Prince Okpole Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state believes Nigerian writers are not doing enough to expose corrupt practices in the country.
He therefore, charged them to focus more on issues that can turn the country around for good.
The Governor, who was speaking at the 3rd Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu International Literary Colloquium in Minna, reminded the writers that literature is about patriotism, pragmatism and realities of life.
He charged them to beam their searchlight on the recent missing N2.3 trillion from the Federation Account in the name of oil subsidy so as to bring to the fore, the truth behind it.
He wondered, “Why are you (Association of Nigerian Authors) not writing about the ongoing and the current Nigerian society? Why have you not been able to write about the oil subsidy? Is it true that N2.3 trillion was stolen from the Federation Account in the name of oil subsidy?
“Why has somebody not been able to recreate it and be able to compare hunger to the stealing of our wealth? Is it true that the corruption is right now, why was Chinua Achebe able to write ‘A man of the people’, the comedy of Nigerian Politicians in the 60s, and nobody has been able to satirize the current politicians now”?
Governor Amaechi is of the view that rather than rewriting history, Nigerian writers should focus on contemporary issues.
He queried, “Are our writers too busy in the classroom? Are they teaching what Achebe wrote in the 1960s which is now history, or should they be teaching current history?
“But I told them that if you are a student of history, history is now. There is nothing like history is the record of past event because the activities that happen now are what cumulate to become past event.
“So, history is the study of present event for the phases of reality of the people. Why are we not pursuing all those things that will change and make Nigeria better, which Achebe wrote about the military? He wrote a book called ‘Anthills of the Savannah’ that was for the caricature of the military.”
He said further that “literature is about patriotism, pragmatism and realities of life. Again, if you people cannot stand up and ask for your right, if all you read is about how wonderful the Governors are, you are missing it all.”
In his keynote address, the speaker Professor Kofi Anyidoho of the University of Ghana charged African youths to stand up and fight for their right so as to develop the continent.
According to him, “The youth should stand up to know what they will do for their countries like Azikiwe, Nkruma and Nyerere to identify the problems and proffer solutions to their countries’ problems.
“We hope in the young people because they are the leaders of tomorrow and therefore we should do all we can to help them to realize this goal for the development of our countries. We should not lose hope because hope is in ourselves.”
