50
years after Things Fall Apart: ANA celebrates Achebe
By HENRY AKUBUIRO (akuhen@sunnewsonline.com)
Sunday, February 3, 2008
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•Achebe
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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Not every gamble pays off, but the publishing giant, Heinemann,
took a big gamble in 1958, and it paid off handsomely. Fifty
years after it published Chinua Achebe’s first novel,
Things Fall Apart, at a time it wasn’t fashionable to
do so by western publishers controlling the publishing industry
then, the novel has become the all-time African fiction bestseller
with millions of copies worldwide and the most translated
literary work by any African writer.
The Association of Nigerian Authors, like it did last year
with Wole Soyinka, is organizing an international colloquium
for the septuagenarian novelist with the theme, “Telling
the African Story”.
The celebration will begin with an interactive session on
Saturday April 12, 2008, at the National Theatre Complex,
Lagos, with the speakers: Prof. Ahmed Yerima, MD, National
Theatre, Lagos; Kaine Agary, writer; Dr. Karen King Aribisala
of the University of Lagos, and Dr. Don Pedro Obaseki. Chike
Ofili, the chair of ANA Lagos, will moderate the occasion,
which will be chaired by Chief Segun Olusola.
An evening of dance tributes by the National Troupe of Nigeria
will conclude the day’s session.
On Thursday April 17, 2008, the celebration will shift to
NTA, Abuja, where the guest speaker, Mrs. Eugenia Abu, will
discuss the topic, “Things Fall Apart and the Nigerian
Child”. There will be other activities such as quiz
competition, spelling and reading competition among invited
secondary school students; screening of NTA production of
Things Fall Apart, role modelling session by teenage authors,
poetry performances, and variety shows, etc. The Governor
of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, will chair the events.
On Saturday April 19, 2008, a symposium on the theme of the
celebration will take place at the popular Trenchard Hall,
University of Ibadan, with the following speakers, Prof. Sham
Sudeen O.O. Amali, former vice chancellor, University of Ilorin;
Dr. Festus Iyayi, University of Benin; Dr. Reuben Abati, The
Guardian newspaper, Lagos; and Miss Tayo Ajayi, Obafemi Awolowo
University, Ife.
Things Fall Apart will also be on stage, as well as a performance
of Biyi Bandele’s adaptation by the Jos Repertory Theatre
at the Cultural Centre, Mokola Ibadan, later in the day.
On Wednesday, April 23, 2008, there will be an excursion to
Ogidi, Achebe’s ancestral home, and visits to historical
places in Anambra State, in addition to a luncheon by Anambra
State Government in the afternoon.
The highpoint of the day will be The Night of Griots at Awka,
Anambra State, in the evening. The griots expected on the
occasion include: Wole Soyinka, Gabriel Okara, Jimi Solanke,
Elechi Amadi, Chukwuemeka Ike, Labo Yari, Mabel Segun, Demas
Nwoko, J.P. Clark, Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Okey Ndibe and
Femi Osofisan.
The major event of the anniversary, which is the international
colloquium on the theme of the celebration, takes place from
Friday 25 – Saturday 26 April, 2008, at the University
of Nigeria, Nsukka . The keynote speakers are the Kenyan writer,
Prof. Ngugi wa Thiong’o, and the Nigerian scholar, Prof.
Ernest Emenyonu. In addition, fifteen other distinguished
writers and scholars from all over the world will participate
in the colloquium.
Other events billed for the day include opening cocktails,
performance of the winning entry of the playwriting competition
on Achebe’s work apart from TFA, relaunching of Okike:
Journal of African New Writings founded by Achebe, and award
dinners.
Meanwhile, ANA has called on writers and artists to participate
in two competitions as part of the events marking the golden
jubilee anniversary of the classical novel. The first is a
literary adaptation of any of Achebe’s work other than
Things Fall Apart into a stageable play (deadline is February
10, 2008). The second is an art competition, which involves
the creation of a poster around the theme, “Achebe and
Things Fall Apart @ 50” (deadline is February 25, 2008).
Elaborating on the criteria for the art competition, ANA General
Secretary, Malam Denja Abdullahi, informed that (1) all participants
must automatically agree by participating that the decision
of the judges chosen by ANA is final and not subject to any
legal question or action in any court of law, (2) the poster
must be judged on its ability to meet five criteria –
artistically pleasing, literary content, historical correctness,
educational quality and entertainment value to the casual
viewer, (3) any theme related to all or part of the celebration
“Achebe & Things Fall Apart @ 50”, (4) participation
is open to anyone or group or organization , (5) all submissions
should be in final poster form in size A3, laminated and ready
for immediate display. Posters should be sent with relevant
contact details to Educare Trust, Leventis Goshen Building,
Coca Cola area, Sango, Ibadan, P.M.B. 5317, Ibadan.
The shortlisted winners, he added, will be contacted to submit
a CD of the poster for printing purposes and the prizes are
N150, 000, N100, 000 and N70, 000 for the top three, as well
as three consolation prizes of N50, 000, N30, 000 and N20,
000 and a plaque and wide media recognition.
Malam Abdullahi has expressed optimism that, with the support
of Corporate Nigeria, the chosen poster will be reproduced
in thousands and distributed locally and internationally,
especially to schools and libraries.
Also, the posters will be selected for an exhibition to take
place during the activities marking the celebration. The ANA
scribe can be reached at ananatsec@yahoo.com for further enquiries.
In an interview with Sunday Sun, Dr. Wale Okediran, ANA President,
said the association has decided to celebrate the fiftieth
anniversary of Things Fall Apart because the book has become
a phenomenon which has garnered for itself, as well as its
author, accolades, honorary doctorate awards and a worldwide
celebration in over 30 international languages.
It is also meant to draw attention, once again, to African
and, specifically, Nigerian literature, to act as a form of
inspiration to the up and coming Nigerian authors and to join
the world in celebrating this remarkable work. Though the
celebrations will be in five locations, the choice of Nsukka
for the grand finale, said Okediran, was predicated on the
fact that UNN was Achebe's last place of work where he still
holds the chair of a professor emeritus.
To make sure that everything goes according to plan, on January
17, 2008, the ANA Exco paid a courtesy visit to the vice chancellor
of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and members of the university
community over the event. “We also used the opportunity
of the visit to inaugurate the Local Organizing Committee
in Nsukka, which will be chaired by Prof. Ossie Enekwe, while
the HODs of the English and Drama depts., among others, will
be members,” said Okediran.
The ANA Exco has also visited some of the association’s
partners and sponsors such as the vice chancellor of the University
of Ibadan, the Ministers of Culture and Education, the DG
of NTA in Abuja, the Eze Ndigbo of Ibadan, various media houses
in Lagos, Ibadan and Abuja. According to him, the management
of Fidelity Bank, Anambra and Enugu State Governments, Chiki
Noodles, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, among
others, have all indicated their readiness to sponsor the
events.
However, the association is grappling with financial problem,
but, as the ANA president said, “if all the sponsors
can keep their promises, this will be overcome.”
Before going on with the celebrations, ANA sought and got
the consent of Prof Achebe. “He and his family are very
thrilled about the whole arrangement. We are in regular touch
with the Achebe family through Chidi Achebe, one of the icon's
sons,” remarked Dr. Okediran.
This is a timely and worthy celebration for a writer who,
as a trailblazer in the African Writers Series, placed African
literature on the world’s literary canon. |
