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New Book On JP Clark Presented At UNILAG

Published

3 years ago

April 24, 2023

In conjunction with the Department of English, University of Lagos, the Clark family presented a new book chronicling the life and times of Nigeria’s foremost literary icon, Professor Emeritus, John Pepper Clark, at the Rahaman Adisa Bello Lecture Theatre, last Tuesday, April 18, 2023.

The book titled, “Connecting the Local and the Global Across Literary Genres: Emerging Perspectives on J.P. Clark and His Works”, is edited by Professors Hope Eghagha and Solomon Azumutana, both of the University of Lagos, UNILAG.

Published by Mosuro Publishers (2022), Connecting the Local and the Global Across Literary Genres: Emerging Perspectives on J.P. Clark and His Works features erudite scholars such as Hope Eghagha (UNILAG), Lilly Chimuanya (Covenant University), Olufemi Adeosun (Ekiti State University), Destiny Idegbekwe (University of Africa, Bayelsa), Promise Adiele (Mountain Top University), Omolara Owoeye (Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti), Peter Omoko (University of Africa, Toru-Orua, Bayelsa), Rosetta Nnsi (Nigerian Film Institute, Jos) and Solomon Azumurana (UNILAG) as contributors.

The seminal material encapsulates fifteen chapters of critical essays on phenomenal works of the legend which include the following: “The Wives’ Revolt”, “Ozidi”, “All for Oil”, “Song of a Goat”, “Casualties”, “Masquerade”, “Streamside Exchange”, “Night Rain” and “Home from Hiroshima”. The 339-page book also features exploratory essays on other prolific writers like Ahmed Yerima and Femi Osofisan whose works are interrogated by Rosetta Nnsi under the subtitle, “Folklore in J. P. Clark’s Masquerade, Femi Osofisan’s Many Colours Make the Thunder King and Ahmed Yerima’s Hard Ground”.

The auspicious occasion chaired by Architect Charles Majoroh was well attended by members of the academia, communication executives, reps of Government College, Ugheli- Clark’s Alma mater and a host of others, including a representative of the Chief Host, Vice Chancellor Prof. Folasade Tolulope Ogunsola who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services), Prof. Victoria Atsenuwa Ayodele, Dean, Department of English, Prof Funke Adeboye, Prof. Yemi Akinyele, Arts curator and consultant, Moses Ohiomokhare, widow of the late sage, Prof. Ebun Clark, their son, Elaye and daughter, Ema Clark.

The book reviewer, Prof. Patrick Oloko, recalled his last encounter with the late sage, saying: “A year or so before he died, I was with Prof. Clark in his office at the JP Clark Centre. I informed him that Prof Eghagha and I were thinking of introducing courses-in his works, at the post graduate and graduate levels. He gave me that his trademark quisical look and then replied, ‘So, you are still thinking? Well, whatever you want to do, please, do it quickly because I don’t have much time.’ I was expecting a congratulatory pat on the back. You know that typical, but very very meaningful Clarkian arrogance that I have heard so much about. Later on, I reflected on his words again. I told myself that a writer who donated an entire library holding that he had spent his entire life time building to an institution where he and his wife spent their most productive years of a human life circle actually deserves more than mere ‘thinking about’. He deserves action. I’m happy to announce that the undergraduate level course is going the process approval for literature for the English Department. The book being presented today is part of the action being taken.”

Speaking further on the book project and the persona, Prof. Oloko said: “In my reckoning, it should be an important material for the course. 11 of the 15 chapters of the volume bring new conversations that are centered around specific works of the famous author. Unlike others, I refuse to believe that he wasn’t given much attention. He was very popular and controversial. Any writer who is not controversial is going to be simply shut behind the room and never listened to. J.P. Clark was not the kind of person you could ignore.”

The reviewer explained that the other four chapters point to new directions that follow up the volume’s chart. “The first direction is to give more content to the understanding of Clark through his extra-literary engagements, ” he noted, revealing that Chapter 1 started it admirably, focusing on “the biography of Clark- the controversial one and the authorized one as well as his very definitive memoir, “America, Their America.” The second direction puts Clark’s works in dialogue with his contemporaries and others after his generation. Chapters 7 and 13 have started the conversation, resituating Clark within the universal continuum of theatre practice without sacrificing his humanity and national consciousness. The chart continues brilliantly through the entry to Chapter 4. So, the authors of this volume are collectively kick-starting a project of bringing Clark in a broader view after he joined the ancestral realm.

They remind us that writers attain an enduring immortality when they are no longer alive. Part of the enduring value of this book lies in that very pragmatic word, ’emerging’ which is somewhere in the book’s rather long title.”

While speaking on behalf of the editors, Prof. Hope Eghagha also went down memory lane, saying: “In 2018, we hosted a conference, the ‘JP Clark Conference’. At the opening ceremony was the Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka who gave the keynote. At the end of it, Prof. Clark said to me: ‘Hope, we’ve broken the jinx. That was a very good good attempt to host a JP Clark Conference.’ I didn’t know what to do. He was excited. I didn’t know that that was a “good bye conference. The first two flopped for some reasons. So, he was excited. Of course, there was no way we could have known that that was a ‘Good bye conference’ because shortly after he joined his ancestors. Why did we decide to host the conference? We thought that not enough attention had been given to his work. Most of us in my generation were exposed to his works in secondary schools. “Night Rain”, for instance, long before became fashionable for environmentalists to make an issue out of the degradation in the Niger Delta, Clark captured it in his book.

He was one of the first generation of Nigerian, indeed, African writers recognized as literary giants of our time. But, why was it that his works were not given enough attention? Was it that people focused more on his personality than his written works? Last year, with the support of his family, I’ll like to pay tributes to Prof. (Mrs) Ebun Clark who has gone out of her way to keep her husband’s legacy, standing for what he stood for and supported this our first book. We hope that we have documented the first phase of our research.” Moreover, Eghagha pointed out that Prof. Clark had an attitude towards his work as “He used to say: Let the work speak for itself’ and didn’t believe in propaganda. He didn’t believe in courting or being nice to the press.”

News

27-year-old Man Dies Inside Deep Well In Ogbomoso

Published

2 hours ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

The corpse of a 27-year-old man identified as Alagbe Gbemisoye has been recovered from a deep well at Ire-Akari, Adeniran area of Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

His body was retrieved by officials of the Oyo State Fire Service after passersby alerted them to the incident.

The circumstances that led to the deceased falling into the well were still unclear as of the time of filing this report.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Fire Reforms and Chairman, Fire Services, Moroof Akinwande, said his men were alerted by a running caller and Mr Ajayi Olayemi.

“Fire personnel led by CFM Oladejo promptly deployed to the scene. On arrival, it was discovered that a man of about 27 years old, named Alagbe Gbemisoye, had fallen into a deep well. His body was recovered and handed over to the DPO, Owode Police Station,” he said.

Akinwande urged the public to always observe safety precautions in their daily activities and emphasised the importance of having fire extinguishers in their homes to prevent fire incidents.

News

Bauchi Records 75 Homicide Cases, 28 Kidnapping Cases, Others – Official

Published

2 hours ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

The Bauchi state Ministry of Justice says it recorded nothing less than 75 homicide cases, 28 kidnapping cases and 86 cases of rape in the 2024-2025 legal year.

Barr. Hassan Usman (SAN), the Bauchi state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, stated this in Bauchi on Tuesday during the commencement of the 2025-2026 legal year ceremony.

“In criminal cases from January to date, we received a total of 91 robbery cases, as against last year which was 83 and we received 75 homicide cases.

“We were served with motions for bails and other motions totalling about 256 and we received about 86 rape cases and 28 kidnapping cases.

“In total, we received a total number of 592 criminal cases and out of this number, 97 have been disposed of, 15 were discharged through legal advice, 454 are pending,” said the Commissioner.

According to him, given the high volume of cases recorded, the Ministry developed strategies to fast-track prosecutions in line with the administration of criminal justice law that emphasised speedy trials by setting timelines of filing charges in court and proceeding.

While explaining that Gov. Bala Mohammed approved the release of N7.8 million for the purchase of law and other practice books for their library, Usman added that Mohammed also approved the release of monthly funds to settle all outstanding judgement debts owed by the state government.

He appreciated the governor for his benevolence, unwavering commitment and exceptional support for the Ministry of Justice in the state.

Earlier speaking, Justice Rabi Umar, the State’s Chief Judge, lamented the recurrent practice of arraigning suspects in court without proper preliminary investigations.

She added that in many cases, efforts to gather evidence were only initiated after the trial had begun.

“This backward approach to criminal prosecution significantly delays the process and undermines the delivery of justice.

“It is unacceptable that in 2025, we continue to see such practices, which contributed to the overwhelming backlog of cases in our courts and ultimately eroded public confidence in the Justice System.

“To resolve this and other identified lapses, a Committee was set up to review the Bauchi state Administration of Criminal Justice Law and come up with a Draft Law that will stand the test of time,” she said.

She however, affirmed that any lawyer that didn’t adhere to the prescribed dress code for legal practitioners in the state would not be permitted to appear in court, adding that such a disregard for professional decorum undermined the prestige and global respect that the legal profession commands.

In his speech, governor Mohammed said that the three arms of government in the state had been working harmoniously and in synergy without compromising their constitutional autonomy.

Represented by his deputy, Alh. Auwal Jatau, Mohammed said that he has been giving the two other arms of government the necessary support and cooperation to ensure that they all operated optimally without any hindrance.

News

HIV: 29,874 Bauchi Residents Under Treatment, 650 Infants Recover From Infection – Commissioner

Published

2 hours ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

The Bauchi State Government has said that it is currently treating a total of 29,874 people living with HIV with Antiretroviral treatment across the state.

Dr. Sani Mohammed Danbam, the Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, disclosed this while speaking at a press conference jointly held with partners to commemorate the 2025 World Aids Day.

According to him, HIV affects the most vulnerable in society: the poor, the uneducated, the marginalized, women, and children.

He said AIDS remains incurable, but no longer has to be a death sentence.

Speaking on the HIV situation in the State, Danbam said, “as of today, a total of 29,874 people living with HIV are receiving (Antiretroviral Therapy) ART and the State has scaled up to 863 HTS/PMTCT facilities, where the general population and pregnant women receive free HIV services.

“This year, we have successfully placed 2,246 newly diagnosed HIV-positive individuals on antiretroviral treatment, and over 650 HIV-exposed infants have achieved 100% early infant diagnosis and remain free from HIV infection.”

This year’s theme for World Aids Day: ‘Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response’, Danbam said is to reflect the challenges caused by recent funding cuts and other setbacks, and “it reminds us of the need to build a stronger, more resilient and rights-focused approach as we work toward ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.”

Also, the Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Diene Keita, noted that in spite of advancements in medical technologies and public policies, progress made over decades was increasingly jeopardised, with prevention gains eroding as essential services struggled to reach people at elevated risk.

Represented by Deborah Tabara, Gender/Reproductive Health Analyst & State Programme Officer, UNFPA Bauchi, stressed that severe cuts in international aid were destabilising HIV prevention efforts, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where millions relied on donor-supported programmes to access accurate information, prevention tools and essential community-based support.

According to Keita, almost 2.5 million people have lost access to lifesaving Pre-exposure Prophylaxis due to shrinking resources, with countries recording half of last year’s new HIV infections experiencing the harshest consequences from dwindling funding.

Tackling gender inequality, violence and stigma in healthcare systems and societies more broadly will be instrumental in reducing factors that put people at risk of HIV. Integrating HIV services into routine sexual and reproductive healthcare, including family planning and maternal health, would make them more readily available to many women and girls.

“At this crossroads in the AIDS response, UNFPA continues to support countries in sustaining and improving HIV prevention, particularly for adolescent girls, young women and key populations, along with providing treatment and related services.

“The combined efforts of governments, international organisations, activists and communities have led to remarkable progress on HIV, saving nearly 27 million lives to date. Now, we need to come together and finish what we know works and what we know is possible – an AIDS-free future for all.”