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New Book On JP Clark Presented At UNILAG

Published

2 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

Nigerians React As Police Allegedly Seal PDP National Secretariat

Published

6 minutes ago

June 30, 2025

Editor

Reactions have continued trailing the alleged sealing of the Peoples Democratic Party’s national secretariat in Abuja by the police.

PDP leaders were scheduled to meet at the secretariat for the Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting on Monday. Inability to access the building forced the party to relocate to the Yar’Adua Centre, Central Business District, Abuja.

The police claimed officers were deployed to the secretariat to maintain law and order.

Reacting to this, PDP chieftain Dele Momodu accused some unnamed “bullies” of being the masterminds of the security blockade.

“This is not how to use federal might… PDP has the right to hold its meetings peacefully… But some bullies don’t want that… Allah akbar,” he wrote on social media.

Braide Tammy called for the expulsion of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, whom many accused of being the brain behind the blockade.

“PDP has allowed the interest of few persons to rubbish itself. Why are they afraid to expel the likes of Wike? Na their papa get the party,” Tammy wrote.

Olajide Balogun wrote: “BOT is anti-Wike & Pro-Atiku- change of venue, to Yar’dua centre is quite instructive.”

Balogun also quoted the words of President Bola Tinubu at the National Assembly on June 12 on the pleasure he gets from watching the opposition in confusion.

“It is indeed a great pleasure to see you in disarray,” Balogun wrote.

Chinaka Ugwu stood in Wike’s defence, saying the party was culpable.

“What has Wike got to do with obeying Supreme Court ruling? Was Wike the one who announced there will be no NEC meeting but expanded caucus meeting today?” Ugwu wrote.

Another social media user named Onoriode described the PDP as a sinking ship. “A sinking ship soon to be found at the bottom of the sea,” Onoriode wrote.

News

New E-visa System Processed 14,000 Applications In Six Weeks

Published

10 minutes ago

June 30, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government announced on Monday that its newly launched electronic visa (e-visa) system, which became operational on May 1, has recorded significant success.

In the first six weeks alone, the system processed over 14,000 visa applications.

Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, revealed this during a stakeholders’ sensitization workshop on key immigration reforms, held at the Nigeria Immigration Service headquarters in Abuja.

He also disclosed that two major digital platforms—the electronic Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card and the electronic Temporary Work Permit—are set to go live within the coming week.

“I can tell you within the first six weeks of the e-visa, we were able to process over 14,000 visa applications. Within six weeks. So, that by any standard in the world, that is a pass mark. It is a huge one and, of course, those little hitches, I tell you, within the next one to two weeks, will be history. We will correct them.

“We are already working. Even yesterday in my house, the CGIS was there. Technological partners were in my house. The DCG visa was in my house. All of us in my house. We worked for hours yesterday, Sunday, even in my conference room at home. We were working because we understand when you are in the process of innovation, there is no room, there is no opportunity for you to close your eyes. You must make sure it works. We are ready for the challenge”.

He said the Federal Government decided to come up with the e-visa system knowing that it is not just a migration management document but also an enhancer of economic growth.

“To me, when somebody needs a visa to Nigeria, and all he is looking for is who knows the minister, who knows the CG Immigration ,who knows the Perma.net Secretary, that is not how to grow a country. That is the truth.

“You must make it easy while not compromising national security. There must be that strategy. So, the e-visa, I want to assure you, is here, and by the grace of God, is here to stay”, he stated.

“We are not yet where we want to be, but we are not where we were. There has been progress, and the simple truth is, we will continue to invest in our e-border governance and put more boots on the ground to make sure that every inch of the Nigerian border space is well protected”, he vowed.

On the e-CERPAC and TWP, the minister said the era of using TWP to circumvent CERPAC was gone.

“That era when people will come on TWP almost for free, keep renewing over and over, just to evade the law, is gone. So, for us, TWP is automated just like CERPAC is already automated”, he said.

He added that the elimination of manual archiving in the passport application processes has saved Nigeria about a billion Naira annually as the contract regarding that had since been cancelled.

Explaining some of the recent digital innovations by the Service, Comptroller General of Immigration Service CGIS, Kemi Mandap said the new visa regime comes with its several innovative services, including the e-Visa Application Channel, e-CERPAC, Landing and Exit Cards and Temporary Work Permit.

“The already installed e-Gates at our major Airports and commissioned Command and Control Centre is positioned to house and harness these technologies. These digital solutions leverage technology to streamline processes, enhance security, and improve the overall experience for travellers and stakeholders”, she explained.

According to her, the e-Visa system allows for seamless online applications, eliminating the need for physical visits to immigration offices.

“The e-CERPAC integrates residence permits into a digital document, simplifying processes for foreign nationals residing in Nigeria. Our Temporary Work Permit has also been digitized, reducing processing times and increasing efficiency”, she added.

News

Kwara Gov Files Defamation Charges Against Two Brothers

Published

24 minutes ago

June 30, 2025

Editor

Kwara State Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has filed five-count criminal defamation charges against Hon. Mashood Mustapha and his brother Bolakale Mustapha at the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, the state capital.

The suit, which came up for hearing before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar on Monday, was filed by the governor on behalf of the people of Kwara State.

The alleged defamation case, which concerns offences of perjury and inciting public disturbance, was filed by Mr Ayoola Akande, Kwara State Director of Public Prosecutions, who represented the state government in court.

Hon. Mashood Mustapha was a member of the National Assembly representing Ilorin West and Asa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives between 2011 and 2015. He was also a gubernatorial aspirant in the All Progressives Congress primary election for the 2019 election.

According to the charges before the court, the defendants are alleged to have uploaded and published a five-minute, forty-one-second video likely to disturb public peace.

The first defendant, Bolakale, was also alleged to have filed an action against the governor at the Federal High Court based on a false allegation.

The charges further revealed that the second defendant, Mashood, uploaded a video containing abusive, insulting, and derogatory language against the governor, Mallam Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq.

According to The PUNCH, two defendants denied the alleged offences, saying the allegations were false.

The prosecution team, led by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ayoola Akande, prayed the court to remand the defendants in federal correctional custody on the basis that their bail application was not ripe for hearing.

He added that “the alleged offences are not ordinarily bailable,” noting that one of the offences carries a 14-year jail term.

Professor Kayode Olatoke SAN and Moses Ebute SAN represented the two defendants respectively.

In their separate submissions, the counsels urged the court to dismiss the prosecution’s prayers, arguing that their clients’ alleged offences are bailable.

They prayed the court to grant the defendants bail on liberal terms, arguing that they are well-known in the state and ready to provide reliable sureties.

The court, in its short ruling, admitted that the offences against the defendants are bailable and granted them bail in the sum of ₦5 million with a surety. The matter was adjourned for further hearing until July 18, 2025.

Speaking to the press after the judgment, one of the lead counsels for the second defendant, Moses Ebute SAN, said: “Ordinarily, the case was a bailable offence and the honourable judge, in his wisdom, has graciously granted our client bail with conditions being fulfilled.

“Although we indicated to the court that we were ready to proceed with the trial immediately, the prosecution requested a date, probably to get their house in order. We will return on 18 July to commence the trial.”