Rivers AC Celebrates Things Fall Apart

As part of its bid not to allow the African culture to tow the way of our ancestors, on the eve of the Rivers State carnival which kick-started on the 5th of December, 2008, the Rivers State chapter of the Action Congress (AC) led by Prince Tonye Princewill hosted friends and lovers of literature at the Gulf Prince Hotels, Old GRA, Port Harcourt. Poets, Novelists, Playwrights read their works before the glaring audience.

Princewill, clad in a dark native attire known of the Ijaws with hat to match opened the floor amidst applause and ovation rending the air. He thanked God for a day like this and for God having given him the privilege to meet one-on-one with the author of the Things Fall Apart, Prof. Chinua Achebe, who he describes as a man of amiable mind.

The Commissioner of Urban and Rural development, Barrister Osima Gina entertains the audience with a keynote address entitled, Politics Has Fallen Apart In Nigeria. Gina who held the spectators with happiness expresses that things are not seen fallen apart in the Okonkwo Umuofia, but in the political landscape of Nigeria. He sees the politics of today turning with an unprecedented measure and stoical approach where the godfathers and godmothers are being exorcised. He says that they are losing the grip of sycophancy and betrayal they held the democracy in Nigeria with for a good number of eight years. He expresses joy that if what he is observing in Nigeria today, especially in Rivers State, is the undertone of the Things Fall Apart, things should continue to fall apart so that democrats can have their way to better Nigeria. He says that Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State is one democrat he can defend anywhere.

The Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, who is the convener at the occasion, expresses his regret that he no longer reads the Things Fall Apart because he must cry anytime he is through with the novel. “I have read Things Fall Apart over twenty times and see that anytime I read it I must cry. So I had to stop reading the novel but do recommend it to our children who do not know what the original African life is all about. I regret that man's inhumanity to man did not start today, but that of the whitemen is rife in the Umuofia village which leads to Okonkwo going to commit suicide on a tree. And what the whitemen are doing in Umuofia represents the slavery Africa ones experienced in the hands of these whites.”

Chief Eze whose narration throws tears down the jaws of the audience, can not yet restrain tears from his eyes, he cries. This leaves the fora as quiet as the grave. But Princewill breaks the silence with yet another bombshell.

His words: We need more of the Okonkwos in Nigeria, but not the violent Umuofia Okonkwo. We need men who can tell the nation that this is this and that is that without any iota of favoritism. We need men who can stand the challenges of our time and play selfless roles to promoting the economic, politics and social wellbeing of our people and Nigeria”.

In retrospection, Princewill recalls that Nigeria rarely celebrates her heroes and lamented that Nigeria needs to celebrate them while they are alive as to encourage the optimistic younger ones not to relent in the course of trying to protect humanity. Princewill remembers the late Prof. Thai Solarin, late Chima Uba, who died in a ghastly motor accident in 2005 while returning from Maiduguri where he had gone for a rally against the incessant petroleum hike then under ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo. Princewill remembers all who pays with their lives for the betterment of our great nation ruled by some feeble men. He brings out a white handkerchief from his pocket and wipes tears from his eyes, and the people join.

The Chariman of the Party in the state, Hon. Alex Badey, who is a scholar, says he lacks words to express his happiness. “I least expected that this occasion could turn to a grand finale. I never knew that our own Princewill is a poet till this day. His poem entitled, “Nigeria Is Better”, has revealed to me that Nigeria still has potentials yet to be tapped. Henceforth, our great party, AC, shall be meeting with the authorities responsible for the promotion of arts and culture in our state to organize writing competitions for writers' residence in Rivers State, to help avert completely things falling apart among writers in the state. We have to do this with a matter of urgency starting from 2009”.

The occasion is the first of its kind, and the party secretary, Mr. Okis Bob-manuel, as the occasion calls for dismissal says, “It is great that we celebrated Things Fall Apart, as the world people are doing for its 5oth publication day. We would have derailed if we had allowed things fall apart in our own state.”Odimegwu Onwumere is the Founder of Poet Against Child Abuse (PACA), Rivers State. 08032552855. apoet_25@yahoo.com

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