The Words Finesse

Gabriel Okara, one of Nigeria’s foremost poets and novelists, has died one month to his 98th birthday.

According to a family member who pleaded anonymity, Okara died at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa state, on Sunday evening.

The Nigerian poet and novelist whose verse had been translated into several languages by the early 1960s, the source stressed was relaxing at his Yenagoa residence when he slumped around 4pm.

He added that the head of the Okara family has sent a text message out for an emergency meeting, and the family would issue a formal statement afterwards.

Meanwhile, the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Bayelsa State Chapter, in a statement by its chairman, Mrs Bina Ilagha, said the association was saddened by the news of the death.

“The Association is ruffled by the news because it came at a time when preparations are in top gear to celebrate his masterpiece, ‘’The Voice’’ at 55.

“We are saddened by the news but are consoled that he left behind lofty legacies. Pa Okara, through his literary exploits put Bayelsa in the map of literary excellence,” he said.

Seriake Dickson, Governor of the state, has described Okara’s death as a great loss to the state and Nigeria.

In a statement on Monday, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, said the Governor has declared a three-day mourning for Okara.

Iworiso-Markson said for the next three days, all flags will fly at half mast.

Similarly, the speech writer to the Governor of Bayelsa, and one time Chairman of ANA, Mr Michael Afenfia, in a statement in Yenagoa expressed sadness about the death.

“It is with great sadness that I received the news of the passing of the renowned poet and novelist, Gabriel Okara. Even in passing, I am sure your poem, “Piano and Drums”, will ‘minister’ to me in many ways.

“Your words are an inspiration! Your concerns about the African culture in the face of Western ‘threat’ as expressed in “Once Upon a Time” are ever before me.

“Thank you for leaving us with so much to remember of your time here with us. Thank you for setting the pace for several generations of writers,” he said.

Reacting to his death, Mr Uzoh Nwamara, the Chairman, Association of Nigerian Author (ANA), Rivers State, told Daily Sun, “It is with great shock that the ANA Rivers family received the news of the passage of our literary icon, Pa Gabriel Imomotimi Okara, today. He was with us at our last Literary Excellence Day held on October 14, 2017, in Port Harcourt as a recipient of our highest literary award that day.

“He was his usual calm and dignified self. I still remember when Chinua Achebe died in 2013, and I interviewed him jointly with our dear father and patron, Dr Elechi Amadi, on Garden City Radio, 89.9 FM. He lived a larger than life image through his works. Meeting him in person was like meeting Elechi Amadi in person. Their unassuming humility and palpable dignity will shock and humble you.

“He was a first class member of the first generation of modern African writers with numerous awards to show for it. This month of March has not been a good one for the Nigerian and African literary community. We have lost too many of our cherished own this month. We pray that the boatman ferries him across the river gently to the pantheon of literary gods for he was a complete literary gentleman.”

For the revolutionary critic, Doc Udenta O. Udenta, “Gabriel Okara’s The Voice is an iconic representation of postcolonial disillusionment. They were disappointed with the post colony, so they took to writing to protest. The novel is unique for its linguistic experimental, almost a direct transliteration of his native Ijaw language. I, also, remember, with nostalgia, of his poem, ‘Fisherman’s Invocation’ as a student.

“His death is a passage of literary, cultural icon. I am glad that his state government has tried to immortalise him while alive by naming a cultural centre in the state capital, Yenagoa. I hope others will do the same. He will be missed by all.”

Also, Soji Cole, the winner of the 2018 Nigeria Prize for Literature, was saddened by his demise. He said, “Okara’s The Voice remains one of my best early Nigerian novels. I cherish it. May your soul find peaceful repose, great one.”

Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian President has equally reacted to the death of the late iconic writer, Pa Okara, through a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, today.

“The President extols the great story-teller whose powerful use of imagery and symbolism in his literary writings helped the world to appreciate and understand the richness, complexities and uniqueness of the African heritage and culture."

Born on April 24, 1921, late Gabriel Imomotimi Gbaingbain Okara is a lifelong Patron of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) and touted as the first modernist poet of anglophone Africa as well as an all-encompassing writer whose thoughts and works appear to be greatly influenced by his immediate environment. 

Born in Bumoundi in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, he was educated at Government College Umuahia, and later at Yaba Higher College. In 1945, he found work as a printer and bookbinder for colonial Nigeria’s government-owned publishing company, where he remained for nine years, during which he began to write.

At first, he translated poetry from Ijaw into English and wrote scripts for government radio. He studied journalism at Northwestern University in 1949, and before the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War (1967–70), worked as Information Officer for the Eastern Nigerian Government Service.

Together with late Chinua Achebe, Okara was roving ambassador for Biafra’s cause in 1969. From 1972 to 1980, he was director of the Rivers State Publishing House in Port Harcourt.

His literary talent was spotted in 1953 when his poem, The Call of the River Nun, won an award at the Nigerian Festival of Arts. Some of his poetry was published in the literary magazine Black Orpheus. By 1960, he had won renown as an accomplished literary bard, with his poetry being translated into several languages. Piano and Drums is another popular poem of his featured in several anthologies.

His first novel, The Voice, was published in 1964. Besides his poetry and fiction, Okara has also written plays and features for broadcasting. Sadly, many of his unpublished manuscripts were destroyed during the Nigerian Civil War.

In 2005, his poetry volume, The Redeemer, His Vision, was joint winner of the highest literary prize in Nigeria, NLNG-sponsored the Nigeria Prize for Literature, with Ezenwa Ohaeto. Other awards he won in his lifetime included Commonwealth Poetry Prize, for The Fisherman’s Invocation (1979), and, in 2009, the Pan African Writers’ Association Honorary Membership Award.

The Words Finesse  (TWF) can't conclude this post without presenting you with two of late Pa Gabriel Okara's famous poems. Kindly enjoy as reflective pieces.

Three Nigerian authors, Oyinkan Braithwaite, Emezi Akwaeke and Diana Evans have been nominated for the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction.

The Women’s Prize for Fiction, previously known as the Orange Prize for Fiction and the Baileys Women’s Prize For Fiction, is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Braithwaite was nominated for her book ‘My Sister, The Serial Killer’, Emezi for ‘Freshwater’ and Evans for ‘Ordinary People’.

‘My Sister, The Serial Killer’ tells the story of the complex relationship between a glamorous Lagos fashion designer and her responsible older sister, who’s always ready with bleach and rubber gloves to help cover up a crime.

Emezi’s ‘Freshwater’ explores the multiple voices of an Igbo god living within a young woman.

Evans’ ‘Ordinary People’ cleverly exposes the melancholy of suburban middle-class black people using celebrity events. The book opens at a party thrown in honour of Barack Obama’s presidential victory in 2008.

The prestigious prize has honoured many great authors since it was launched in 1996, including Chimamanda Adichie, who won in 2007 for ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’.

NAN reports that the award gives a significant career boost and it comes with a £30,000 ($40,000) prize.

It was created after the Bookers Prize of 1991 where none of the six shortlisted books was by a woman, despite 60 per cent of novels that year being published by female authors.

Chaired by Prof. Kate Williams, the 2019 judging panel includes journalists Dolly Alderton and Arifa Akbar, anti-FGM activist Leyla Hussein.

NAN reports that Sarah Wood OBE, the chair and co-founder of the global video advertising marketplace, Unruly, was also on the panel.

Two Nobel Prizes in Literature will be presented this year after the scandal-hit awarding body, Swedish Academy, was blocked from naming a winner in 2018.

The Nobel Foundation banned the Swedish Academy from awarding last year's prize following allegations of sexual misconduct against the husband of one of its board members and accusations of leaks, which effectively paralysed the institution. 

In a press release on Tuesday, the foundation, which executes Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel's will, said that its Board of Directors "believes that the steps that the Swedish Academy has taken and intends to take will create good opportunities for restoring trust in the Academy as a prize-winning institution".

In a statement, the Nobel Foundation said, "The Nobel Prize in Literature will once again be awarded, and this autumn laureates for both 2018 and 2019 will be announced."  

The Nobel Foundation had previously threatened to strip the Swedish Academy of its role in awarding the prize following the scandals, which first emerged in 2017 and resulted in a wave of resignations in protest. 

Jean-Claude Arnault, the husband of poet and former academy member Katarina Frostenson, was convicted on two charges of rape and sentenced to prison in October 2018. Frostenson left the body in January after an inquiry found she had leaked the names of prize winners on multiple occasions, which she denied.

The Academy's Pernanent Secretary, Anders Olsson, had announced in May that the prize would not be awarded in 2018 "in view of the currently diminished Academy and the reduced public confidence in the academy".

It was the first time the prestigious award was not handed out since a suspension in 1943 due to World War II.

According to Tuesday's statement, "several important changes" have been made, including a change in bylaws making it possible for members to resign, electing new members and dismissing any members who are "subject to conflict of interest or criminal investigation".

More so, five independent external members, intended to provide "valuable new perspectives" and assist in choosing the laureates, have been appointed. 

"Although it will take time to fully restore confidence, the Board of the Nobel Foundation believes that the prerequisites for this are now good. Given the reforms that have been implemented and planned, the Swedish Academy has the opportunity not only to put the past year behind it, but also to become a better-functioning organisation in the future," the Nobel Foundation statement read. 

Worth some nine million Swedish kronor ($966,300), the Nobel Prize in literature is awarded to a writer who has produced "the most outstanding work in an ideal direction", according to Alfred Nobel's will. The last recipient was British novelist Kazuo Ishiguro in 2017.

Reports have it that previous recipients have included singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, novelist Ernest Hemingway and poet Pablo Neruda.

In 2018, a one-off "alternate Nobel" called the New Academy Prize in Literature was awarded to Guadeloupean author Maryse Conde in lieu of the Nobel. 

The Swedish Academy is only responsible for awarding the literature prize. Other Swedish academic institutions select the winners of the awards in scientific fields, while a Norwegian committee picks the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. 

The winners are usually announced in October, with the prizes being presented on the anniversary of Nobel's death on December 10.

The Kwara State Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors  (ANA) in conjunction with the National Library of Nigeria, Kwara State Branch, is inviting writers, authors, literary enthusiasts as well as the late Justice Mustapha Akanbi's proteges, friends and associates to the Public Presentation of a book titled, "Harmonious Chronicles" and commemoration of the World Poetry Day.

The book is a literary compendium dedicated to the pillar of support and benefactor of the Association of Nigerian Authors, late Honourable Justice Mustapha Muhammed Adebayo Akanbi, CFR, PCA, who departed the earth last year.

The event is scheduled to hold on Thursday, 21st of March, 2019 at Mustapha Akanbi Library and Resource Centre, No. 6, Agba-dam link road, G.R.A, Ilorin, by nine o'clock in the morning.

Expected at the occasion are academists, legal luminaries, literay scholars and other important dignitaries in all walks of life.

After the book review by Dr. Mahfouz Adedimeji, there will be series of poetry and dramatic performance in commemoration of the World Poetry Day which is observed yearly on the 21st of March.

To this end, interested performers at the event are mandated to send in their well edited works of salient themes to kwaraana15@gmail.com for scrutiny and prior approval by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) before D-Day. 

The subject of the work should be, "Work to Present at Kwara ANA's Harmonious Chronicles Public Presentation" and should be sent as a single MS Word attachment or copy-pasted in the body of the mail.