Celebrated novelist/playwright, scientist and soldier Elechi Amadi lived and died a writer. The news of his death shook the literary community yesterday. “Our writing captain” has gone home, they mourned.
He was the people’s teacher, a captain, skilled in the art of writing and science (physics and mathematics). He loved and celebrated his Ikwerre roots in deed and words.
Born on May 12, 1934 in Aluu in the Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State, Elechi is scientist that is celebrated for his writing skills. His novel, The Concubine was published in London in 1966.
He has since authored many books, including as The Great Ponds (novel), 1969, Heinemann; Sunset in Biafra (war diary), 1973; Isiburu (play) 1973, Heinemann; Peppersoup and The Road (plays, combined volume), 1977, Ibadan: Onibonoje Publishers; Dancer of Johannesburg (play), 1978, Ibadan: Onibonoje Publishers; The Woman of Calabar (play), 2002, Port Harcourt: Gitelle Press, and Speaking and Singing (essays and poems), 2003, University of Port Harcourt Press.
His contribution to development of the African literary is eulogised by to scholars and writers community in Nigeria. He guiding role in the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) will be missed by many. They called him a friend, brother, mentor, novelists and more. Even in death, notable scholars and writers say, the late writer Amadi would be remembered for his patriotism, his love for his people and the pen by. Hear them:
Celebrated Poet and social critic Prof Niyi Osundare:
Let the world know that Africa has lost one of its most splendid storytellers, and men and women of letters. Amadi is an excellent novelist, playwright, essayist and humourist. I say this all the time that if Things Fall Apart had not been published, The Concubine would have been in its place. One of my earliest literary essays was on his first two novels, which, in my view, are his two great novels – The Concubine and The Great Ponds.
Amadi, in terms of his narrative, is Africa’s closest instance of Thomas Hardy. The two authors are so good in the use of coincidence and narrative irony and extremely powerful influence of Fate. In that light, he reminds us of the splendid combination of traditional African narrative style, classical style and the works of Hardy. We are really going to miss him.
The Woman of Calabar is my favourite play. It was staged in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at ANA convention in 2001: we were all laughing because of his use of humour and play on pun. Stylistically and rhetorically, Amadi wrote with the panache of a scientist. There is a certain lucidity, economy of means and delicate simplicity in his communicative style. He reminded me of Chinua Achebe. You couldn’t be around him without laughing and thinking. Amadi and Achebe are unforgettable storytellers and humanists.
Renowned playwright, scholar Prof Femi Osofisan:
I called him Elechi, simply and without formality, as many did, because he was that kind of man. In spite of his age and achievements, he had no airs. In his company you laughed easily; and you learned, because he was full of yarns and wisdom. Certainly I was proud to be his friend, this man whose books were among the ones that taught us how to write. His prose was crisp, his narrative style brisk, compelling; he knew the art of total seduction through the manipulation of suggestion and suspense; he was thoroughly familiar with traditional lore and the world of mystery, magic and fabulation. You enter his fiction, and you are instantly gripped!. Even as you turn the last page, you find yourself king for more… And now he too is gone. No one of course was born to live forever, and the consolation is that Elechi at least stayed long enough with us to a full and ripe age. Still, his departure is painful, for it marks another sad loss from that fine generation of pioneers whose writing established and defined our contemporary literature, and gave our culture a refining ethical direction that, for better or for worse, the younger ones have since jettisoned. Adieu then, humble hero and superb story-teller! May you have a smooth ride back home to the ancestors!
National President Nigerian Oral Literature Association (NOLA) Prof Godini G. Darah:
We applaud Elechi and his boundless families for surviving the oil-induced smoke and pollution of his native Ikwerre and Niger Delta to attain the sagacious age of 82. We applaud Elechi and his boundless families for surviving the oil-induced smoke and pollution of his native Ikwerre and Niger Delta to attain the sagacious age of 80. And until his sad demise yesterday, we were still counting; convinced that surely the silvery glow of his luxuriant hair presages that he has more rivers of healthy living to cross!
The literary artist is not just an engineer of souls; the literary artist is also a scientist, an inventor, discoverer, a geographer-cartographer, and explorer of imaginary universes and seamless spaces.
The controversy over the nexus between politics and aesthetics has been with us from the dawn of humanity and it will grow wings and continue to fly and perch on the imagination of millions and billions of creative artists and their patrons. This is the spirit in which we pay homage to Elechi Amadi, the prodigy of Aluu in Ikwerre land, Rivers State, the Niger Delta, Nigeria, Africa and the world at large. Let me end, therefore, by inviting the ancestral voice of Chinua Achebe, the iconic storyteller and universal counsellor: people create stories, create people. It is an endless tale of invention, narration, translation and recreation that goes on forever and forever, life without end. So let it be with our Elechi Amadi who died at 82.
Executive Secretary, National Institute of Cultural Orientation (NICO) Dr Barclays Ayakoroma:
Evelyn, I heard the news of the passing on of Elechi Amadi and had prayed that it should be one of such rumours. Unfortunately, a post by Dr Sam Dede on DGN social media platform confirmed it. It is another painful exit. His works: The Concubine and The Great Ponds will ever remain masterpieces in Africa’s literary world. I will not forget his dramatic pieces like Isiburu and Pepper Soup. In fact, Pepper Soup brought the favour of government to Bayelsa Arts Council. Our hearts are the family. May the gentle soul of Isiburuekperi rest in peace.
National President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Denja Abdullahi:
Elechi Amadi was a great storyteller in the league of Chinua Achebe.Like Achebe, he steadfastly supported the growth of literary talents in Nigeria by actively mentoring other writers and standing firm as a pillar to the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) at the national and at the local level. Elechi Amadi novels and plays are all delightful read and fired a lot of literary imaginations who took a cue from him and became good storytellers too.And most importantly,he was a benign, humble and welcoming person whose compound in Aluu,welcomed writers without affectation ,all the time. ELECHI Amadi, the writer and the patriot will certainly not be forgotten.
Former ANA National President Remi Raji:
ElechiAmadi, captain, nationalist, and most of all, writer and novelist of international status; a very dependable senior member of ANA; a supporter of grassroots Nigerian literature; his influence came very early to those who read some of the classics of the Nigerian Novel of the 60s through the 80s. While i was ANA President, he was one of the significant contributors to execution of the authors’ convention of 2014. May his blessed soul be more blessed in death.
Former ANA National President Dr Wale Okediran:
Elechi Amadi’s versatility was indisputable. He was a Mathematician, Physicist, Surveyor, Soldier, Novelist, Poet as well as an accomplished Playwright. Although I had met him early in life through his books, my first encounter with Captain Elechi Amadi (Rtd) was in the late 80s through the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) which I joined after qualifying as a Medical Doctor in 1980. Coming from a purely science background like the late accomplished writer, it was Amadi and some other literary icons of his generation who warmly welcomed me into the fold of writers and made my literary take off a very smooth one.
Elechi Amadi had a gift of innovative thinking, a visionary spirit, and tenacious patience- ingredients that made him succeed in his various areas of human endeavors as a successful manager of men and events. He never judged or forced his opinions on anyone, but offered valuable and truthful advice that will surely be missed.
I consider it a privilege to have been a part of Elechi Amadi’s life. I commiserate with Dr Mrs Preye Amadi and the family on the departure of their loving husband, father and grandfather who was our friend and mentor. May his gentle soul continue to rest in peace. Amen.
Former National Vice-President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) May Ifeoma Nwoye:
Dogged as a solider he once was, Elechi Amadi wrote elegantly and meticulously. Even when he told stories about his own life, he did so with the minutest details and military precision. He was one writer who you will neither take unawares or for granted. But see! He just left, without giving us time to arrange our thoughts or prepare our phrases.
Nigerian writers will miss him. He was very active until his health failed him. Elechi Amadi was a great Nigerian.
Poet and Associate Registered Practitioner of Advertising (ARPA)
Odoh Diego Okenyodo:
For me, the author will live with us forever especially given his boldness to write Sunset in Biafra. The autobiographical work helped me understand, first of all, that Biafra—like any other geographical cluster in this world—is/was not one homogeneous place living happily ever before and after. His personal life story glimpsed from that book illustrates how identities are hoisted on us like flags and we are expected to fly the flag even when we do not belief in those flags or what they represent. Elechi took his identity in his own hands, created and defined it. For him, Nigeria was not perfect, just like any other nation wasn’t, yet it was worth fighting for, even at the risk of death when he joined the Federal army from which he had earlier resigned to restore Nigeria’s land. He was an inspiration to me and many others to know that your country is not only your country when all is good; your country is your country if you can be willing to keep it together and work at it.