By Yemi Adebisi / Acting Head, Literary/Arts
The Port Harcourt edition of the celebration of Arrow of God at 50 was included in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Port Harcourt World Book Capital programmes held between April 22 and April 26.
The students participation in this programme was adjudged by critics as impressing as most of the schools represented appeared to have genuine interest in the writings of the late sage, Chinua Achebe, judging by how they were discussing the interpretation of his literary prowess.
From the session of the quiz competition by the secondary school students to drama adaptation of the book, including paper presentation and discussion, participants paid great tribute to Achebe for the rare works of arts he left behind. The schools at the event include Rockbase International School; Royal Girls Academy; Government Secondary School, Rumuokwuta, University Demonstration Secondary School, UniPort; Government Girls Secondary School, Rumueme among others.
Speaking at the opening session, chairman, National Organising Committee, Dr. Wale Okediran, described the celebration as challenging from onset. For this edition, Okediran expressed appreciation to Programme Coordinator, Koko Kalango, for her effort for accepting this gesture to be included in the global event.
“It was Kalango’s idea to incorporate this into the World Book Capital programme. It is a reawakening among youth to bring the book back to the centre of discussion. In Arrow of God, there are examples of how leadership can help a nation,” he said.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Natasha Vaubel, a former student of Chinua Achebe said she was inspired to study African literature and film production by Achebe, describing him as a humble intellectual.
“One of my dreams was to break kolanut with Achebe and I did. He was so encouraging, welcoming and available to everyone. On November 16, 1987, I went to his house. He was so grateful and embraced the gesture. My greatest day was when Achebe came to my home town and danced together with my mother. His accident did not slow him down but made him to be more prolific in his writing. I was leaving to see myself differently when I read Chinua Achebe’s books. Reading can change you forever,” she said.
In her response, Professor Molara Ogundipe of the University of Port Harcourt noted that the rare humility of Achebe was probably responsible for his brilliance. “He was not just a writer but an intellectual mind. He listened to all feminists. He used Beatrice in Anthills of Savannah as a major character. Achebe, a very humorous person could keep you laughing for hours,” she said.
Addressing the youth at the gathering, Ogundipe laid emphasis on the use of indigenous language in African setting. She said the way children are being trained with only foreign language might spell doom for the continent.
“My mother did not encourage us to speak English language at home. We were asked to speak Yoruba,” she said.
She advised Nigeria media to be more proactive in their gesture blaming them for limiting her profile to the subject of feminism.
“We need to do a lot of intergenerational conversation. We need to learn from young people and for young people to learn from us.”
Some of the students who commented on the writings and personalities of Achebe during the programme said if Nigerian leaders can study the message of the writer especially in Arrow of God, the country might regain its image from the western world.
“The story of abuse of power in Arrow of God is a metaphor to maximum abuse of power in Nigeria nation,” said Ngozi Cole, one of the JSS 3 students. She argued that leaders were supposed to be the mirror of the society and that each time she heard of corruption, the 11-year-old girl said she felt like changing her nationality because “our leaders have failed us.”
The student further said though, Arrow of God was set in the colonial days, it is still relevant in today’s governance, appealing to leaders to go and read books.
Nigeria’s award winning author based in the United States of America, Helon Habila said Achebe was approachable and simple. He recalled how Achebe gave him a phone call to become the first Fellow of Chinua Achebe Foundation.
Ogundipe, who apparently was the chairperson of the panel of discussant, said Nigerian problem was beyond politics and economy.
“Our problem is internalized racism. We are shy of our culture. Other world archives their culture. We didn’t mind when our museums were destroyed. When we travel, are we proud of our culture? Chinese built schools in America. We built Yoruba school in the USA. The parents were not bringing their children. In our time, you have to speak the language of where you are living. They use the local language to teach us until when we got to Standard One. Why do we think that for speaking English language, we get more mastery? It’s something parents should fight for. We should have PTA visit schools and get involved in the formulation of curriculum. Problems in Nigeria are that we don’t know our rights and the government does not believe the citizens even has a right. Our leaders behave as if they are rulers. They didn’t know they are our representatives. Let us not discourage young minds. We should listen to them and get their perspectives. I don’t believe that Achebe is too Iboish. He was writing on the culture he knew quite well,” she said.
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