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Tag: Niyi Osundare

  • President Buhari felicitates with renowned poet, Niyi Osundare at 70

    President Buhari felicitates with renowned poet, Niyi Osundare at 70

    President Muhammadu Buhari has joined the literary world in congratulating a renowned academic, poet, columnist and dramatist, Prof. Niyi Osundare, as he turns 70.

    In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina in Abuja on Sunday, Buhari felicitated with all the friends, colleagues and family members of the literary icon.

    The president noted that Osundare, who through courage and the power of the pen, had contributed immensely to the political history of Nigeria.

    According to him, the septuagenarian’s sacrifices over the years can only be rewarded with strong democratic institutions that guarantee free and fair elections, and effective governance that provides security, good health facilities and sound education to its citizenry.

    President Buhari commended “the disciplined, forthright and diligent spirit of the erudite scholar whose written works already span the globe’’.

    He further noted with delight that the written works had continued to attract “numerous awards, and whose voice of wisdom will continue to resonate through generations’’.

    The president prayed that the almighty God would grant Osundare longer life, good health and more wisdom to serve humanity.

     

  • Niyi Osundare on Ekiti State: A centre of excellence and knowledge is now known for violence and kidnapping

    Niyi Osundare on Ekiti State: A centre of excellence and knowledge is now known for violence and kidnapping

    Despite the daunting fuel hardship in the country, scholars, friends and family converged on Ibadan to honour the renowned poet, Prof Niyi Osundare as he celebrates the Niyi Soundare International Poetry Festival at Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan (UI). The festival was organised by some of his friends and ex-students which included Dele Morakinyo, Tunde laniyan, Yomi Layinka among others.

    Also, the chairman of the occasion, Femi Falana (SAN), who thought that the event would be cancelled due to the fuel scarcity could not make the event, but the former Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan, Prof Ayo Banjo stood in. Expectedly, Trenchard Hall wore the colours of art and culture, as traditional dancers, artists and poets gathered in the hall to honour Prof Osundare. Among the guests at the festival were film producer Emeritus Prof Ayo Bamgbose, Prof Remi Raji, Vice Chancellor of Kwara State University, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na-Allah, Tunde Kelani, festival director Tunde Laniyan and others.  The Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan, Prof Isaac Adewole who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof Emilolorun Ayelari described Osundare as a hero of the university who should be honoured by all sundry.

    “I want to thank the organisers of this event for holding it in our institution. We are proud to be associated with Prof Osundare and we are proud of his achievements over the years. He is a teacher of teachers” he said. Corroborating the UI VC’s remark, Prof Ayo Banjo also described Osundare as a pride to University of Ibadan community, Ekiti State, humanity and Nigeria at large.  Prof Banjo said Osundare is a load of talents that is recognised beyond the shores of the country, adding that such an occasion would propel him to do more work and make the country proud of him.

    The keynote speaker, Prof Abdul-Rasheed Na-Allah, who is also the Vice-Chancellor Kwara State University, Ilorin, thanked the organisers of the event for deeming it fit to celebrate a renowned poet like Prof Osundare who has made Nigeria and Africa to be proud at home and abroad.

    Na-Allah said:” We need to start encouraging the young ones into poetry in order to sustain its rich culture. We need to be part of this poetry to be Africans. We need people that will promote poetry from the primary to the university level. What we are doing today is what Nigerians needs to be doing to celebrate our heroes like the Wole Soyinka’s, Osofisan’s, Ayo Banjo’s, and others who can be described as our resources to the world.

    “Government needs to promote poetry because Nigeria cannot progress as long as we hide poetry. Poetry promotes our inner feelings, vision, and thought to the world. The only way we can have a competitive country in the 21st century is for us to value poetry. Osundare is the voice of the voiceless and this recent election was won because of people like him”

    The Kwara State University VC said the organisers of the festival must be commended for honouring Prof Osundare whom he said represents the aspiration and culture of the people.

    “His poetry represents the aspirations and inner feelings of the people. For example, Nigeria has about 500 languages yet Nigeria is least in developing tourism, but festivals like this will be able to attract people and make us a tourist centre for the world,” he said. Na-Allah who suggested that the festival should be hosted by other institutions in the country in order to promote its essence, said his university is willing to host and sponsor the next year’s edition of the festival.  Also, Prof Femi Osofisan said Osundare is a star and a model to many in the country, adding that youngsters need to emulate his type of lifestyle to succeed in life.

    “Instead of our young ones to be thinking on how to steal money and commit different atrocities, Prof Osundare is an individual that they can use as their role models to be great in life.  In his words of appreciation, the celebrant, Prof Osundare thanked the organisers for honouring him. Osundare who hails from Ikere town in Ekiti State, regretted that his state which has been known as a centre of excellence and knowledge, is now known for violence and kidnapping.

    “This is one of my happiest days on earth and I am grateful to the friendly conspirators that have put this together to honour me. I had no hand at all in the planning of this event. It’s a kindred spirits that has put this together for me to give me a surprise. I consented to it because they are important to me and I cannot say no to them. Who am I for people to shower me with their attention and affection? I feel humbled and faltered, and I am highly inspired by this. They are not just doing it for me as a person but for our society and our country,” he said.

    He urged President Buhari and the administration of All Progressives Congress (APC), to ensure real transformational change in all sectors of the economy.

    Change is what politicians promised us, especially the incoming administration of APC and I have learnt not to trust politicians. APC has to be extremely careful in the way they handle everything. Most of our politicians are rogues otherwise our country will not be like this. For the past one week no fuel, no electricity and everybody are just going their normal activities as if all is well. We embrace the change APC is bringing but all I am saying is real change in all sectors.

    “We want good roads that will take us to our destinations and not our early graves, good education all of our children, food for everybody to eat, a shelter over everybody, good medical care instead of sending  people to India, Egypt or Korea for medical attention. The change we need must be change from impunity and th‎ose who rule us must be held accountable. There must be reward for good deeds and punishment for bad deeds, we are ruled by people who steals our money and we still praise them. In this country today it pays to do evil than good and that is why things have gone bad.

    “The people of Nigeria must ensure that we get our politicians to respect us. They buy us over with stomach infrastructure, we vote in the wrong people and we suffer for it. A politician comes gives the electorates N500 to secure his vote, and without looking at his ideology they vote for them and in a day or two the money is gone, not knowing that they have already voted out their future and that of their children, and I know it is due to poverty. Government must reduce poverty and even eradicate it because we have the resources. We are one of the richest countries in the world and number 7th producer of petroleum, go to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, or Dubai you will see what they have done with their oil money. We live on the ocean but we are washing our hands with siliva. ”

    He lamented that Nigerians have not learnt to hold its leaders accountable, adding that those who rule us does anything they like without been held accountable. “Every Nigerians must know how much each politicians or public office holders are earning, we must know how they are spending the security votes. The politicians are few and we are many. We spent over 60 per cent of our earnings on the maintenance of parasitic and prodigal political officers and the rest of us are suffering” the scholar said. Osundare warns that if the new administration does not perform beyond expectation, they will be voted out like their predecessors.

  • Niyi Osundare international poetry festival opens May 26

    Niyi Osundare international poetry festival opens May 26

    The maiden edition of the Niyi Osundare International Poetry Festival which will hold in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital between  May 26 and 27, has continued to win support from stakeholders in the book publishing industry as well as the creative and academic world.  The nation’s pioneer university, the University of Ibadan, which is also Prof Niyi Osundare’s alma matter, is a partner in the festival which is to honour the poetry icon who is a multiple awards winner.

    The 2-day historic event will feature traditional Nigerian and contemporary poetry presentations, including, esa, ijala, ekun iyawo, iwure as well as music, dance and drama. It will also offer literary scholars, students of secondary and tertiary institutions a unique opportunity of meeting the celebrated writer who will be coming in from his United States of America base where he is currently a Distinguished Professor in the Department of English at the University of New Orleans, Lakefront, New Orleans.

    The event will also provide a platform for better understanding of the great works of the poets as eminent scholars and experts in literature will discuss his writings, style and content at two sessions devoted to such in depth engagements.

    In addition to all the foregoing, publishers and booksellers will have the opportunity to take stands to exhibit their titles to the gathering of literary giants expected at the festival. The organizers expect that more individuals and corporate organizations will is want to be counted in by supporting the celebration of a Nigerian who keeps projecting the nation excellently across the globe where he is highly respected for his advocacy for humaneness in governance and literary prowess.

  • Ekiti governorship election: a likely shoo-in for Fayemi

    Ekiti governorship election: a likely shoo-in for Fayemi

    Its motto is “Land of Honour.” It might as well have called itself “Land of Intellectuals” instead, and it would not have been amiss; it holds the record as the state that has produced the largest number of doctorates and professors in Nigeria, notably, Professors Jacob Festus Ade-Ajayi, Nigeria’s leading living Historian who celebrated his 85th birthday on Monday, Niyi Osundare, a literary giant and ace columnist, and the late Sam Aluko, the radical-conservative (never mind the oxymoron) economist who was the brain behind the economic policies of Chief Obafemi Awolowo as Premier of Western Nigeria.

    For a state which prides itself as the most bookish in Nigeria, it is an irony that one of the accusations the governor of the state, Dr John Kayode Fayemi, has had to fend off in his campaign for the forthcoming governorship election in the state on June 21 is that he is too bookish. Perhaps it is a reflection of the quality of the opposition candidates. Perhaps it is a reflection of their level of desperation, considering the almost certainty that Fayemi will retain his job in a free and fair election. The fact, however, is that the integrity and soundness of his academic background as a holder of a doctorate degree – unlike that of you-know-who – has been made to look like an albatross rather than the virtue that it is.

    “I am an academic,” he said somewhat defensively in a newspaper interview the other day, “but I am also a politician; I am not an Ivory Tower academic. I am on the streets.” (The Nation, May 19).

    Anyone who has been to Ekiti State since the man was sworn in as governor on October 16, 2010, following a three-and-half-year legal battle over the outcome of the April, 2007, governorship election in which Chief Segun Oni, the candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, was declared winner, will testify to the fact that Fayemi has truly been on the streets changing the fortunes of the people of the state for the better.

    “I always,” he said in the interview in question, “ask anybody who raises this type of questions to do two things: read my inaugural speech on October 16, 2010 and mark paragraph by paragraph what I said I was going to do that I have not done in office.”

    Ekiti, created out of the old Ondo State by military head of state, General Sani Abacha, on October 1, 1996, is one of the smallest in the country by size (2,543 square metres and 31st  out of 36 states) and by population (2,737,186 million and 29th out of 36). In terms of the much depended upon revenue allocation to states from the centre, Ekiti is also near the bottom; it receives an average of N3 billion monthly compared to, say, Bayelsa which was created out of the old Rivers State in the same year and is bigger in size (8,158 square metres) but smaller in population (1,998,349) and collects 24 billion a month on average.

    For a state with such a meagre revenue allocation it is a miracle that Fayemi had been able to achieve most of what he promised nearly four years ago, especially in the areas of education, infrastructural development and social security. Part of his secret is that he is one of the most urbane and cosmopolitan politicians in the land, virtues he apparently cultivated during his self-exile under General Abacha’s five-year rule.

    As governor he seems to have used those virtues to attract sizeable grants from abroad to build the infrastructure that were so much lacking in the state before he took charge.

    The other half of his secret is that he has been able to raise money from the capital market to deliver on his promises. For opposition candidates, this is not a good thing and they could be right; only in this case they aren’t.

    The leading opposition candidate, Chief Peter Ayodele Fayose, for example, has condemned Fayemi for putting the state in debt, among his other alleged crimes against its good people. “Fayemi,” the New Telegraph (May 15) quoted him as saying, “has destroyed education, put Ekiti in debt, impoverished Ekiti people through capital flight. Nobody really wants to return APC (Fayemi’s All Progressives Congress) to power in this state. APC is like leprosy to the people.”

    Ekiti may be in debt but in making his charge against Fayemi, Fayose obviously conveniently ignored the purpose of the debts and to ask whether their costs have been more than their benefits. Debts, as the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate knows all too well, are bad only if, as is all too often the case in Nigeria, they are incurred only to be stolen or mismanaged rather than invested wisely and efficiently. So far, no opposition candidate, not even Fayose, has accused Fayemi of kleptomania.

    In any case Fayose is hardly in a position morally to accuse anyone of such a crime. After all, it was allegations of corruption against him which seemed credible that led to his impeachment by his state House of Assembly in which more than half the members belonged to his own party. This was the impeachment that led to the crisis which, in turn, provided President Olusegun Obasanjo with an excuse to impose his constitutionally dubious emergency rule on the state in October, 2006.

    It is doubtful that the good people of Ekiti State would want a return to those locust years under Fayose and his PDP, a party he himself had called some of the nastiest names and even left to contest unsuccessfully for a senate seat on the platform of the Labour Party in 2007, following his terrible encounter with Obasanjo. Here it is instructive that only two weeks ago or so, the majority leader of the Ekiti House of Assembly under his administration and the commissioner of land under Segun Oni’s subsequent PDP administration, Mr Kayode Babade, defected from the party to APC.

    Apart from Fayose, the only other credible opposition to Fayemi is his estranged friend and former APC compatriot and member of the House of Representatives, Chief Michael Opeyemi Bamidele. Bamidele eventually left after his apparent wish to take over from Fayemi after only one term was spurned in December, 2012, by his political bosses, including Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu whose government he had served in as a commissioner, the elderly Chief Bisi Akande, a former governor of Osun State and acting chairman of APC and, before then, chair of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and Chief Niyi Adebayo, a former governor of Ekiti. In reaction he rejected their pleas to remain in APC and instead left to join the Labour Party.

    Personal ambition is hardly a vice in itself. However, it is hardly enough to persuade an electorate to change horses even after crossing the stream, in a manner of speaking. As Fayemi asked rhetorically in an answer to a question by editors of Tell in an interview in its edition of November 11, 2013, concerning his estrangement from his friend and compatriot, “What is it that we promised that we are not doing? What is in the manifesto of our party that is not being implemented in Ekiti?”

    As with Fayose, it is also here instructive that when Bamidele left APC, not a single local government chairman of the party was known to have followed him to his new party.

    Clearly, the most serious obstacle to Fayemi retaining his job from June 21 is the PDP’s formidable rigging machine, which threw out Chief Adebayo from the Government House, Ado-Ekiti and installed Fayose there in 2003, and Oni in 2007. And in what sounded like the party’s willingness to crank up this machine, Vice-President Namadi Sambo, during a rally in Ekiti in support of its governorship candidate last month, equated Ekiti and the neighbouring Osun with “war fronts” which the PDP must “capture” in the governorship elections coming up in the two APC states in June and August respectively.

    Hopefully, the vice-president’s words were no more than the usual hyperbole of an over-excited politician on the stump. However, in case it is, the best, if not the only, way to avert a “war” in those states is for the Independent National Electoral Commission to use the Voters Card Reader machine as the best guarantee of free and fair elections. At any rate, it is safer not to take any chances.

    So far INEC seems reluctant to use the machines before the general elections next year. The vice-president’s unfortunate words which he probably never meant, given his mild nature, has now made it incumbent for INEC to use those machines. With the limited number that will be required, the commission has enough time to deploy them. Indeed, INEC should seize this as an opportunity to test run them.

    It is only if it does so that it will help remove any excuse for Fayemi and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Osun governor, to cause havoc in their states should they lose their jobs in June and August because everybody would’ve seen that the elections had been free and fair.