As soot takes over the air in Rivers State and pollution washes the shores of the oil region, creative writing may be deployed as new weapon to fight for the environment. This could be because of the waning influence of editorial writing and news as a weapon.
Creating writing spearheaded by Ken Saro-Wiwa who paid with his life along with other prominent Ogoni leaders and chiefs may be reinvented to fight pollution and to save the environment in the face of government failings and poor budgeting remedies.
This new thinking emerged in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Thursday, June 3, 2021, when top writers came to the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education at Iwofe to mark the 40th anniversary of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), which is being marked in 10 cities one after the other.
The Port Harcourt city leg which was anchored by Adi Wali, the Rivers State chairman of ANA, a chief from Elechi Amadi’s Aluu town, host to the University of Port Harcourt, witnessed the summit of literary giants in city but devoid of national and international icons due to the deteriorating insecurity in the country, especially the east of the Niger.
In his keynote address, the national president of ANA, Camilus Ukah (PhD), urged writers to take up the fight for the Niger Delta environment. He said: “It’s time for awareness for the environment. That’s the reason why we brought the leaders of tomorrow being students of schools. This is because literature has a role to play in shaping the minds of our children and empower them to act in future.”
In saying this, Ukah seemed to relate to the tragic end of the international playwright and environmentalist, Ken Saro Wiwa who died fighting for environmental sanity that never came. Ukah also extended respect to Elechi Amadi in this direction.
He said: “Literature is synonymous with development, so the role of the IAUOE in development of Rivers State is connected here. We therefore urge the young ones to read books that shape their character.”
He called out students and taught them a poem that revealed how to excel in academics. “Read a book a week, four a month, and 52 books every year. You will shine. Let’s go back to books, the sure steps to excellence.”
He said the 40th anniversary of ANA is a 10-city event that would end in Abuja at the Mamman Vasta House which is home to writers and authors. He said Port Harcourt is a key city. “The hydra-headed insecurity situation in Nigeria affected the top dignitaries expected in attendance as many from other cities and countries could not make it. It’s not easy to get approval from one’s family members to travel to the east these days. So, many persons had to be represented.”
He said ANA at 40 is like marking the burning passion of a marriage at 40. “It’s about devotion, passion, romance. ANA is the biggest continental body for writers, which was founded by the legendary Chinua Achebe. For the 40th anniversary, the objective is to interrogate the subject of Literature in the 10 chosen cities.’
He noted the unity in the ANA family in Rivers State, saying this has helped to shore up unity and stability at the national level. He said events to mark the 40th anniversary started already in Yenagoa and Ibadan, now in Port Harcourt.
In his welcome remarks, the chairman of the event who is professor emeritus (twice the former vice chancellor) of UNIPORT, Nimi D. Briggs, charged writers to investigate the environment through creative writing. Saying Nigerians are known for creative writing, he said: Our future lies in school children.”
He insisted that creative writing can solve Nigeria’s problems. “It can creatively investigate our environment and point out what is wrong and solutions to it. Youths should imbibe creative writing even if they are into the sciences.’
The chief host, the Vice Chancellor of the IAUOE, Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele, represented by Dean of Graduate School, Daniel Ogum, said the VC was delighted to be chief host of ANA 40th because he is naturally a writer. He took his first degree in English Language/Literature. “We know that where linguistics stops is where the paragon of literature begins.
“This place was an island but it has been developed. There is craftsmanship in literature and the essence of writing is to confront reality and to change society. Writing makes an exact man. Its never late to be a writer. Thus, a writer is never young or old. Port Harcourt is a nice home to write and a notable home to writers over the decades. Writers must thus reassert our common humanity.”
The guest speaker, Fidelis Allen, also a professor, said the theme of the Port Harcourt leg of the nationwide anniversary being ‘writing and the environment’, was apt. “This helps look at the pains of black soot. Many publications are coming out to ex-ray the environment.” He wondered if book writing alone can change the environment.
In an interview, the host chairman, Adi Wali, said Rivers State or Port Harcourt is close to nature but it has been devastated by oil activities. “Artificial pollution is the issue. We have to wake up the nation and seek the way forward.
“Technology can help but for now, there is environmental asthma. We want those that have the power to help. Fishes are gone and aquatic life is no more. If you protest, they term you militants.”
He said ANA is marking 40 years with focus on literature and the environment. “Environment issues were never taken seriously but environmental challenges are capable of hindering economic development. Colonial authorities did not bequeath an environmental pathway of policy. Authors should focus on climate change, soot, pollution, etc.”
In his intervention, a respected royal father in the state, Eze Gbakagbaka, Lesley Nyebuchi Eke, urged ANA to write on stools of the Niger Delta. “Do interviews and investigations. Bring out the truth. Some of the stools do not have any history. Any stool without history is no stool.”
He institute an annual award called: Eze/Dr Frank Adele Eke/Annual Prize for literature for N200,000, and said he did not care how the winner would be selected or the branch of writing that would be chosen.
