|
Reflections on the Christopher Okigbo Conference
Femi Nzegwu
I attended the last day of the recently held Christopher Okigbo
conference at
Harvard
University
(Cambridge, Mass, USA) 19th - 23rd September 2007, and was so impacted
by some of the events that transpired that day that I had to share my
thoughts – if for nothing else, for my own catharsis!
I arrived on the morning of the last day of the conference full of
anticipation at what was to come – the honouring of one of the world’s
greatest 20th century poets, Christopher Okigbo. Christopher Okigbo was
a man whose courage, convictions and love for others (even more than his
creative genius) clearly pointed to his greatness. I think of
Christopher Okigbo and I am reminded of that famous passage that speaks
of the greatness of the gift of the person who lays down their life for
another. The memory of Christopher Okigbo needs to be cherished and
preserved, not only for his family, but for all of us who inherited the
legacy of the aftermath of those convictions as expressed by so many
like Christopher Okigbo.
Imagine therefore my shock and horror when the day began with a near
2-hour presentation by Ali Mazrui in which he unceremoniously defiled
the memory of a man whom I and others had come to honour. Mazrui’s
presentation was unscientific and intellectually flawed, seeking to
present non-existing dichotomies between a human being (who happened to
be an artist) and his sociopolitical and cultural context of existence,
between the “particular” and “universal”. But these trite and
non-imaginative concepts pale in significance to the arrogance and
insensitivity that was displayed during his morning presentation –
especially in the presence of Christopher Okigbo’s widow and daughter
and other members of the Okigbo family.
And most bizarrely, we, the audience, all sat there and listened to
Mazrui insults for 2 hours, and some of us even gave him a standing
ovation! I recoil at the memory of that morning – almost a week later.
Perhaps it is the dawning of the full horror of what I was a part of
that has promoted this commentary – a catharsis to rid my being of some
of the shame of not confronting such an atrocity (yet another one!)
immediately and repudiating that which would, in its entirety, defile
our collective memory of pain and survival. So, on behalf of my family
and our memory, the Okigbo family and their memory and all those others
(both Igbo and non-Igbo) touched by the tragedy of genocide, I
completely repudiate the scholarship of Mazrui in this regard.
Later on that day, as I reflected on these events, I wondered what had
possessed us all – first the organisers of this event, who invited one
who would seek to deny us our collective memory and the symbolism of
Christopher Okigbo, to share a platform with Ms Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
whose wonderful writings have helped advance, for so many of us, the
healing and reclamation process; and second we the participants for,
collectively, allowing this charade – somewhat reminiscent of those who
would seek to deny the atrocities of the Jewish holocaust.
Ms Adichie’s presentation brings me to my next significant observation,
which has to do with the use of language and concepts. Thankfully, the
non-science of some of the concepts used earlier on that morning by
Mazrui – e.g. “universalisms”, “tribe”, “sub-saharan Africa”,
“hierarchies in the sacredness of human lives” – were ably demolished by
a number of participants – well done to you all. What was left
grievously untouched however, was the constant reference to one of the
most accomplished and
skilful writers of our times – Ms Adichie – as “girl”. Across the
board, so many of the participants felt able to use this term in
reference to this very able professional in a manner that boggles the
mind! While I can understand that many of those present did appear, in
contrast to an elegant Ms Adichie, quite geriatric, it was nonetheless
distressing to be subjected to this ageist (in reverse) and sexist
reference by so many of the participants. The time for jettisoning
anachronistic and retrogressive concepts and terminology is surely long
overdue. It is testament to the graciousness of Ms Adichie that she
responded to these references with such equanimity.
I want to end my commentary on a positive note, after all the conference
did end on a very positive note with Herbert Ekwe-Ekwe's call for a
change of name from the
University of
Nigeria,
Nsukka, to the Christopher Okigbo University. I hope that I never again
attend a conference where I witness the tacit collusion of people in
their own defilement, in the attempted debasement of that which is most
cherished and sacred – the memory of those to whom we owe our own
survival. I can only extol with real gratitude, the scholarship of so
many at the conference, on that last day and earlier, which understood
and honoured the real purpose of this gathering – the Okigbos, Echeruos,
Irobis, Achebes, Soyinkas, Ekwe-Ekwes, Adichies, Okafors, Brutuses,
Ramirezes, etc., etc., I have no doubt that these and other people’s
work will continue to ensure the healing, upliftment and advancement of
those who continue to survive the Igbo genocide. Christopher Okigbo has
been duly honoured
Feedback
|
|
