The Chief of Staff to the President of the 10th Senate, Barr Sylvester Okonkwo has urged Nigerian artists, including musicians and writers, to borrow a leaf from the ethos of late Christopher Okigbo’s works which highlighted love, justice, equity, humanity, cultural values and exposed the ills of the society.
Okonkwo made the appeal in an interview shortly after
the Uyo Book Club held an August Reading session in honour of Prof. Christopher Okigbo, on Saturday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, where he was the Special Guest of Honour.
He encouraged the artists to speak to the society through their works especially on issues of insecurity, saying that artists in every generation speak about the contending problems of their times.
“Art is the language the society adopts passively by talking to itself. I enjoin artists of our time to talk about security, talk about love for one another, speak up against manipulation and selfishness, talk about corruption and ills of the society.
“Don’t remove yourself, talk about your guilt also let our artists continue to talk to us, the first thing we need in Nigeria is ethical reorientation, let’s talk humanity, let’s show love, let’s talk justice and fairness,” he said.
He noted that Okigbo’s works were not merely artistic but deeply rooted in the desire for a society where justice, equity and truth prevail, adding that his life and works were a testimony to his unwavering commitment to these ideals and inspiration to the future generations.
“His poetry was his weapon and he wielded it with unparalleled skill, challenging the status quo, questioning the very foundations of society and advocating for justice and equity. It is no wonder that his works remain an integral part of African scholarship, studied and revered in academic circles across the globe,” he said.
Okonkwo while receiving the honor on behalf of Okigbo’s family thanked Uyo Book Club and promised to replicate a book club in his community in Anambra State for the propagation of reading culture among youths.
The lead speaker, Prof. Joseph Ushie, represented by Prof. Friday Okon, described Okigbo as an iconic poet, activist and prophet whose works were culturally and religiously motivated with political consciousness for the entrenchment of equity, justice and fairness.
The member representing Eket Senatorial District, Senator Ekong Sampson, who is the patron of the club said no society with a poor reading culture progresses, urging Nigerians especially the youths to imbibe reading culture as such can help them break away from mental captivity and enslavement.
Earlier, the founder of Uyo Book Club, Dr Udeme Nana said the essence of the club was to revive reading culture among the youths and celebrate some artists whose works made impact in Nigerian history even as he noted that August is being set aside to celebrate late Professor Okigbo.
He described Okigbo as a man that was socially committed, culturally obligated, politically engaged and intellectually grounded, saying that his was not arts for arts sake, but arts to advance his culture, his positive traditions, freedom, justice and fair play.
“The late Christopher Okigbo left the physical realm fighting for his beliefs. We are honouring him today because writers do not die. Their works are legacies which outlive them,” Nana observed.
While thanking participants, Nana said, “I welcome our special guest of honour and as well thank him for coming all the way. Although he is a member of the family, he could have given an excuse given his official schedule but here he is, with us.”