Austyn Njoku
Biography
Austyn
Njoku was a Nigerian poet. A former National Treasurer of the Association of
Nigerian Authors, ANA, author of three published anthologies of poems titled I’ve been a crew, scents of dawn and night in
lagos. Also a poetry prize winner of 2003 ANA Delta State/ Prof. Tanure Ojaide
Poetry Prize winner.
A year after, Lagos ANA honours late Austyn Njoku
By Elizabeth uwandu
It was another scintilating and
remorseful moment for art lovers especially ANA members as they gathered for
the ANA monthly reading, August edition and 1st Austyn Njoku memorial held at
the Creative Arts department of the University of Lagos.The reading with the
theme, Poetry in the heart of music : Dynamics of being a poet, Performance
Poet and Musician in the present day Nigeria with Segun Akinlolu aka Beautiful
Nubia as the guest artist.
The special reading which was well
attended witnessed the presence of many writers , among them was award wining
writer and lecturer at UNILAG, Prof. Mrs Akachi Ezeigbo, Dagga Tolar, Mr
Eriata Oribhabor, Tanko Okondwa, Mr Chike Ofili, Dr Tunji Shotimeyin, Mr
Femi Onileagbon, and the host of the event. Also present were two children of
late Austyn Njoku.
The guest artist, Dr Segun Akinlolu,
popularly known as Beautiful Nubia who took everyone by surprise during his
presentation and performance stated that ‘Nigeria needs a revolution for
it to move forward. Akinlolu who is not comfortable with the education
system in the country said, “the glory of the public schools have diminished,
Nigerian youths live a pseudo life as they are told what to do and the balance
between the poor and the rich and the near collapse governance need urgent
attention.
What Nigeria need is not a
revolution of cutlass and knife where we make more mothers cry; we need a
“thought revolution” as we came about this sorry state we are in today through
negative revolution.” The guest artist said restoring the image of the
nation is a social engineering process which writers are the best tool to effect
positive change.
In his words,”I feel people in the
creative sector, the artists, poets, writers musicians and dramatists. This is
the time to double our effort, be strong and stop the infighting, the constant
need to be the best or rise above someone else. The competition that we have to
compete, should be between writers and the craziness in the system. We need to
do this through songs, music and live performances.
On the balance between writing for
love and eking a living through writing, Beautiful Nubia said, writers need to
lay their hands on other meaningful means to eke a living considering the
situation of the country , as the same time not forget their primary goal to be
the voice of the voiceless. In his words,”Of course, writers need to feed
themselves, but we must not forget our primary goal of being the voice of the
masses and voiceless in the society.
In the same vein, the event which
was also put to commemorate the one year demise of the former national
treasurer of ANA saw many eulogising on the good deeds of Mr Austyn
Njoku. So, it was an evening of sober reflection as artists and friends of
late Austyn Njoku extolled his virtue and deliberated on actions to support the
bereaved especially members of the Association of Nigerian Authors in advent of
demise.
Dagga Tolar a close friend of the
late Njoku gave soul rendition of poems titled “One year after :One heart
missing with an eulogy of the life and time of the deceased who until his death
on August 8th, 2014 was the former national treasurer, ANA. member
advisory committee, ANA Lagos chapter and publisher of Jemima books.
Professor Akachi Ezeigbo said she
had to pay respect to the deceased as his effort to see the success of any
venture can not be over emphasied. ‘I respected him when he was alive due
am an elder to him, but my question is ,What is ANA’s role in ameliorating the
sufferings of those left behind by the dead?” concluded Prof Ezeigbo.
For the current national secretary
of ANA, Mr Tanko Okondwa,”Austyn will remain a hero and his
legacy will continue. Okondwa, said, ANA has not done well in respect on the
family the late author left behind. He therefore urged the body to see that
Austyn family never feel the effect of his lost.
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