Literature
Professor Ben Elugbe of the Department of Linguistic and African Languages, University of Ibadan, who is the president of Nigerian Academy of Letters, NAL, and West African Linguistic Society, WALS, speaks to SUMAILA UMAISHA on the 2009 NLNG Prize controversy and other related issues. Excerpts:
What is the structure and function of Nigeria Academy of letters, NAL?
NAL is the apex of academic organisation for the Humanities in Nigeria. It is fairly young; it effectively took off in 1997. We have an executive, which is elected every two years. We have regular publications under a general editor whose term in office runs for four years. We also have annual convocation at the University of Lagos. And during the convocation, we have what we call the scientific session; that is where a certain theme of the convocation is addressed by specialist papers. We have a think-tank of the academy called the Ibadan Working Group, IWG, which holds its meetings on Wednesdays in this university (University of Ibadan). It is not every Wednesday, but if it is necessary they do meet every Wednesday.
NAL became known to many Nigerians only when the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, began to operate through it in administering its literary prize. How did the relationship between the two bodies come about?
Initially, NLNG had a relationship with the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, in regard to the literature prize. It was when they started having problem that it was suggested to NLNG that since they are also having contact with the Academy of Science for the science prize, they could use NAL also to manage the literature prize. Another reason why we were brought in is that we have the resources. The great writers that Nigeria has are fellows of the academy. Professors Wole Soyinka, JP Clark, Chinua Achebe and so on, are all fellows of the academy.
ANA must be envious, given the publicity this annual prize attracts for NAL...
I don?t think so; I think we should invite ANA to properly become a society under NAL, because, we have learned societies under us. For example, we have the English Studies Association, the Linguistic Association of Nigeria, and the Religious Studies Association under us. So I don?t see any reason why ANA shouldn?t affiliate with us.
Has ANA agreed to affiliate?
We haven?t asked them. And presumably, they may not have known exactly what NAL is all about before now. But, mind you, people like professor Osofisan, who I think ANA knows very well, is a fellow of NAL. You see, you have to be a professor for five years to be even a member, and you have to be a professor for ten years before you can be a fellow. And even then it is not automatic; you have to submit your CV to an academic panel that will assess you before you can become a fellow.
ANA has been handling many prizes without controversy, but NAL which is handling only one, the NLNG Prize, has been enmeshed in controversy. Why?
What controversy?
Nine writers were shortlisted in the 2009 NLNG literary competition, but none was deemed qualified for the prize. And people are wondering why none of the shortlisted entries could emerge as the overall winner...
Are you aware that the same thing happened to the science prize exactly the same year? It is very sad that it was the creative writers whom we normally associate with certain integrity, certain feature that you would associate with a mature mind were the ones who made a lot of noise. In respect of the science prize nobody made any noise. I don?t know why that happened. But I?m willing to look at it and say anyway, it is not scientists who normally fight bad governance and things like that, so maybe it is not unusual if writers complain about something. But the manner of it was terrible. So let me say that actually there has not been any such decision from NAL, because at that time NAL had not begun to function as administrator of the prize fully, though the people who were doing the job were our people.
So the judgment didn?t come from NAL but from the judges: NAL only upheld the decision?
Precisely, NAL didn?t have a way of saying do it this way or that way. The judges were the experts and most them are fellows.
It is really sad that out of nine shortlisted entries none could clinch the prize...
I will try not to be involved in the controversy...
Yes... but, you upheld the judgment...
You see, NLNG had a problem; the judges that functioning under them have said this prize cannot be awarded. That is not NAL?s decision; I?ve told you that. They were the ones who now decided what to do with the prize money. Since it also happened in science, they took the same decision on the two bodies; they gave both bodies their individual prize money. And we used part of the money to organise a workshop for writers, to improve their skills.
Finally, what is the future of NAL?
We prayer is that we should rise and continue to rise. We will continue to contribute to the society and make sure our impact is felt not just in the area of literature, but in the area of history. For instance, we?ve been pushing the historical society members to say history is important; don?t let government treat history as if it is not relevant. We?ve galvanised them and we know they are working towards that. Last time we made a statement about the so-call scrapping of the National Institute for Nigerian Languages, which will have adverse effect on Nigerian languages and against Nigerian cultures. We issued a communiqué calling on the minister to do something. So we will continue to be more relevant in the society.
(c) Interviewed by Sumaila Umaisha and published in the New Nigerian.
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Literature
NLNG Prize controversy: It was the judges? decision not ours
Professor Ben Elugbe of the Department of Linguistic and African Languages, University of Ibadan, who is the president of Nigerian Academy of Letters, NAL, and West African Linguistic Society, WALS, speaks to SUMAILA UMAISHA on the 2009 NLNG Prize controversy and other related issues. Excerpts:
What is the structure and function of Nigeria Academy of letters, NAL?
NAL is the apex of academic organisation for the Humanities in Nigeria. It is fairly young; it effectively took off in 1997. We have an executive, which is elected every two years. We have regular publications under a general editor whose term in office runs for four years. We also have annual convocation at the University of Lagos. And during the convocation, we have what we call the scientific session; that is where a certain theme of the convocation is addressed by specialist papers. We have a think-tank of the academy called the Ibadan Working Group, IWG, which holds its meetings on Wednesdays in this university (University of Ibadan). It is not every Wednesday, but if it is necessary they do meet every Wednesday.
NAL became known to many Nigerians only when the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, began to operate through it in administering its literary prize. How did the relationship between the two bodies come about?
Initially, NLNG had a relationship with the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, in regard to the literature prize. It was when they started having problem that it was suggested to NLNG that since they are also having contact with the Academy of Science for the science prize, they could use NAL also to manage the literature prize. Another reason why we were brought in is that we have the resources. The great writers that Nigeria has are fellows of the academy. Professors Wole Soyinka, JP Clark, Chinua Achebe and so on, are all fellows of the academy.
ANA must be envious, given the publicity this annual prize attracts for NAL...
I don?t think so; I think we should invite ANA to properly become a society under NAL, because, we have learned societies under us. For example, we have the English Studies Association, the Linguistic Association of Nigeria, and the Religious Studies Association under us. So I don?t see any reason why ANA shouldn?t affiliate with us.
Has ANA agreed to affiliate?
We haven?t asked them. And presumably, they may not have known exactly what NAL is all about before now. But, mind you, people like professor Osofisan, who I think ANA knows very well, is a fellow of NAL. You see, you have to be a professor for five years to be even a member, and you have to be a professor for ten years before you can be a fellow. And even then it is not automatic; you have to submit your CV to an academic panel that will assess you before you can become a fellow.
ANA has been handling many prizes without controversy, but NAL which is handling only one, the NLNG Prize, has been enmeshed in controversy. Why?
What controversy?
Nine writers were shortlisted in the 2009 NLNG literary competition, but none was deemed qualified for the prize. And people are wondering why none of the shortlisted entries could emerge as the overall winner...
Are you aware that the same thing happened to the science prize exactly the same year? It is very sad that it was the creative writers whom we normally associate with certain integrity, certain feature that you would associate with a mature mind were the ones who made a lot of noise. In respect of the science prize nobody made any noise. I don?t know why that happened. But I?m willing to look at it and say anyway, it is not scientists who normally fight bad governance and things like that, so maybe it is not unusual if writers complain about something. But the manner of it was terrible. So let me say that actually there has not been any such decision from NAL, because at that time NAL had not begun to function as administrator of the prize fully, though the people who were doing the job were our people.
So the judgment didn?t come from NAL but from the judges: NAL only upheld the decision?
Precisely, NAL didn?t have a way of saying do it this way or that way. The judges were the experts and most them are fellows.
It is really sad that out of nine shortlisted entries none could clinch the prize...
I will try not to be involved in the controversy...
Yes... but, you upheld the judgment...
You see, NLNG had a problem; the judges that functioning under them have said this prize cannot be awarded. That is not NAL?s decision; I?ve told you that. They were the ones who now decided what to do with the prize money. Since it also happened in science, they took the same decision on the two bodies; they gave both bodies their individual prize money. And we used part of the money to organise a workshop for writers, to improve their skills.
Finally, what is the future of NAL?
We prayer is that we should rise and continue to rise. We will continue to contribute to the society and make sure our impact is felt not just in the area of literature, but in the area of history. For instance, we?ve been pushing the historical society members to say history is important; don?t let government treat history as if it is not relevant. We?ve galvanised them and we know they are working towards that. Last time we made a statement about the so-call scrapping of the National Institute for Nigerian Languages, which will have adverse effect on Nigerian languages and against Nigerian cultures. We issued a communiqué calling on the minister to do something. So we will continue to be more relevant in the society.
(c) Interviewed by Sumaila Umaisha and published in the New Nigerian.
- A Novel Takes Its Author To Wherever It Wants ? E. E. Sule
E. E. Sule, Associate Professor of English at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, is no stranger to award winning, having won awards in literary competitions sponsored by Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, and shortlisted for the prestigious...
- Nlng Prize Shortlist: I Feel Ecstatic! - Obi-obasi
The fact that Chinyere Obi-Obasi, a graduate of English Language/Literature and Law, is a writer of no mean repute has just been confirmed by her book, The Great Fall, being shortlisted for the 2011 Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas, NLNG, Prize for Literature....
- Those Who Don?t Read Fiction Don?t Write Well
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...
- The Job Of A Literary Journalist Is A Nightmare
BENJAMIN UBIRI, literary editor of the Abuja-based Newspage newspaper, and winner of the 2009 edition of Literary Journalist of the Year, awarded by the Association of Nigerian Authors, speaks to SUMAILA UMAISHA on his experience on the beat and more....
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Literary Page Editor of New Nigerian Weekly, Malam Sumaila Umaisha, has won the 2007 ANA/Anyiam-Osigwe Literary Journalist of the Year Award. This was announced at the 26th International Convention of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), which...