As Nigerian scholars and literati joined their counterparts across the world to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the late Prof Chinua Achebe’s novel at the Oyo State capital, the political and historical relevance was underlined, reports Evelyn Osagie.
It was a moment of sober reflection and intellectual rigour into Nigeria’s political terrain when Nigerian scholars and literati gathered at the University of Ibadan, Arts Theatre to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the late literary legend, Prof Chinua Achebe’s novel Arrow of God.
Fifty years after the epic novel, Arrow of God was written, it still spells lessons for politicians and Nigeria’s political landscape, it was said. With Ekiti and Osun’s election on the way, politicians have been referred to the novel for lessons on politics and governance. The scholars raised concern over the state of the nation. “2015 is around the corner, we are worried for Nigeria,” they said.
Tagged: Literature, Leadership and National Unity, the symposium marked the beginning of the Nigerian-leg of the global celebration. The power play in the work was linked to what is happening in Nigeria’s political scene.
The book political relevance is not only being celebrated in Nigeria alone, but across 70 countries, the Chairman of the National Organising Committee, Arrow of God @ 50 Celebration, Dr Wale Okediran said.
What was meant to be a celebration of one of Nigeria’ literary classics became a political summit of a sort as scholars x-rayed Nigeria’s political terrain.
Aside from Ibadan, it would be celebrated in seven other cities March and April in Otuoke, Abuja, Lagos, Awka, Ogidi, Sokoto and Port Harcourt, according to Okediran.
Set in the Southeast, the 1964 novel centres on Ezeulu, the chief priest of several villages who confronts adversaries to his office, colonial powers and Christian missionaries in the 1920s.
Okediran said: “The portrayal of leadership in Arrow of God is unique in many ways. Ezeulu, the protagonist of the novel, is not just the chief priest of Ulu, the colonial government finds him exceptional and fearless especially in the case of the land dispute. However, Ezeulu’s leadership is under threat as he is in constant conflict with his rival – Ezeidemili for example, the colonial government and even his own family. In resolving these conflicts he puts himself in the place of his god and abandons his people in a fit of revenge.
“He forgets that he is merely an arrow in the hand of his god. As a leader, does Ezeulu exude the needed qualities of honesty and integrity? Does he carry the people along in the discharge of his duties? Does he have their love and the fulfilment of their desires at heart? Has he arrogated power to himself and momentarily forgets he is merely an intermediary between god and man? In the end, does he lead his people to progress and development or destruction? These are some of the questions the papers attempts to answer in the light of the place of leaders in present-day Nigeria where politicians as leaders do not see their function as that of service but live large at the expense of the poor people they claim to lead,” Okediran said.
The US Professor on Conflict Resolution and Democracy Building, Darren Kew said he has been an admirer of his efforts in democracy building. Kew, who gave the keynote address, showed an in-depth understanding of Nigeria’s political scene which is not unconnected to his years of research and being an election monitor for four elections in Nigeria. He raised fears over the country’s political scene in the next year, saying Nigeria is faced with the most trying times. He noted that violence would allow the military to come in, urging the Civil Societies and trade unions to advocate for peace and fair play. “I don’t think Nigeria would collapse but it could if they engage the military. I hope politicians will not engage the military. What worries me is PDP pushing the religious candidate in the North-East; politicisation of the military, especially in the North. The CSO has a peacekeeping role to play and should ensure they monitor the elections.
Kew observed that for Nigeria’s nascent democracy to flourish, there is need for a vibrant opposition, saying the success of the “APC” merger would spell change for Nigeria. He urged the opposition parties to borrow from the example of their Ghanaian counterparts
He said: “Ghana and others did not arrive in one year at its position as one of the countries that have democratised. Democracy takes time to work. Clean election comes only with an agreement to obey the rule. In a good democracy, you need political parties pointing fingers at each other. Since their politics are based on self-interest, let ambition check ambition. We are in a very dangerous stage for Nigeria. It is going to be a bumpy ride in the next year. It is hard to determine how the game will play out in 2015 but where you have strong opposition, it is more difficult to rig.
“Various scenarios can play out. APC may probably be rigged out again but the political parties must keep at it until they become strong enough to take on the ruling party. As the opposition gets organised, it becomes very difficult to rig. However, the rise of APC could bring about change. APC should think 2019 too (like Ghana in 1996): in 1992 the Ghanaian opposition were rigged out several times but they got there; think over a long term, build a base in the National Assembly to win in 2019.
“With the defect of the governors, PDP is in more trouble now than it ever was. However, the heart of the APC is the agreement. There is the fear that it could still collapse into its constituent parts. More would depend on who the APC picks as presidential candidate. Can APC produce a Northern conscientious candidate?”
He urged the public to rise up and protect their votes by being involved in the process from start to finish.
Radical scholar, Azeez Akinwumi of the Al-Hikmah University, linked the quest for sustainable democratic governance in Nigeria to the text Arrow of God. In his paper entitled: Hegemonic Masculinity and the Quest for Sustainable Democratic Governance in Nigeria: Achebe’s Arrow of God as a Paradigm, Akinwumi said Ezeulu’s power play in the text is akin to those of present-day politicians, who are determined to hold power at all cost. The tragedy that befell the protagonist at the end, according to him, should sound a warning to power-drunk politicians.
The book’s anniversary was also marked with a literary quiz between pupils in secondary schools in the state. Abadina College won first place.
