Sola Osofisan
07-24-2009, 04:51 PM
What I urgently want from President Yar’Adua - Ofeimun
By FEMI SALAWU
Celebrated poet, Odia Ofeimun is seriously seeking President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s attention. This might come as a surprise to many of his followers who have known him for his tough stands on national issues since the beginning of the current regime.
Ofeimun’s romance with human rights activism dates back to his early days. The poet who was once worked as private secretary to the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo will not be quickly forgotten for his publicized feud with the respected statesman on issues and principles. Similarly, he has left an enviable record with his contributions when he once held sway as the National President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).
Just last week at the monthly Art Stampede organized by the Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA), which held at the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, Ofeimun had spared no words in lambasting government for its apathy towards documenting Nigeria’s cultural history and artistic endeavours. For instance, he noted that in most archival places in major government organizations such as TV and radio houses, past records had either lost or completely mutilated.
But for once, the poet will do anything to get President Yar’Adua’s attention. However, this search might have nothing to do with political jobbing or getting a contract award.
In one of the instances he cited in his personal quest to document some of the best poems to have emerged from Nigeria, Ofeimun revealed that President Yar’Adua might possess a particular poem, which he had been searching for in the past years.
When Daily Sun sought him out he revealed, “I just need any poem written by Sanni Sada and the most likely person to have these poems is President Yar’Adua.”
Pressed further, he disclosed, “ Because I am doing a collection of 20th Century Nigerian Poetry and he is one of the best poets, I want to present. President Yar’Adua was one of the closest friends that Sanni Sada had before he passed on several years ago and only he might just have the man’s poem but you don’t want to go looking for a President to ask him for a poem written by a friend who died long ago.”
Recalling how he crossed path with the late poet, he said “I observed my compulsory Youth Service Corps in 1975/76, then Sanni Sada was serving in Lagos while I was serving in his home town, Kankia in Katsina State.
Then the State was under Kaduna State. I was in his village, but the village isn’t that small because it was the headquarters of Kankia Local Government. During one of his visits, one of the messengers in my office informed him that a writer was around and he came looking for me and that was how we met.”
“He was such a fine poet who would have lived to do more poetry but unfortunately, that is the way things turn out in the world sometimes. He was one up and coming poet who unfortunately never had the kind of environment that will sustain his creativity. We had a number of friends whom we shared together but I can’t meet a President to ask for a poem that had got lost long ago, but frankly, he looks like the only one with the possibility of having any of the poems. Even if they are handwriting inside note books, I don’t mind.”
On his next line of action, he reveals, “Actually, I have spoken to a lot of people around his family and what I need to do is to go to Katsina and ask them to go and meet the President because he was the closest man to him.”
Sun (http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/arts/2009/july/22/arts-22-07-2009-002.htm)
By FEMI SALAWU
Celebrated poet, Odia Ofeimun is seriously seeking President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s attention. This might come as a surprise to many of his followers who have known him for his tough stands on national issues since the beginning of the current regime.
Ofeimun’s romance with human rights activism dates back to his early days. The poet who was once worked as private secretary to the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo will not be quickly forgotten for his publicized feud with the respected statesman on issues and principles. Similarly, he has left an enviable record with his contributions when he once held sway as the National President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).
Just last week at the monthly Art Stampede organized by the Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA), which held at the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, Ofeimun had spared no words in lambasting government for its apathy towards documenting Nigeria’s cultural history and artistic endeavours. For instance, he noted that in most archival places in major government organizations such as TV and radio houses, past records had either lost or completely mutilated.
But for once, the poet will do anything to get President Yar’Adua’s attention. However, this search might have nothing to do with political jobbing or getting a contract award.
In one of the instances he cited in his personal quest to document some of the best poems to have emerged from Nigeria, Ofeimun revealed that President Yar’Adua might possess a particular poem, which he had been searching for in the past years.
When Daily Sun sought him out he revealed, “I just need any poem written by Sanni Sada and the most likely person to have these poems is President Yar’Adua.”
Pressed further, he disclosed, “ Because I am doing a collection of 20th Century Nigerian Poetry and he is one of the best poets, I want to present. President Yar’Adua was one of the closest friends that Sanni Sada had before he passed on several years ago and only he might just have the man’s poem but you don’t want to go looking for a President to ask him for a poem written by a friend who died long ago.”
Recalling how he crossed path with the late poet, he said “I observed my compulsory Youth Service Corps in 1975/76, then Sanni Sada was serving in Lagos while I was serving in his home town, Kankia in Katsina State.
Then the State was under Kaduna State. I was in his village, but the village isn’t that small because it was the headquarters of Kankia Local Government. During one of his visits, one of the messengers in my office informed him that a writer was around and he came looking for me and that was how we met.”
“He was such a fine poet who would have lived to do more poetry but unfortunately, that is the way things turn out in the world sometimes. He was one up and coming poet who unfortunately never had the kind of environment that will sustain his creativity. We had a number of friends whom we shared together but I can’t meet a President to ask for a poem that had got lost long ago, but frankly, he looks like the only one with the possibility of having any of the poems. Even if they are handwriting inside note books, I don’t mind.”
On his next line of action, he reveals, “Actually, I have spoken to a lot of people around his family and what I need to do is to go to Katsina and ask them to go and meet the President because he was the closest man to him.”
Sun (http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/arts/2009/july/22/arts-22-07-2009-002.htm)