Thursday 10 October 2013

In the Middle of Nowhere… when career overtakes family



By Anote Ajeluorou

For many a woman in Africa’s strong patriarchal system, the lure of career to prove a point that women too have arrived and that they are a force to reckon with can be compelling. However, this can sometimes be at the expense of family, which becomes the inevitable price to pay for career ascendancy. More often than not, such price becomes too steep for even the most strong-willed but by the time realisation dawns, it would have been too late, leaving behind a trail of sadness and regrets at what might have been.
  This is the tragic scenario in the novel of Ghanaian Ruby Yayra Goka’s In the Middle of Nowhere (Kwadwoan Publishing, Accra; 2011). The work is exhilarating in exploring the soured filial bond between mother and daughter. I happened upon the work by chance at the last Nigerian International Book Fair in Lagos. I had often wondered what level of publishing was going on in neighbouring West African countries.
  Poor infrastructure in Africa’s publishing sector has for long made it difficult for hard copies of books to cross borders, especially since Heinemann stopped its pioneering African Writers Series (AWS), which Chinua Achebe edited. So, I happily bought a copy curious to feel Ghana’s fictive pulse. It turned out a rewarding experience, as Goka’s creative power in mapping fellow women’s psychological disposition, in exploring their inner struggles as they battle to come to terms with soured love, loneliness, rejection, regrets and resignation. It’s the height of man’s fickleness that finally leads to a triumph of the spirit over adversary.
  Elaine is Catherine’s only daughter begat in loveless circumstances in the latter’s girlish love and marriage to Anthony Grant, who eventually chickens out of a marriage contracted without his parents’ consent. Elaine becomes a scar in Catherine’s life, but she manages to bring her up with her mother’s help at Elmina. But Catherine is a determined young woman; she dusts herself up from the debacle of a runaway husband. She applies herself to her career in law practice and soon rises through the ranks to the position of judge.
  Elaine grows into a promising young girl with a bright future. But then another man, a wolf in sheep’s clothing ,comes into the picture. Uncle Ato is no brother of hers, but she has come to regard him as father figure since she was a child. He pays her way through college and university, even helping with a foreign education in the bargain. But Uncle Ato has been bidding his time; he pounces just when Elaine is ripe and rapes her. Elaine is forced to drop out of university to have the seed of his evil violation. Her daughter, Kuku becomes her only consolation.
  Meanwhile, Elaine’s mother, Catherine, now a judge, is incensed; she would not be grandmother to a bastard, as it would mar her rising career. Without the slightest motherly feeling towards her own daughter, she drives Elaine out of her home to face the uncertain life of pregnancy from the vilest source. Elaine falls back on her grandmother at Elmina in whom she finds the motherly love Catherine denies her.
  Elaine, however, soon has her baby, Kuku, who turns a precocious little one. She becomes Elaine’s life. But Elaine decides to leave Accra, a qualified dentist, as her boyfriend, too, turns against her and begins dating her close friend. She goes far into the countryside, where no one knows her story; she wants healing from her unknown, new location. But here she runs into another medical personnel, Farouk, a widower still mourning his late Cuban wife. A combination of events throws the two medical personnel together in Sandema, a remote northern part of Ghana.
  But it’s a love fraught with landmines of sorts. Farouk’s wife’s loss is etched too deeply into his subconscious; he finds it hard to let go. Elaine is uncertain whether to let herself go just yet in her barren outpost after her frightening experience with the man she called Uncle. It is the most uneasy relationship two mature people can ever find themselves. But with news of Catherine’s terminal illness, things are about to change one way or the other. Elaine does not want to see her sick mother, who has achieved the height of her career, having become a chief judge but for whom her only daughter is a stranger!
  Finally, grief brings Elaine and Farouk together at Elmina, with Farouk also learning to let go of his late wife, and learning to see Elaine in different light. But would they find love again?
  Goka’s In the Middle of Nowhere is a remarkable work of fiction. It’s a precise portraiture of the needless soured relationship between mother and daughter. Catherine’s life is a fine portrait of the career woman who lost touch with reality. She pays dearly for it. Also, Uncle Ato’s rape of Elaine comes to fore when he is exposed for the villain that he is; it ruins his political ambition of being elected to high office.
  Indeed, Goka is to be commended for her beautify work.




Nigeria Prize for Literature 2013… Ipadeola is poet laureate




By Anote Ajeluorou

It would seem Ibadan is where Nigeria literature currently resides. Last year, Rotimi Babatunde won the Caine Prize for African Writing (short story) worth US$10,000. This year, Ibadan-based poet and lawyer, Tade Ipadeola has again won The Nigerian Prize for Literature 2013 in the poetry category. Ipadeola won with his collection, The Sahara Testament, which won ahead of two other shortlisted poetry collections, Port Harcourt-based Amu Nnadi’s Through the Window of a Sand Castle and Lagos-based Ogochukwu Promise’s Wild Letters.
  Ipadeola will be awarded US$100,000 for winning Africa’s biggest literary prize and one of the biggest literary prizes in the world.
  In announcing the prize in Lagos, General Manager, External Relations of Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) company, sponsors of the prize, Dr. Kudo Eresia-Eke said, “Finally, a winner has emerged for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, 2013 edition. The Sahara Testaments by Tade Ipadeola has been adjudged winner of the prestigious prize by the Panel of Judges led by Prof. Romanus Egudu. Ipadeola’s The Sahara Testaments beat the other 200 books submitted for the competition this year to emerge winner”.
  Eresia-Eke congratulated Nigerian writers for the consistent improvement in their works, saying the prize was a journey of excellence to help build a better Nigerian society. By supporting the prize as corporate sponsors, Eresia-Eke said his company, NLNG, was supporting “excellence so as to galvanise our nation to the pursuit of excellence. We want the prize to spur role models and inspire others to pursue and support excellence”.
  He commended the judges for bringing their wealth of experience and knowledge to bear in their task of selecting the best literary work for 2013.
  In appraising each of the works, Eresia-Eke said the three-man jury, headed by Prof. Romanus Egudu and which included Prof. Molara Ogundipe, Dr. Andrew Ame Aba and International Literary Consultant from Ghana, Prof. Kofi Anyidoho, “The Judges thought Promise’s Wild Letters to be of “high human relevance as reflected in her bold treatment of subject-matter such as the persistent menace of Boko Haram. Similarly, her poems consistently alert societal leaders on their obligations to the under-privileged, and a message of hope underscores the collection.
  “Of Nnadi’s Through the Window of a Sandcastle, the judges hold that “The work is presented in elegant, well-crafted language, depicting contrastive experiences of pain, decay, pleasure and beauty. His work reflects artistic maturity, seriousness of thought, integrity and coherence, as well as the effective use of poetic devices such as imagery, irony and sound”.
  Conclusively, Eresia-Eke said, “In arriving at their decision of Ipadeola’s The Sahara Testaments as winner of this year’s competition, the judges pointed out that the poet used “the Sahara as a metonymy for the problems of Africa and, indeed, the whole of humanity… and the work encompasses vast stores of knowledge in an encyclopeadic dimension.
  “Ipadeola’s use of poetic language demonstrates a striking marriage of thought and verbal artistry expressed in the blending of sound and sense. The work is replete with historical, geographical, and literary allusions and tropes. On the whole, the poet demonstrates an outstanding level of intellectual exposure and knowledge, language use, and awareness of literature, which should be beneficial to readers and writers alike.”
  By winning this year’s poetry prize, poets across the country will heave a sigh of relief following the debacle of no-winner declared by the judges in 2009 after it had first been awarded in 2006 to both Pa Gabriel Okara and late Prof. Ezenwa Ohaeto.
  Ipadeola had earlier promised that if he won the prize, he would build a Poetry Library in honour of Ghanaian poet, Prof. Kofi Awoonor, who was recently murdered in Kenya by terrorists.

Lawyer, Ipadeola, wins Nigeria Prize for Literature 2013



By Anote Ajeluorou

Ibadan-based poet and lawyer, Tade Ipadeola has won The Nigerian Prize for Literature 2013 in the poetry category. Ipadeola won with his collection, The Sahara Testament. It won ahead of two other shortlisted poetry collections, Amu Nnadi’s Through the Window of a Sand Castle and Ogochukwu Promise’s Wild Letters.
  Ipadeola will be awarded US$100,000 in an award ceremony for winning Africa’s biggest literary prize and one of the biggest literary prizes in the world.
  In announcing the prize in Lagos, General Manager, External Relations of Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) company, sponsors of the prize, Dr. Kudo Eresia-Eke said, “Finally, a winner has emerged for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, 2013 edition. The Sahara Testaments by Tade Ipadeola has been adjudged winner of the prestigious prize by the Panel of Judges led by Prof. Romanus Egudu. Ipadeola’s The Sahara Testaments beat the other 200 books submitted for the competition this year to emerge winner”.
  In appraising each of the works, Eresia-Eke said the three-man jury including Prof. Molara Ogundipe, Dr. Andrew Ame Aba and international literary consultant from Ghana, Prof. Kofi Anyidoho, “The Judges thought Promise’s Wild Letters to be of “high human relevance as reflected in her bold treatment of subject-matter such as the persistent menace of Boko Haram. Similarly, her poems consistently alert societal leaders on their obligations to the under-privileged, and a message of hope underscores the collection.
  “Of Nnadi’s Through the Window of a Sandcastle, the judges hold that “The work is presented in elegant, well-crafted language, depicting contrastive experiences of pain, decay, pleasure and beauty. His work reflects artistic maturity, seriousness of thought, integrity and coherence, as well as the effective use of poetic devices such as imagery, irony and sound”.
  Conclusively, Eresia-Eke said, “In arriving at their decision of Ipadeola’s The Sahara Testaments as winner of this year’s competition, the judges pointed out that the poet used “the Sahara as a metonymy for the problems of Africa and, indeed, the whole of humanity… and the work encompasses vast stores of knowledge in an encyclopeadic dimension.
  “Ipadeola’s use of poetic language demonstrates a striking marriage of thought and verbal artistry expressed in the blending of sound and sense. The work is replete with historical, geographical, and literary allusions and tropes. On the whole, the poet demonstrates an outstanding level of intellectual exposure and knowledge, language use, and awareness of literature, which should be beneficial to readers and writers alike.”
  By winning this year’s poetry prize, poets across the country will heave a sigh of relief following the debacle of no-winner declared by the judges in 2009 after it had first been awarded in 2006 to Pa Gabriel Okara and late Prof. Ezenwa Ohaeto.

Oranmiyan… When Ile-Ife stood still to celebrate 6th Ooni



By Ante Ajeluorou

It was Saturday, September 28, 2013 at the palace of Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II, Ooni of Ife, and the surrounding streets and avenues were filled with noble citizens of Ile-Ife, who had trouped out in their thousands to celebrate one of their warrior obas, the legendary Oranmiyan, son of Oduduwa and the 6th Ooni of Ife. From the festive mood that pervaded the air, it was clear that Oranmiyan was an ancient monarch, who still occupied a significant place in the hearts of Ife people and the Yoruba race at large.
    Although festivities celebrating Oranmiyan had been held in low key these years, it was not until Flabsy Travel and Tours Ltd came into the picture as Oranmiyan Festival Consultants that things took turns for the better. With this outing, which lasted from September 26 – 28, Ile-Ife people can now look forward to Oranmiyan Festival gaining the status of a world-class festival in no distant time.
  At the height of the festival on Saturday, throngs of Ife people came out in the sheer delight of honouring their ancestor. Oranmiyan was the only oba to have reigned in many separate kingdoms – as the first Alaafin of Oyo, Osile of Oke-Ona in Egbaland, Ile-Ife and Benin. With this legendary status, Oranmiyan Festival is being projected as a symbol of unity among the Yoruba nation. His warlike nature ensured that he did not only conquer, but he also ruled over the conquered people and spread his leadership skills among them.
  During the festival, Oranmiyan’s most prominent symbol, Opa Oranmiyan or Oranmiyan staff or obelisk on Oroto Street, Ife, played a unifying and rallying role. Although the Ooni himself was supposed to receive obeisance from chiefs and other obas, it was believed that age and possible ill-health prevented him from coming out to be part of the overflowing love and adoration his illustrious ancestor generated among his people. But his palpable absence did not dampen the enthusiasm of the people. Knowledge that their beloved Olubuse II was at earshot from the momentous gathering was enough.
  Many prominent chiefs clad in flowing white agbadas sat in rows on one side of the famous staff abode, as it towered into the sky. Several men and woman came in to offer prayers and seek their ancestor’s favours in various ways and promptly threw in money at the base of the obelisk as tokens of appreciation. It was such moving spectacle as both young and old showed devotion to their venerated ancestor, whom they’d also deified.
  On Oroto Street, where Oranmiyan Staff is located, scores of Osun State’s Apalara Brigade stood in rows of two as guard of honour to those moving in and out of the area, where police had cordoned off to stop vehicular movement in and out of the street.
  Earlier, two colourful floats had done their rounds in major streets and avenues of Ife, with two giant replicas of Oranmiyan Staffs in tow. It was quite a spectacle to behold.
  At the Ooni’s palace ground, scores of dancers and drummers were on hand to entertain the innumerable visitors who had made it a mecca of sorts. Dane guns boomed just outside the huge tent that was erected in the vast palace ground. In some other parts of the country, canons would have be used; they obviously boom louder than Dane guns. But the Dane guns just met the purpose, as they usually heralded a momentous event such as this one, the celebration of a great ancestor that departed centuries ago, but whose footprints remain forever indelible in the consciousness of the Yoruba race.

BACK at Oroto Street, just outside where Oranmiyan Staff enclosure, the final contest of drummers was in full swing. Traditional Yoruba drumming was promoted as a major highlight of the festival. Flabsy Travels and Tours Ltd conceived it to serve as a way of sustaining one of the many arts of Yoruba origin. Yoruba’s gungun, bata and dundun drums are reputable talking instruments that closely mimic spoken Yoruba language and they require a great deal of dexterity to play them to desired effect.
  Different groups applied to partake in the contest. With former football coach, Chief Festus Onigbinde and folk artist and Jimi Solanke as judges, the stage was set for a memorable outing. The event was held on an open street with the local people taking part either in applauding or deriding the drummers or swaying to the throbbing drums, it made the contest an inclusive one. At a point, Onigbinde got up from his judge’s chair to show what dancing skills he possessed. The crowd cheered endlessly. Also, stirred to distraction by the throbbing drums, three local Ife women stepped into the small arena to give the audience value for their time, as they wriggled, twisted and did leg calisthenics to the rhythms of the drums to the cheering delight of the crowd.
  The overall winner, Chief Jacob Adereti, got a tabletop fridge, the second runner up took home a handbag generator and third place got pressing iron. But it is strange how over four or five drummers will share these single winning items that were provided by Grand Oak Ltd, makers of Seaman’s Schnapps.
  The previous evening at the forecourt of the Ooni, both male and female ayo players had taken their turns in a contest to determine the best Ife ayo players. The ayo was carved the shape of a bottle of new-look Seaman’s Royale. With a cheering crowd also at the players’ elbows, it provided great fun and entertainment. Winners were also given prizes of generators, fridges, pressing irons and umbrellas also provided by one of Oranmiyan Festival sponsors, Grand Oak Ltd.

THE overriding theme for Oranmiyan Festival was ‘Promoting Yoruba Unity through her History’, which is apt as Oranmiyan symbolises the cultural history of the Yoruba, its strong monarchical structure, which he embodied in his reign in four disparate kingdoms. To amplify the symbolic position Oranmiyan still occupies in Yoruba nation, the festival lecture was titled, ‘Oranmiyan: What is a Name?’ It was held at Oduduwa Hall, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and delivered by one of the monarchs whose kingdom Oranmiyan ruled, Oke-Ona, Oba (Dr.) Adedapo Adewale Tejuoso, Karunwi III, the Osile Oke-Ona; he is only Yoruba monarch who bears the Oranmiyan name as title, a title Oba Tejuoso said he got through divine revelation.
  Before the lecture, a libation was generously poured in honour of Oranmiyan by Alayeluwa Oba Adedapo Aderemi, Alayemore of Ido-Osun. He offered prayers for the wellbeing of all Yoruba wherever they may be residing and for the success of the festival.
  At the lecture, prominent Yoruba leaders enjoined all Yoruba to embrace peace and promote unity among themselves, so as to fast track development in all parts of Yoruba nation. In particular, Oba Tejuoso enjoined all Yoruba to stop all wars and needless bickering and rivalries capable of derailing meaningful progress.
  Tejuoso, who affirmed his strong Christian bellief, and flanked by his three wives or oloris, lent a strong Christian leaning to his exposition of the character of Oranmiyan and declared him to have had excellent Christian virtues having also descended from the Jewish line. He quoted many biblical passages to buttress his points. However, a section of the audience wanted the oba to deliver his lecture in Yoruba, noting that Oranmiyan didn’t speak or hear English during his time. But the Kabiyesi didn’t ascent to their demands, asking those who didn’t understand English to ask their children instead to interpret for them.
  Also, with Tejuoso’s lecture tending more towards the Jewish origin of Oranmiyan and not the traditionally held folk narratives, a section of the audience began to leave the hall. He only expressed happiness that those who would remain would have the benefit of getting a copy of the lecture in book form.
  In particular, three Yoruba leaders, governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, the Ooni, and Tejuoso said Oranmiyan left important lasting legacies for the Yoruba people. Tejuoso described him as nation-builder, bridge-builder of understanding and an excellent leader, who deepened the institution of monarchy in Yorubaland.
  Also Sijiwade highlighted the importance of understanding history in sustaining and strengthening bonds of unity and harmony and not division, stating, “Knowing the past helps us to understand the culture of today. The celebration of our cultural heritage helps us to sustain our own cultural identity”. He commended the governments in Yoruba states in “assisting in maintaining the cultural identity and strengthening the emotional, cultural and spiritual bonds that bind them to their origin, Ile-Ife, the Source”.
  Sijuwade cautioned against the bastardization and politicisation of Yoruba tradition and culture and enjoined children to recognise, respect and appreciate their cultural heritage. He also tasked tourists to visit Ife to see the symbols of ancient Oranmiyan paraphernalia of office including his Opa Oranmiyan among others.
  Also, the governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, who was represented by Secretary to Osun State Government, Moshood Olelakan Adeoti, commended festival consultants, Flabsy Travel and Tours Ltd and Ife people for celebrating Oranmiyan. While speaking on ‘Celebrating Yoruba’s Common Heritage, Forging Common Front’, Aregbesola stated that celebrating culture should serve as bond of unity and rally point for all Yoruba people, noting that in celebrating Oranmiyan, “we’re identifying with the character of Oranmiyan, who had adept leadership qualities, virtues of compassion, which leaders of today should emulate”.
  Aregbesola said it was these qualities in Oranmiyan that made him to adopt him as his campaign symbol and which also enabled him to defeat his strong political enemies during his tussle for Osun State governorship. He also noted that celebrating Oranmiyan would bring enlightenment to young people and tasked all Yoruba people to use the festival to fortify the walls of unity and forge a common tie. He harped on the importance of using festivals in Nigeria to accelerate economic development by developing all tourism sites and actively promoting same, so as to attract tourists from all over the world.
  The Federal Government, Aregbesola noted, should strengthen security, provide infrastructure, help states to develop tourism sites across the country so as to attract tourists as a means of boosting economic development.