Okediran tells of Ebedi vision, as three writers complete residency FOR six weeks, Paul Liam from Minna, Niger State; Obinna Udenwe from Ebonyi State and Karo Okokoh from Delta State, were engaged in literary discourse at the Ebedi International Writers Residency, Iseyin, Oyo State. The writers were in Iseyin to complete their various works in all genre of literature. For Liam, he was able to complete work on a poetry collection and some short stories, while admitting that he would not have been able to achieve what he achieved if he had not come to Ebedi. “The stay here has really been interesting; I was able to complete a poetry collection and about 10 short stories. So I can say my stay has been intellectual, as well. “Why I am saying it has been intellectual is because I was able to know a lot about the culture of the people, in particular, I was able to acquire deeper knowledge about the masquerade culture here, while going as far as interviewing the chief priest, as well as penning some poems and essays on Iseyin,” Liam said. Udenwe, who came all the way from Ebonyi State for the residency, said he had not had such opportunity in the past. “I was able to complete my novel, Viaticle, a latin word which means the last confession of a dying man. Another interesting aspect of the residency is the fact that I was able to meet two great writers, and we learnt a lot from one another. “However, the greatest benefit of being here is that I have been able to avoid distractions from family and friends; so it would not have been possible to complete the work if I had not come to Iseyin,” Udenwe said, while revealing that his book, Satans and Shaitans, would be coming out in October, and it would be published in the United Kingdom. “In fact, I am going to the UK in October for the public presentation, and my publisher is even glad that I am at a residency working on another novel already,” Udenwe said. Another resident, Okokoh, a 2012 ANA Poetry Prize winner, was able to complete a drama, as well as a collection of poetry. “I really appreciate the founder of the residency, Dr Wale Okediran, and other board members for accepting my application. “I have been able to learn a lot here through my fellow writers; also, I have been able to pen many poems and a drama. Like others, I want to say that I would not have achieved what I achieved at Ebedi if I had not come here, but being here gave me enough time and space to focus on my writings,” Okokoh said. One of the interesting aspects of the Ebedi programme is the interaction writers have with students of the town. Unfortunately, the schools vacated a week after the arrival of the residents, so there was not enough time for the residents to impact the students with their knowledge. However, Liam is sure that the students are already well-grounded in literature with the limited time they spent with them. “I discovered most of them could write poems; and they are not just ordinary poems, but beautiful thought-provoking poems. “Most of them also belong to drama clubs, and I could see the impact of previous residents in them, so, though we didn’t have enough time to teach them, they already know a lot about what we would have taught them. “My idea was to get the students’ poems into an anthology, but it was just so painful that I was here during their vacation,” Liam, who works with the Niger State governor, said. Again, for the first time, the residents came up with the idea of an in-house journal called, The Ebedi Review. Speaking on this, Okokoh said the idea was to encourage the residency, saying the review would enhance the image of Ebedi. “Ebedi is an international residency as writers have come from South Africa, Ghana and Uganda, and with the way it is being promoted, more writers from other African countries are also signifying their intention of wanting to come down here, so we felt it is important that we come up with a journal which will give the outside world the opportunity to know what goes on in Ebedi,” Okokoh said. Corroborating Okokoh, Udenwe admitted that Ebedi is the number one writers’ residency in Nigeria, “and to my knowledge, I don’t think there is any other writers’ residency in the country; so it is right to publicise it on the global stage. “The review will also create a communication channel between literary lovers and the residents; it will also let current residents know what previous residents had done, Udenwe said. In commending the founder of the residency, Dr Wale Okediran, Liam said, “Ebedi is a place where every writer in Nigeria, and even on the African continent, should aspire to visit. “The most encouraging aspect of it is that only an individual is financing this literary project. “As a result of this, I hope government at all levels, wealthy individuals, as well as corporate organisations, would partner with the founder in promoting the residency,” Liam said. However, Udenwa wants the residency to have a functional website, which would give detailed information on the activities of the residents, while Okokoh wants a library and a picture gallery, which would contain the pictures of all residents who had visited Ebedi. There are, however, plans to do all these and even more, but things are going slowly due to paucity of funds. According to the founder, Dr Okediran, the board had already acquired a large expanse of land for the construction of a bigger residency, which would take more residents at any given point in time. “We have many things we are planning for the residency, however, I must say that since all the fund is coming from a private purse, then it is not easy to accomplish all so fast. “There was a time we almost got a support for the residency, but unfortunately, it didn’t materialise; however, if we are able to get support from any quarter, then we would be putting up a bigger residency, and this would mean more literary activities. “We will also be putting up a standard guest house, because we are already planning of hosting workshops, lectures, trainings, among others, and participants would be booked at the guest house. “Another thing we are planning to do is to have a way of connecting all residents who has visited here at one time or the other; before that, we are planning to have all their pictures displayed here, and I am glad that Ebedi is not just for up and coming writers, but a number of past residents had won one or more literary awards,” Dr Okediran said. On what brought about the vision for the residency, the former Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) president said a couple of years ago, he was working on a manuscript, and he needed a quiet place to get the work done fast. “That was how I came to Iseyin, and I discovered how fast I got the work done, so I felt I could actually assist other writers as well by giving them the space and quiet they need to get their works completed, and in three years, Ebedi has hosted a total of 35 writers,” Dr Okediran said. One thing about Dr Okediran is that he gives his best to assist people in whatever way he could; and that is why he finds himself in so many other fields. Despite being a medical doctor, he is also a writer, a politician, as well as a volunteer for the dissemination of information to people in rural areas about the dreaded HIV/AIDS. In all these, he tries as much as possible to assist people in whatever way he could. However, with age catching up on him, he might be dropping some of his activities, but before then, the former member of the House of Representatives is contesting for the Oyo North Senatorial ticket in the 2015 general election. “As said earlier, I try as much as possible to assist my people in whatever way I could, and that is why I am a politician as well; our people need good representation; they need good people who would care for them and be their voice in government, and that is why I am in politics,” Okediran said.
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 10:15:42 +0000
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