I don’t think about death – Okara

Gabriel Okara was a widely celebrated author from Nigeria’s south-south sate, Bayelsa. His famous poem, ‘The call of The River Nun’ is one that has been widely dissected and discoursed by audience the world over for its style and complexity among other features. In this 2009 interview with Daily Trust on Sunday, the literary icon, […]

Gabriel Okara was a widely celebrated author from Nigeria’s south-south sate, Bayelsa. His famous poem, ‘The call of The River Nun’ is one that has been widely dissected and discoursed by audience the world over for its style and complexity among other features. In this 2009 interview with Daily Trust on Sunday, the literary icon, who answered the call of the River Nun on Tuesday, spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday his growing years by the Nun, vying political office and his works.

 

Please tell us about your growing up.

I was born on the River Nun bank and had my early school with missionaries before going to Government College, Umuahia. I was introduced to literature, which sparked off my interest in writing. I joined the civil service until I eventually retired. In the then Rivers State government, I was a commissioner for broadcasting. I have been writing since then.

What was the most interesting part of growing up by the River Nun?

Growing up along the riverside, the whole atmosphere gets into you and you get into it. The river is your life and experience because you did practically everything there and it can never get out of your thinking. As a child, the River Nun became almost everything in your life. The communications… you paddled, you fished, you played hide-and-seek in the water. I turned out to be a good fisherman. It can never get out of your thinking. (Laughing)

 

The River was a main feature in your life. Do you see the present generation being able to share in that same experience?

No way; because everything has changed. Then, we had a natural habitat but now civilization has taken all that away. That experience is gone forever.

 

You were thinking that your later writings would have a preoccupation with politics; how do you feel about present-day politics?

Politics has been affected by what my late friend, Professor Claude Ake, described or themed as ‘Militant Materialism’ in Nigeria. Militancy is there and this is what pervades the atmosphere of every transaction, whether politics, business or anything else. The monetary aspect of politics has taken over. The people in politics not because of what they want to put into it but for what they can get out of it. This is why when the politicians begin to talk the high heavens and so on, and start making promises, take it with a pinch of salt, because what they are mostly interested in is money and what they can get out of it.

Look at Chief Abiola, who unfortunately died; when he was campaigning for office, he said he wanted to give back to society what it had given to him.  That just captured me and bowed me to him right away. That is why I had a special dedication to him.

Here they say politics is a do or die affair, my opinion is not in that line.

 

Why did you not go into active politics?

I tried once. There was a party being sponsored by somebody here in the north, Ibrahim Waziri, whose slogan was ‘Politics without bitterness’. That attracted me to go in.

 

You contested election?

Yes, and with a very, very good friend who was in the NPN (National Party of Nigeria). When they were counting the votes, a lot of things began happening which put me off completely. And when I drew my friend’s attention to it, he became very serious.  After that, I never went back.

 

In 1978, you so accurately predicted the People’s Democratic Party and even got the motto too- ‘Power to the people’. How did you feel when the party came up twenty years later in 1998?

(Laughing) You know, I wish I had seen it coming.

 

Ten years after, do you feel disappointed at the turn of events?

I am definitely disappointed at the turn in politics.

In one of your writings, you said: “Adieu humanity that has failed me”. How has it failed you?

With all that I hoped for; the ideals… For example, in politics and politics without bitterness and so … what it is now is just a pack of disappointments because they have really failed me and my expectations and my hopes for an ideal society.

 

Is that also explained in why you write so much about the future? Have you lost hope in the present?

Yes. You know based on the present situation I try to forecast the future. As soon as you can find… there is no hope or visible change for the better. We can go on and on like this until everything comes in the open or becomes a way of life or something against society. For instance, if you do not tell a lie then you are against society. They will prosecute you because you do not tell a lie.

 

As it is now, where do we go from here?

I think there is need for a mental revolution … I don’t like bloodshed and all that but I think there must be a revolution in our thinking. The youths are the ones who can bring about the change. It may not be immediate but the seed must be sown and it will grow until it destroys all other impeding obstacles in the progress of this country, not only in politics but also in the economic sector and other areas. Nigeria could be a very great country but this militant materialism is a great stumbling block.

 

How has the militancy in the Niger Delta affected you? Have you been able to express your feelings in any of your works?

I may not have expressed it in any of my writings. But what they are doing… when they started it, it was the right course and it started out of frustration which was a good thing. But it has come to a time when the government itself will realise the mistakes of the past and the whole world now knows what is happening in the Niger Delta and the plight of the people there. The government having known this has created this amnesty thing and the creation of the Niger Delta ministry and the NDDC [Niger Delta Development Commission]. I think now the militants should accept the offer and see what government will do.

 

You’ve been so aspirational and believing that things would get better in this country. Did you think you would live this long?

The thing is I don’t think about death. I know it will come.

 

You were not scarred of the violence in the military rule or in the Delta at the moment?

As I said I am against violence. With things I cannot control, I will not take part in. So I watch until I groan about things becoming better. But about death and so on, I do not think about.

You are also into other forms of artistry. Have you done any painting in recent times?

That was really long ago. I used to do water colour paintings but those are all gone now. I still do a few drawings from time to time.

 

How do you pass time now?

I read. I am not one for attending social functions. I go once in a while but that I not really my concern.

 

With no tertiary education and having all you have achieved, what would say to young people who believe with no education they cannot have a life?

The major thing is focus. Those who think without a university education they are not educated at all or cannot go anywhere have a wrong thinking. It means they have no focus. In my own case, what was driving me to reading and developing myself was my urge to write. I studied other writers and read very wide. I read the classics and the Greeks, Socrates and so on. My generation didn’t have local or indigenous models to be inspired by so when you read all these you tried to develop your own out of them.

So those who think that because they didn’t go to university and use that as an excuse to take on all sorts of lifestyle would not even have done well if they went there. If they want to succeed let them read and study wide. Without university, you can still develop yourself as I did. With writing you can develop your own style and techniques.

This interview was conducted with Okenyodo, who was at the time a freelancer with Daily Trust.