· Niger immortalises Ekwensi with e-library
It was a convergence of ideas when scholars, writers and literary gaints, such as Prof. Wole Soyinka, met at the Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (MBA) National Literary Colloquium in Minna, the Niger State capital, to address the theme: Nigerian Literature, Conflict and National Unity. They sought ways of resolving burning national issues through intellectual rigour and also honoured one of their own, the late Cyprian Ekwensi. EVELYN OSAGIE reports.
Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka has said the Constitution alone may not be able to resolve “our various areas of conflicts”.
According to him, Nigeria would become truly united if people respected each other’s rights and religion, otherwise, a perfect Constitution may not be able to save the situation.
He was presenting his keynote address on the theme: Nigerian Literature, Conflict and National Unity at the Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (MBA) National Literary Colloquium in Minna, Niger State. The event was an intellectual exercise attended by notable writers, literary critics and scholars such as the Vice Chancellor, Nasarawa State University, Prof. Shamsudeen Amali; Mallam Abubakar Gimba; Prof. Charles Nnolim; Prof. Yusuf Adamu; former President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Odia Ofeimun; the incumbent Prof. Remi Raji; ANA Abuja chair, Edwin Oriata; ANA Kaduna chair, Usho Adawa; former ANA Imo chair, Camilus Ukah; Dr. Salihu Bappa and Ahmed Maiwada.
Aside brainstorming, they also celebrated one of their own as the Niger State government inaugurated an e-library in memory of the late writer, Cyprian Odiatu Ekwensi. The library, with free internet facilities housing over 20 computers in the main hall, would serve as a resource centre for students, scholars, writers and researchers, it was learnt.
Ekwensi was a writer with the unity of the nation at heart, guests said. His works, they said, preached messages of unity and harmony among Nigerians. From Nkwelle Ezumaka, Anambra State, he was born in the hilly town of Minna in 1921. He schooled in the north, south west, Ghana and London; and grew to become a renowned writer who authored over 30 books before his death in 2007.
The event, Soyinka said, brought back fond memories. According to him, he and the late Ekwensi used to go hunting in the state capital when he was alive. He urged young writers to take a cue from Ekwensi’s example on unity. “Ekwensi was a great hunter. His works cut across ethnic divides and promoted national unity. What we are celebrating today is an evocation that breaks petty dividing lines. His work was a revelation to many of us. He introduced this part of the world to many of us in the south,” he said.
In the quest for conflict resolution, Soyinka said, writers’ mission, as in other aspect of national life, is simply to bear witness, and thus implicitly, proposed alternative national philosophies. He added that such philosophies can be inducted by future generation as a viable direction for social conduct and insight into existence itself, noting that beyond that, no one should look to the writer for salvation.
“What is the most valuable gift that writers can bequeath to others? Or what does the writer value most? Is it the sense of excitement that comes from transforming reality?’ Soyinka asked.
He said:“Ekwensi, who we have gathered for today with the opening of the library in his honour and one of the pioneers of what we consider modern Nigerian prose literature, also found himself compelled to confront that question. At that same critical phase of a nation’s turmoil, he decided that the answer laid in joining hands to form a new entity in which he and his own people could live securely. He took his place as the others such as Chinua Achebe during that period of national stress among the combatants for a new nation.
“Today, however, many of us, just like the organisers of this event are asking the question that implicitly reverses the choice, writers like Christopher Okigbo, Flora Nwapa, Chukwuemeka Ike and others made in their own times and that question is how to ensure that those writers or any writer is never again confronted with such dilemma that they never again have to make the same agonising choices. The magic word sometimes appears to be “UNITY”. This nation is already united in so many things – for instance, corruption. Our elementary pre-occupation should be to protect words, language from devaluation, especially at the hands of those who constantly seek to propagate alibis for iniquitous social conduct and the pursuit of false values.”
“When I started writing poetry at 17, the war had just started,” began activist poet Ofeimun on The role of Literature in securing the nation’s unity.
While observing that literature has helped unite the nation, he recounted his Civil War experience, saying conflicts usually have a deep-rooted impact on lives, especially that of writers.
He said: “Wole Soyinka was in jail, Achebe was helping to raise money for the Biafran Sun, Cyprian Ekwensi was fighting to defend the Sun and Okigbo had died. All those, whom we looked upon, were involved in the war so that I began my life as a poet in conflict. Those (writers) who can speak for us must never be allowed not to speak for us. Literature is about defending the memories of the people. The colonialists drew lines around the various groups and they forgot the stories they once told of themselves and forsaken part of Nigerian history: that, for instance, between the Yoruba and Igbo that they once had a common language.
“Ekwensi was a writer that recognised that underneath the differences is the need to tell stories of how we relate and connect to one another. When we look at Nigeria, it is important to note how much we share similar traits/communalities. And literature has kept alive the dream of how we are similar. The power of our literature is its ability of being able to make sanity out of our nation. And for that we need to thank the Soyinkas, the Achebes, the Ekwensis and young writers who hold the key to our shared past and future,” he said.
The move to celebrate the “holders of the nation’s shared past, present and future,” Niger State Governor Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu said inspired the literary colloquium which is in its second edition. In the same vein, aside being an indigene of the state by virtue of birth, he noted that Ekwensi was being honoured posthumously because his works propagated messages on unity. He called for national integration, saying: “anyone trying to work against national integration is wasting his time”. He donated N10 million grants to ANA, saying it is for the furtherance of literature in the country.
Aliyu said: “Unless Nigerians respect those who teach and who write there will be no end to the corruption and ignorance. When we are talking about corruption, we must look consciously at the real cause. Corruption originate from the leadership. As leaders, we must lead by example. As stakeholders of Nigeria project, the colloquium is a platform to brainstorm on burning national issues. It is also inspired by our determination to make Niger the ‘literary capital of Nigeria’ and contribution to the development of literature.
“We believe in the Nigerian project not only because we gave Nigeria its name, many who have given the Nigerian project their support, such as renowned writers like Abubakar Imam, Bello Kagara, Ojukwu, Mamman Vatsa, Ben Okri, Gimba originated from this state. We respect you because you are the light of the society. Writers are motivators. Join me to celebrate Ekwensi who not by choice was born in Minna but by choice made Minna his home.”
Guests, including Ekwensi’s family led by George Ekwensi, praised the efforts of the Niger State government. He said: “Our father Ekwensi belonged to them as much as he did to us. The environment of Niger State helped form my father’s young mind. That was why he found it so easy to reflect the culture of the Northern part of Nigeria in several of his books: Passport of Mallam Ilia, Iska, Burning Grass, An African Night’s Entertainment, Gone to Mecca, and several others. He found the daily challenges confronting the common man intriguing and wove them into stories again and again.
“I have no doubt that he is here with us in spirit. Minna was one of his favourite cities. It is my fervent hope that the commissioning of the library named after him by no less a personage that Africa’s first Nobel Prize winner, Soyinka would lead to revitalisation of the reading culture and inspire young men and women in the state and indeed in our dear country Nigeria to strive for excellence in the arts and the sciences and especially in the telling of the many stories that are still begging to be told.”
His brother, Ike urged the eastern government to borrow a leaf from their Niger State counterpart. “It is about time we end this racism and embrace unity. There are many people in the east who are from the north and other parts of the country that deserves this kind of award. The governor of Niger State has shown that he is a true Nigerian. The family prays for him,” he said.
On his part, Niger State Chief of Staff, Prof. Muhammed Kuta Yahaya, said: “The colloquium is meant to create a converging point where ideas would be consolidated and proffer solution on the national issues. Niger State model is inspired by educational ideologies such as that of the late sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo.”
