Literature
Dr. E. E. Sule, lecturer at the University of Abuja assesses the Nigerian literary scene at 50.
What?s your assessment of Nigeria's literary development?
Dr. E. E. Sule: The literary scene in Nigeria, in my view, is as sick as Nigeria in her 50th independence. Nigeria and her literature in English are glorying in mediocrity, self-praise, and complacency. This is even more telling when you consider closely the public actions and utterances of our writers. Like the politicians, the writers are ethnically bigoted; like the politicians, the writers are narcissistic; like the politicians, the writers are rapacious; like the politicians, the writers are, shocking as it is, shallow in their opinions, views, and judgments. In short, it hurts to know that Nigeria does not only lack a leader, she also lacks a prophet. For a prophet of a nation is not one Joshua of a Synagogue, but a writer with a sense of art and a sense of nation combined. I think the case is that of a nation getting the kind of writers it asks for. As a writer living and writing in Nigeria, I may have to indulge in all kinds of bad deeds, just like the politicians do, in order to survive.
What are the major positive developments so far on the literary scene?
Well, the ?developments? so far, as I can see, is that more and more people, who in the strictest sense, shouldn?t be considered as writers, are churning out stuffs and projecting themselves as the newest voices of our literary imagination. There are more writers? websites or blogs. There are more writers? association or groups. There are more writing workshops taking place. There are more writing awards and prizes. It is amazing that Nigeria does not have a dull moment for writers ? well, it does not have a dull moment for other kinds of people either. So, you see our sense of ?development? is that more things keep being produced, keep coming on board, keep being additional numbers in the scheme of data that informs our sense of progress.
What are the shortcomings?
Those things we consider ?developments? are paradoxically the shortcomings of our literary scene. We are producing books, but most of them are failures, in content and in form, in printing quality and in marketing. We spend much time opening websites and blogs, or talking trivialities on the internet, but not really writing. So-called writers struggle and fight over ruling ANA or other associations, or over forming associations, or over organising programmes, without actually getting down to write. Writers who themselves ought to hone their skills are running workshops all over the nation. Terribly bad books are winning prizes. So, what I can see is that writers are busy doing this or that but the great writer has not emerged, the great book has not emerged. The great book cannot be found.
What is the way forward for Nigerian literature?
In my opinion, people who call themselves writers, or people who have made a good start with one considerable effort or the other, should get to their desks and start writing the great books of our time. Organisations should spend less money on prizes, and concentrate on building and equipping libraries. The temperament of Nigerian literature should tolerate more criticisms, that is to say, there should be more constructive critical debates instead of the self-praise and the hyper-publicity going round.
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Literature
Nigeria at 50: The great book has not emerged
Dr. E. E. Sule, lecturer at the University of Abuja assesses the Nigerian literary scene at 50.
What?s your assessment of Nigeria's literary development?
Dr. E. E. Sule: The literary scene in Nigeria, in my view, is as sick as Nigeria in her 50th independence. Nigeria and her literature in English are glorying in mediocrity, self-praise, and complacency. This is even more telling when you consider closely the public actions and utterances of our writers. Like the politicians, the writers are ethnically bigoted; like the politicians, the writers are narcissistic; like the politicians, the writers are rapacious; like the politicians, the writers are, shocking as it is, shallow in their opinions, views, and judgments. In short, it hurts to know that Nigeria does not only lack a leader, she also lacks a prophet. For a prophet of a nation is not one Joshua of a Synagogue, but a writer with a sense of art and a sense of nation combined. I think the case is that of a nation getting the kind of writers it asks for. As a writer living and writing in Nigeria, I may have to indulge in all kinds of bad deeds, just like the politicians do, in order to survive.
What are the major positive developments so far on the literary scene?
Well, the ?developments? so far, as I can see, is that more and more people, who in the strictest sense, shouldn?t be considered as writers, are churning out stuffs and projecting themselves as the newest voices of our literary imagination. There are more writers? websites or blogs. There are more writers? association or groups. There are more writing workshops taking place. There are more writing awards and prizes. It is amazing that Nigeria does not have a dull moment for writers ? well, it does not have a dull moment for other kinds of people either. So, you see our sense of ?development? is that more things keep being produced, keep coming on board, keep being additional numbers in the scheme of data that informs our sense of progress.
What are the shortcomings?
Those things we consider ?developments? are paradoxically the shortcomings of our literary scene. We are producing books, but most of them are failures, in content and in form, in printing quality and in marketing. We spend much time opening websites and blogs, or talking trivialities on the internet, but not really writing. So-called writers struggle and fight over ruling ANA or other associations, or over forming associations, or over organising programmes, without actually getting down to write. Writers who themselves ought to hone their skills are running workshops all over the nation. Terribly bad books are winning prizes. So, what I can see is that writers are busy doing this or that but the great writer has not emerged, the great book has not emerged. The great book cannot be found.
What is the way forward for Nigerian literature?
In my opinion, people who call themselves writers, or people who have made a good start with one considerable effort or the other, should get to their desks and start writing the great books of our time. Organisations should spend less money on prizes, and concentrate on building and equipping libraries. The temperament of Nigerian literature should tolerate more criticisms, that is to say, there should be more constructive critical debates instead of the self-praise and the hyper-publicity going round.
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Two emerging writers, Sumaila Umaisha and Ifeyinwa Omalicha, will feature at the 28th edition of the Abuja Writers? Forum?s Guest Writer Session, which holds on November 27, according to the Forum?s PRO, Abudullahi Abubakar: The event, which holds from...
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BINYAVANGA WAINAINA, a Kenyan writer and winner of the 2002 Caine Prize for African Writing, who is currently a Bard Fellow and Director of the Chinua Achebe Centre for African Literature and Languages at Bard College, was one of the resource persons...
- Kano Censorship Crisis Resolved (?)
Kano State Censorship Board has reversed its position on the compulsory registration of individual writers, bringing to an end the several weeks of media war between the board and writers in the state. The resolution was reached at an interactive meeting...
- Rebuilding The Reading And Writing Culture (interview)
DR. BIBI BAKARE-YUSUF is a publisher based in Abuja. She started Cassava Republic Press in 2006. The company is focused on publishing quality African writing at an affordable price. It is a social enterprise, driven by the dream to re-develop a reading...
- Gimba: 'nigerian Literature Has Come A Long Way' (interview)
This interview was conducted by me in 2005 to mark the 45th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria. Abubakar Gimba, who is one of the renowned Nigerian writers assesses the country's literary development over the years. NNW: It is 45 years since...