Tag: Arrow of God

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.

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.