‘Sunset at Dawn’ immortalizes Chukwuemeka Ike – Onyeama
Novelist and Founder/Chief Executive of Enugu-based book publishing firm, Delta Publication, Mr. Dillibe Onyeama has described the late popular writer, Chukwuemeka Ike as essentially different from other Nigerian authors. He described him as a professional educator, trained in Nigeria and America, with a very good grasp of Queen’s English and a flair for expression, being […]
Novelist and Founder/Chief Executive of Enugu-based book publishing firm, Delta Publication, Mr. Dillibe Onyeama has described the late popular writer, Chukwuemeka Ike as essentially different from other Nigerian authors. He described him as a professional educator, trained in Nigeria and America, with a very good grasp of Queen’s English and a flair for expression, being a seasoned lecturer.
Mr. Onyeama said the late Ike had the gift of using wit and satire to denounce evil in the society through his books.
Speaking to Daily Trust at his New Haven, Enugu office, Mr. Onyeama said it might not be necessary to talk about how to immortalize the late author as he was already immortalized by one of his most popular novels, ‘Sunset At Dawn’, a book on the Biafran war, which he said, sold up to 45,000 copies annually when it was released.
Onyeama said: “I was impressed by the power of his wonderful diction. He had mastery of the English Language and he applied wit and satire to deliver a message that is very important to the society.”
Onyeama, who is author of the ‘Nigger At Eton,’ further said “Chukwuemeka Ike was also very tactful. He wrote about very formidable themes, like the kind of corruption one encounters when trying to become Vice Chancellor of a University. Now that is one of the themes but he didn’t use the name Nigeria.
“His book, ‘The Naked Gods’ was about the corruption inherent in the selection of the VCs. A reader would know that the issue he treated in the book was about Nigeria but he used another name. He used common sense for security situation of the country because one wouldn’t know how people in Black Africa would react to such issue of corruption; they may read the work and feel that the writer is referring to them. So he avoided using Nigeria; he used Sunghi but it was very clear what he wanted to say. He used wit and satire to denounce an evil. He was a spokesman of the people, using satire, wit, camouflage to get the message across. That was one thing that set him apart. He was more subtle but some other writers would come and slam the people and the country.”
Onyeama said there was no doubt that his books impacted on society as the publishing company Fontana recorded huge sales from ‘Sunset At Dawn’. “In those days in England, his books were published by Fontana Books. I know for sure through Olayinya Fagbamiye, a Yoruba big-time distributor, who used to distribute in Nigeria books published in England; Chukwuemeka was one of the biggest selling authors in those days. His books were selling 40,000 copies a year. His book, ‘Sunset At Dawn’ on the Biafran war was a monumental best-seller. If you read it, you will believe an English person wrote it with good, polished and educated English.
“I also learnt from one of the editors of Fotana Books, a lady called Caroline Kolhi, that Chukwuemeka Ike’s books were selling like hot cake in England, mainly among the Igbo people, and also selling in Nigeria. In those days, 75 per cent of books written in England by Nigerians were written by Igbos; the readership was mainly Igbos. It’s like during the Biafran war, Wole Soyinka wrote ‘The Man Died’, attacking the then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, and showing sympathy for Biafra. ‘The Man Died’ sold thousands of hard cover copies in England, but who bought the books? Igbos in England.”
According to him, Ike, who later became the traditional ruler of Ndikerionwu ancient Kingdom in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State had addressed all the social malaise in Nigeria and made his point, adding that his books are such timeless works “you can still read in the next 50 or more years and still find the contents relevant because they are valuable documents.”
Onyeama added: “Unfortunately, Nigerians today are on the fast lane. When you come to write about corruption, they don’t want to hear about all that. Everybody is on the fast lane and there are no rules to guide them. People want to make it fast; drive expensive cars and live in mansions and all that. So, writing about corruption may not excite Nigerians of today, except there is something original you want to create.”
How best does he think the late literary icon, Ike could be immortalized? “Chukwuemeka Ike would be immortalized by the virtue of that his book, ‘Sunset At Dawn’. That’s how he’s going to be immortalized because he wrote powerfully about the Biafran war, and now people are talking about Biafra – so the book is still relevant, and people will keep buying it. So, I think he’s already immortalized. He is not going to be easily forgotten by people, especially those who read his books,” Onyeama said, adding that “writers like Chinua Achebe and William Shakespeare are still being read; they are immortalized. People pick their books and read, although the electronic era now is making people read less; people are now by-passing books.
“Basically, Chukwuemeka Ike is already immortalized by the strength of ‘Sunset At Dawn.’ He would be remembered as a novelist not as a traditional ruler, even if people in his own village remember him as a traditional ruler. But when you mention his name, most people will remember him first as the writer.”