advised parentsand schools to encourage the budding talents in their wards, saying: “Encourage your children to imbibe the culture of reading and writing early. Schools should identify talents in their wards and begin to nurture them”.

    To her quiet mien are her vocal and activist sides that came alive during the interactive session with the reporter and a representative of Literamed Publications Nigeria Limited, Ms Busayo Sawyerr (Editor-in-Charge). To Ms Sawyerr’s observation of low quality of manuscripts being a reason behind fall in the number of works by budding writers published Literamed, the author advised to them not to lose faith but to engage the services of book editors.

    Adimora-Ezeigbo “the advocate” kicked against destructive criticism that seeks to damage the writer, observing that “sometimes critics can damage writers”. She opined that Nigeria has an abundance of destructive criticisms that are highly subjective. “I would wish we have more of the constructive criticism. Some so-called critics would begin to attack the writer instead of the book. Critics should look at the good and bad things about a book,”she said.

    Her novels promote African culture and cultural tolerance; the school of feminism that accommodates men. In a world that is often said to be ruled by men, the author canvassed for negotiation and cooperation between the sexes, while throwing her weight behind what she calls “Snail-sense feminism”. She said: “The Snail-sense feminism is based on the Igbo cultural belief that advocates that men and women should negotiate and work together. The snail negotiates and dialogues with its environment and other objects around it. I think that is what African women are and should be doing.

    “Some described it as an accommodative stand. Feminism is culture-based and is constrained by our social and cultural beliefs. In Africa, we believe we have to work with the men to move the society forward. If you watch women who are successful, it is not through aggression but through negotiation. You have to work together with the men. If you notice the home that is successful, it is where the man and woman work together.”

    Her novels often promote women empowerment with female lead characters with strong personalities, who wield influence and cause positive change.

    Coming from a background of strong and independent women, she hammered on the importance of women empowerment, saying it is the inspiration behind her advocacy.

    No doubt, African cultures are patriarchy and women are often at the disadvantage, however, Adimora-Ezeigbo said,the continent still prides itself of men who support and believes in the progress of their wives and daughters.

    “My husband is that kind of man. When we are talking about the best woman activist, encouraging women, he is Number One. Right from home, all the women in my family were strong, independentwomen, who are empowered. I grew up in a background of strong women. My two grandmothers were strong, independent women, who believe in the empowering of women. We were encouraged to be strong and independent. My parents empowered me and that is what I believe and encourage. And I am blessed to have a husband that also believes and encourages it,” she said.

    And how does it feel have a wife with such a lofty portfolio, Prof Christian Ezeigbo was asked. Hear him: “If you are lucky to have somebody who is successful, the least you can do is to encourage that person to the utmost because your joy and that person’s joy will multiply.”