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| Clark |
ADA DIKE
As part of numerous events for 80th birthday celebration of
renowned poet and scholar, Prof. John Pepper Clark-Bekederemo,
the Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA) on December 15, held an Arthouse party
on his behalf.
Titled
'Lyricist of the Riverine Lore', there were readings and discussions which
centred around new Niger Delta voices in honour of the distinguished author who clocked 80 on December
12, 2013.
Held at the
Freedom Park, Lagos, the event that was moderated by the co-founder of CORA,
Toyin Akinosho, was graced by Clark’s relatives, admirers, friend and
associates.
That
evening of poetry, prose and drama reached its crescendo when author, poet and actress Iquo Eke and an
award winning author of Yellow Yellow, Kaine Agary read excerpts from
Clark’s work.
Also, Ogaga
Ifowodo, while reading from his collection of poems, The Oil Lamp,
gave credit to Clark, whom he said his style of writing, influenced him.
Many people
including discussants comprising Kaine Agary, Iquo Eke, civil rights activist
and poet Dagga Tolar, film producer and director, Tunde Kelani and so on
eulogized the poet.
Kaine Agary
began by saying that she was from Ijaw and reiterated that there was a time she
visited Prof. Clark in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and asked herself: “When
this generation goes, what then happens to the Ijaw culture?”
There was
no dull moment at the event as Iquo Eke sang in Efik Language and also recited
a poem. “I am simply amazed by the simplicity of Clark. It is beautiful how he
applies simple words without being verbose. It gives me strength to feel that
with simplicity, one can still pass a message across,” Eke said.
In his
speech, renowned cinematographer Tunde Kelani said: “I was here last Sunday for
this discussion but was told that it was on the 15th. Clark was one
of the best writers and playwrights in the world. I have never written a poem in
my life, I don’t know why. But then, I am confident,” he said.
Kelani thanked
Clark in appreciation for his works.
Also
speaking, renowned poet, Odia Ofeimun suggested that some of Clark’s works be
translated into Ijaw.
In his response, the celebrant said he didn’t care about critics’ views
on his works and noted that: “Let talent and time find each other. I can speak
for my colleagues. We came in early and at a good time. We have created a body
of works for posterity. Yet it seems that things are getting worse in this
country than they were 60 years ago. It seems that other writers and I have not
affected the growth of the country. But then, we are only writers and we have
no gifts to make the politicians wise,” Clark said.
Clark was born
in Kiagbodo, in Delta State, to Ijaw parents. He had his early education at the
Native Administration School and the Government College in Ughelli, and his Bachelor
of Arts degree in English at the University of Ibadan, where he edited
various magazines, including The Beacon and The Horn. He graduated from Ibadan in 1960 and
worked as an information officer in the Ministry of Information in the old
Western Region of Nigeria, as features editor of the Daily Express
and as a research fellow at the Institute of African Studies, University of
Ibadan. He served for several years as a professor of English at the University
of Lagos, a position from which he retired in 1980. While at the University of
Lagos he was co-editor of the literary magazine Black Orpheus.
He founded
the PEC Repertory Theatre in Lagos In 1982, with his wife Ebun Odutola (a
professor and former director of the Centre for Cultural Studies at the
University of Lagos),.
In 1991, he
received the Nigerian National Merit Award for literary excellence and saw the
publication, by Howard University, of his two definitive volumes, ‘The Ozidi
Saga’ and ‘Collected Plays and Poems’ between 1958 and1988.
Some of the
poetries he wrote include: A Reed in the Tide, London: Longmans, 1965, A
Decade of Tongues, London: Longmans, 1981 (also in Braille), State of
the Union, London; Longmans, 1985, Of Sleep and Old Age, Lagos:
Crucible, 2003, Once Again A Child, Ibadan: Mosuro, 2003, Still Full
Tide Collected Poems, 1958-2012, including Cruising home: University press,
Ibadan, 2012 and so on.
Dramas: Song
of a Goat, Ibadan; Mbari, 1961, The Bikoroa Plays: The Boat, The Return
Home, Full Circle, London and Ibadan: Oxford University Press and
University Press, 1985, All For Oil, Lagos: Malthouse press, 2010, Collected
Plays 1961-2000, Ibadan: University Press, 2010 and The Twilight Plays:
The Hiss, The Smile, The Two Sisters, The Abuse of a king, Ibadan:
University Press, among others.
Essays: Poetry
of the Urhobo Dance Udje, Nigeria Magazine, no. 84, 1965, The Example of
Shakespeare, London: Longmans, 1970, The Hero as a Villain, Lagos:
University of Lagos Press, 1978, The Burden Not Lifted, Nigerian National
Order of Merit Award Winners’ Lecture, Abuja, 2001 and The Example of
Shakespeare and Other Essays, Ibadan: University Press, (in press 2012).
Documentary
Films: Tides of Delta (With Frank Speed), 1974, Oil at the Bottom, 2007
and so on.
Music:
Songs from The Ozidi Saga in three long-playing records.
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