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Soyinka, Other Scholars Headline JP Clark’s First Memorial Literary Feast At UNILAG

Published

5 years ago

October 10, 2021

The Department of English, University of Lagos and the JP Clark family will hold the first JP Clark memorial from Monday, October 11-13, 2021.

This 3-day event tagged ‘The First JP Clark Memorial’ in honour of the late poet and dramatist. The memorial will host Clark’s friend and literary soulmate Prof. Wole Soyinka who will headline the event that will feature an assemblage of scholars and writers from within and the diaspora to discuss the quintessential Clark and his work.

Day 1 will feature Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, Prof. Godini G. Darah will speak on ‘JP Clark: Voyager of our Folkways’, Prof. Tanure Ojaide, Prof. Mabel Evwierhoma, Prof. Saint Gbilekaa, Dr. Nduka Otiono.

Ojaide will speak on ‘What We Don’t Know Yet About JP Clark’s Writing’, Evwierhoma will discuss Clark ‘Towards an Agenda for Democracy, Gbilekka will speak on ‘An Ecocritical Discourse of JP Clark’s All for Oil & Women’s Revolt’, and Otiono will discuss ‘JP Clark and Poetic Expeditions in Mortality’ while Profs. Femi Osofisa and Hope Eghagha will moderate the memorial proceedings.

Day 2 is anchored by the Association of Nigerian Authors’ and tagged ‘Celebrating the Life and Times of JP Clark’ and also dedicated to ‘Cancer Outreach Programme’ and will feature presentation by Dr. Olatunbosun on ‘Colon Cancer the Silent Killer: Statistics and Prevalence in Nigeria’ and Dr. Kene Chudy-Onwugaje will speak on ‘Hidden Cancers and their Prevention: How to Direct and Prevent Colon Cancer.

On the last day of the memorial, Wednesday, October 13, 2021, at 3:00 pm, there will be a performance of the dramatist’s feminist-driven play, The Wives’ Revolt. Interestingly, all the activities will feature in a hybrid format of virtual and physical for the delight of lovers of the late JP Clark’s poetic and dramatic offerings.

Professor John Pepper Clark, was born on the 6th of December 1933 in the Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. After his early education at the Native Administration Schools, Okrika and Jeremi (Otughievwen), in the Western Niger Delta, he went on to study at the Government College, Ughelli and the University College, Ibadan.

It was during his study of English at University of Ibadan, that he began to catch the attention of the general public. He became the editor of the Students’ Union magazine the Beacon, and the first editor of the Horn, the poetry journal at the University College, Ibadan, which launched modern Nigerian poetry in English. It introduced Christopher Okigbo and Wole Soyinka.

J.P. Clark was the pre-eminent poet of a unique period of the 20th century in Africa. This was a time when a few nascent, post-colonial, English speaking African writers, side by side with their French and Portuguese African counterparts, created African literature, a global literary genre that is studied in several universities around the world.

(VANGUARD)

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Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges

Published

3 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.

Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.

Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.

He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.

According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.

The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.

“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.

Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.

The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.

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Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran

Published

4 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.

“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.

“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.

Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.

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US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran

Published

4 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.

The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.

A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.

The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.

Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.

Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.