Arts/Literary
Parade Of Rivers Literary Icons
In the contemporary world of today, there is a widely held, negative impression that places the development of any nation in the palms of the political class, oblivious of the fact that every other member of the society has a role to play in the development of the society.
One class of people that has made valuable contributions to the society is the literary artists who use their great talents and literary skills to tell the story of their people and promote their culture through literature.
It is true that those in the pinnacle of political power have the powers to make and unmake, but whatever impacts, positive or negative, they make in the society are often shaped by critics, mot of who are made up of literary icons, playwrights, musicians, actors and actresses.
While those in corridor of political power depend more on commonwealth than their intellectual endowment to make whatever impacts they deem necessary, those in the literary world solely employ their intellectual skills to build their society. With a touch of imagination and creativity, literary artists metamorphose the happenings around them into plausible texts which in turn become a relevant reference point to the society.
Literary icons like the legendary Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, John Pepper Clark, Ola Totimi, Zulu Sofola etc have made great impacts not only to Nigeria, but to the world in general through arts and literature. They are an institution every student must pass through in the world of literature.
Due to his literary works, professor Soyinka, the first African Nobel Laureatte needs no introduction in any country of the world. His literary acumen and intellectual contributions to the world have earned him and his country, Nigeria an unenviable image among the comity of nations. Today, while Soyinka’s face is an international passport in any nation’s airport, Nigeria is regarded as a nation endowed with skills. This is one golden laurel the combined efforts of all Nigerian politicians have not earned Nigeria since its 50th year of political independence.
In the 43 years of Rivers State creation, there are many people whose literary genre has earned Rivers State good reputation. The legends among them are Emmanuel Elechi Amadi, Claude Ake, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Margaret Kay Williamson and Rex Jim Lawson.
Through their numerous works, these great writers and artiste projected the Rivers State culture and folkcore in such a way that those that belong to other cultures were able to appreciate the Rivers people.
For instance, ELECHI AMADI is a playwright and author with a strong passion for African Literature, and with a thrust of native languages. Unlike many writers who seem to have no cultural affinity on which to hang their writings, and who as a result, rely on foreign words, idioms and imitations, Elechi Amadi is a roots writer with a vision.
A well-known creative writer with African folklores, this 76 year old son of Aluu in Rivers State belongs to the core of artistes who explore the range of his local, native challenges and document them in his works.
Like a griot from the Sahel region, Amadi takes African literature to contemporary level and promotes Rivers culture to an international level.
And like the legendary Wole Soyinka and J.P. Clark whose separate, famous poems on Abiku (the reincarnate) are being driven by African beliefs, myths and mysteries, Amadi’s verse play, Isiburu is rooted in his native Ikwerre language and culture.
Due to the excellent presentation of his works which evolve pre-colonial African societies as ruled by the gods and which is wedded in the core traditional myths, Amadi is popularly acclaimed as the leading authority in the supernatural in African literature. He has in his kilts, among others, the reknown trilogy: The Concubine (AWS 25), The Great Ponds (AWS 44) and The Slave (AWS 210).
CLAUDE AKE is another prolific writer of Rivers State origin whose numerous scholarly articles in learning journals spread across six continents. His seminal work “A political Economy of Africa” was simultaneously published by Longman in London and New York in 1981, and was declared the best text book in the United States of America in 1981. The Soviet Academy of Science translated the book into Russian language in 1985.
Till date, Professor Ake’s literary works remain a reference point in political science all over the world. This achievement, in no means earns Nigeria and Rivers State in particularly an unenviable image in the world. And until his death through a plane crash in 1993, this Professor of Political Economics and founder of the Nigeria’s first private Think Thank called centre for Advanced Social Science (CASS) was an intellectual kingpin in Nigeria.
As for KEN SARO WIWA, he was one fearless writer who, in order to draw attention of the world to injustices in his community, turned to pen and paper and gave vent to his creative impulse. Before his death on November 10, 1995, he had written 27 books.
Through his writings, he highlighted the social and economic ills of the Nigerian society, as well as helped to tell the nation’s political leaders what they were not doing right, even when it was obvious that his criticism could cost him his life.
Even though he was from a prominent family in Ogoni, he was consistently concerned about the treatment of the Niger Delta within the Nigerian federation. The non-violent movement for social and ecological justice which he launched in 1990 against oil companies operating in Ogoni though precipitated genocide in Ogoniland, later forced Shell Petroleum Company out from Ogoni in 1993.
It is however unfortunate that the struggle for justice for his kinsmen cost this great writer and former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) his life in 1995.
In a male- dominated world where the voice of women seemed unheard and under- appreciated, it is difficult to see many women stepping forward to distinguish themselves. But Margaret Kay Williamson did.
Even though, she was born in Hereford England in 1935 and had all her education in England, Mrs Williamson was one writer who devoted her writings to the promotion of Nigerians, especially Niger Delta languages. Her Doctoral thesis was on the Ijaw language.
Titled “A Grammar of the Kolakuma Dialect of Ijaw”, the thesis was later revised and published in book – form in 1965. This thesis, by and large, promoted the Ijaw language all over the world.
It was therefore not surprising that she was given a befitting State burial in 2005 by the Bayelsa State Government at Kaima, her adopted Nigerian home-town.
Last but not the least is the music legend, Rex Jim Lawson (a.k.a. cardinal). With a compelling African rhythm and cultural affinity, Rex Lawson’s highlife music was steeped in the style of the early superstars like E.T. Mensah of Ghana, Bobby Benson and Victor Olaiya of Nigeria.
Through music, which he started playing from his primary school days under late reverend D.S.H Bob-Manuel, Cardinal was able to project the African culture, especially his Kalabari language through the use of native words, parables and anecdotes.
Within his 33 years sojourn on earth, Rex Lawson was able to compose and record a total of 109 songs.
There is no doubt that these arts and literary giants have, through their works, left valuable and indelible legacies that would continue to be a source of pride to the Rivers people.
Therefore, the best way to keep the memories of these legends alive is by improving on the legacies they left behind. This is one area the Rivers State government has a role to play.
And one way in which this can be done is by organizing special annual arts and cultural festival and literary week that would provide opportunity for the younger generation to highlight their literary skills.
Boye Salau
It is the idea of God that family should exit. Children form part of the family. God loves family so much that Jesus was born into the family of Joseph.
Everyone’s family is good and important. Children should not look down on their family whether they are rich or poor.
Children should respect and honour their family and foster love among their siblings. They should work together and make peace in the family. They should always stand in the gap. It is good for family members to carry all along since everyone may not be doing well.
The Christianity that children learn is practised in family. Faith-based organisations do a great job in moulding children’s character. Those are the behaviours that children exhibit towards siblings in family.
Every child born in a family is there for a purpose. A baby born into a family is supplying something. It may be joy, wealth and so on. Everyone is important in a family.
Adolescents who have graduated from school but may not be contributing financially can do one or two things at home. You can engage in preparing meals at home while parents are away for a job or business. Contributing in house chores will go a long way to relieve parents of stress after a day’s job.
What do you contribute to your family, especially during holidays both in nuclear and extended family?
The family you were born is constant but friends are temporary. You can decide not to continue in friendship but you cannot cut off your family. No matter how bad you think your family is and you decide to leave home, you must surely return. Your friends can harbour you for a while.
The child’s first identity comes from the family. What the child learns first comes from the family.
Family is the centre of love and care. People have started playing down on marriage because of neglect on basics of family. Marriage starts today and and the next few months, it is threatened. Respect for family plays a crucial role in marriage.
No child grows without parental control and influence. If a child refuses to grow without taking instructions from parents, he may grow up being wild. There are consequences when children do not obey their parents. There are those who want to be rebellious against their parents. They should know that their length of days are tied to their parents.
Your bioligical parents know you more than every other person. There is the wisdom and knowledge your parents have that you do not so it is proper to listen to them before choosing carriers both in academics and job. A young man or woman can choose who to get married to, but a greater role in the choice of who to marry and the marriage proper comes from the parents.
They know what is best for you. No matter how modern trends will influence you and prove it wrong, parent is the key. No one can love you more than your parents because they are your blood.
A lot of parents have been traumatised due to the fact that children they nurtured and trained turned their back on them at older age. Children should not abandon their parents for any reason.
As you grow up, situations may arise in marriage when you decide it is over with your spouse, but no matter the level of provocation with your parents, they will not despise you. Parents will also play a role in that regard. Problem arises in every family but how it is handled matters a lot.
Some children honour their mentors more than their parents. Although there are parents who shy away from their responsibilities. It is important that parents take full responsibility of their children. You cannot bring a child to the planet earth and refuse to perform roles as a parent. But parents may not quantify what they spent from childhood to adolescence. That is a blessing children cannot get from another person.
There are people who have attributed their failure in life to the fact that their parents, especially mothers are witchcraft. It is wrong to feel that your mother is instrumental to your failure in life. The only way to success is hardwork.
Let money not determine the level of love for your parents. Wherever a child goes, family is constant.
Eunice Choko-Kayode
Naturally, when a child is born, it is the role of the father and mother to decide a suitable name for the child. The husband and wife normally discuss and suggest the English or vernacular name of the baby.
But sometimes, when a baby comes into a family, grandparents hearts are usually filled with joy to the extent that they want to answer present, by giving their own names not minding the fact that the biological parents have given theirs.
This happens mostly when the marriage is an inter-tribal one. It also happens even in intra-tribal marriage. Grandparents want equal representation as far as naming a child is concerned. They also have special names as a result of circumstances surrounding the birth of the child.
This is still happening till date.
A lot of people have viewed this in different ways but there is nothing wrong about it. The most important thing is that the child bears as many names as he or she can. But one thing is certain, the child must bear one name in school.
Should circumstance determine a child’s name?
Women who are more emotional are always eager to name their children considering the circumstances surrounding the child’s conception and arrival.
The issue of grandparents naming a child comes up mostly when it is the first of the family.
In naming children by some parents in the olden days, they named their children according to the days in the week in which they were born, like Sunday, Monday, Friday and so on.
You may be shocked to hear that whether a child is given 10 names by parents or grandparents, when he or she grows up, will decide to change. There are several cases where some persons decided to change especially when they feel that the names given by their parents and grandparents do not give them joy. If they are not doing well in life, they may claim that their misfortune is caused by the name their parents.
Competition among children in schools be it primary, (kindergarten) and secondary come in different forms. It can be Mathematics , debate, quiz, spelling bee,competition, from organisations like Cowbell, multi-national companies, faith-based organisations among others.
They are organised mostly for selected intelligent ones, the best among their peers to represent a class, school or group. Prizes are normally set aside for the best as well as consolation prizes for runners-up at the end of each session.
The question is, are children willing to accept defeat when they fail? As parents, guardians, can you encourage your children or wards to accept defeat instead of shouting and comparing them with others who may be performing better either in schools or outside.
Some parents may be blaming their children for not doing well in competitions. They will like to tell their children if others who may perform better have ten heads. Those group of parents blame their children for every failure.
For your children to do better in competition, the parents too must have emotional intelligence. When you continue to blame your children for failure, how intelligent are you?
Some parents always want their children to be in the 1st position and unhappy whenever they secure 2nd position. There were instances where children smashed their trophies because they never got the position they wanted to get and their parents supported them.
Children should be able to accept it whether they win or not. They should be encouraged for every performance. Discourage the issue of “shame, shame, shame, shame”.
A parent says she always tells her children to win even if they will fail. Always give them the mentality that they can win. Children should be given the impression that they can win prizes and laurels in every competition.
Parents should not isolate their children from others in the neighbourhood. Allow them to play with others. Don’t threaten your children that you may not pay their schools fees if they fail. Comparing them with others may encourage or discourage them.
Coming first or getting award as a first class student from the university sometimes does not mean that the person is the best. And if the child does not merit any award in the lower classes, does not mean that he can not merit first class also.
It should be noted that coming first in academic competition may not really mean that the competitor will be the best at work place or business.
Accepting defeat is a way to move higher. Even if a child who competed with others did not come first, there are consolation prizes for runners-up. When you advise the child to accept defeat, you are encouraging her to win in next competition.
Remember all children cannot be on the same knowledge level Their learning abilities defer.
Eunice Choko-Kayode