Writers in the country have been commended for keeping the vision of the founding fathers of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) aglow despite the economic downturn and ever dwindling reading culture.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr. Oluwaseun Fagbayi gave the commendation in his address at the 2024 World Poetry Day organised by Ogun ANA at the Babalakin Hall of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta on Tuesday.
He announced that Ogun State Ministry of Culture and Tourism had completed Phase One of the fully stocked Archives on Culture, Arts and Tourism at the iconic June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta which is open to researchers as part of measures to resuscitate and sustain the reading culture.
The Commissioner who was represented by the State Director, Culture, Mr. Femi Johnson Osanyinpeju and Director, Planning, Mrs Olubukola Samuels, lauded the theme of the Day “Standing on the shoulder of giants” and urged young writers especially poets to study and allow giants to mentor them to excel.
Delivering the lecture, a former Ogun ANA Chairman and Lecturer, FUNAAB, Dr. Tope Olaifa, noted that “poetry is a timeless action” performed by human beings who manifest emotions same ways but express feelings differently.
She urged young writers to read and study the works of past writers to hone their writing skills and imbibe patience and perseverance adding that they should explore more themes and write as driven by inspiration.
She said she studied the works of John Keats and imbibed his writing style which led to the publication of her book “The Keats in me” and urged them not to put themselves under unnecessary pressures by rushing to publish or match the standards of the giants at the initial stage.
Dr. Olaifa made a very strong case for structure and metric system in poetry.
Reading two poems titled “Behold the picture of Nigerian Prison” and “Memories of Jos” from his prison experience book, poet and former Ogun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dr. Niran Malaolu, urged Nigerians to document their trajectories in life and take urgent steps to make the country better by dreaming for something in future affirming “there is a writer in every human being”.
He said he thought he was going to die when he wrote the poems in prison and was never going to see his family again.
Earlier in his welcome address, Ogun State Chairman of ANA, Dr. Chris Omotoso, thanked authorities of MAPOLY for collaborating with ANA to mark the World Poetry Day and charged writers not to relent in capturing memories in sundry poems.
Delivering the closing remarks, the Chairman of the Day and Rector, MAPOLY, Dr. Adeoye Odedeji, recounted how he stood on the shoulder of Pa Chief Ogundimu in 1986, learnt the right values and is now excelling.
He encouraged young ones to carefully choose good, responsible and credible mentors as most of our time-honoured values had been eroded thus leading to chaos and disorderliness in the society.
Members read various poems whilst prizes were given to winners of quiz questions at the well attended event.
