SYNW blasts Abiola Ajimobi as she mourns Chief Oladejo Okediji

SYNW BLASTS ABIOLA AJIMOBI AS SHE MOURNS CHIEF OLADEJO OKEDIJI

The National President of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW), Mr. Wole Adedoyin said he   received with sadness, news of the passing away of the very distinguished Yoruba writer and a retired teacher, Chief Oladejo Okediji.

SYNW National Secretary, Mr. Izunna Okafor said on Monday “SYNW extends heartfelt condolences to Chief Oladejo Okediji’s family, friends and associates as they mourn the Yoruba literary icon who has left behind a legacy of notable works such as Aja lo leru (1969), Agbalagba Akan (1971), Oga Ni Bukola (1972),Rere Run (1973),Imura Idanwo Yoruba (1978),  Atoto Arere (1981), Sango (1987), Opa Agbeleka (1989),Binu ti ri (1989), Aajo Aje (1997), Running After Riches (1999), Karin Kapo (2007), Aaro Olomoge (2014) and Ohun Enu Agba (2018).

“SYNW believes that the late Chief Oladejo Okediji, who also had a successful career as an accomplished author and professional teacher, will be long remembered for his meekness, attentiveness, commitment to excellence and the profound understanding of human affairs exhibited in his writings”, the statement said.

SYNW urged  members of Chief Oladejo Okediji’s family, his fellow authors and all who mourn him to take solace in the knowledge that the much admired writer’s beliefs, views and insights will live forever through the body of works he has left behind for present and future generations.

SYNW prayed  that Almighty God will receive Chief Oladejo Okediji’s soul and grant him peaceful eternal rest.

In a similar vein, SYNW berated Governor Abiola Ajimobi for not immortalizing Late Professor Akinwumi Isola, Chief Adebayo Faleti, Baba Supo Kosemani and of course Chief Oladejo Okediji whose books are household names throughout Southwest states.

According to SYNW “Governor Ajimobi doesn’t value authors. He hates reading and writing that is why he didn’t initiate any reading empowerment programme throughout his eight years in office.”

Late Chief Oladejo Okediji was  born on October 26, 1929 to Chief Moses Okediji and Mrs Mariam Okediji

He attended Methodist school Apaara in January 1935. He was a pupil Teacher in 1944 at Methodist School Fiditi  after which in January 1945 he gained admission to the Famous Wesley College,  Ibadan, was there till 1948 and graduated as a Grade 2 Teacher.

After becoming a certified Teacher, he taught at the Wesley School, Ogeere Ijebu Remo in 1949.

Between 1950 and 1952, he was at Methodist School Itapa Ekiti. In 1953, he acquired a lot of teaching skills. He was transfered as a Headmaster to Methodist School, Owo.

He was so good at his job that he was head-hunted by the Anglican who requested him to cross over to them. He resigned to join the Anglican in 1954.

When the Western Region established a Grade 3 Teachers Training College,  Baba Oyediji was asked to join the teaching staff.

In 1955 he taught at Iseyin Oyo Division Elementary College for a year and later also became a Headmaster at Ansar ud-deen primary school, Oke Popo, Lagos I 1956-1958.

He was soon attracted to the art of politicking and joined politics in Iseyin.

At the time Chief Adegoke Adelabu, Chief  H. O. Davis, Chief TOS Benson etc held sway in NCNC was when Chief H. O. Davis invited Baba to come to Lagos.

He was honoured with the chieftaincy title of Otun Baale Apaara in Oyo.

SYNW reacts to Gabriel Okara’s death

SYNW REACTS TO GABRIEL OKARA’S DEATH

The National President of the society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW), Mr. Wole Adedoyin  has paid tribute to the father of modern Nigerian Poetry and shares the grief not only with the people of the Bayelsa state government but the entire pen community.

With Gabriel Okara’s death we have lost one of the truly major voices in Nigerian, African and world Poetry. Okara’s renowned poems offered readers around the world a powerful up close view of historical events and issues in Nigeria.

“We join the writer’s family and all of Nigeria in mourning the loss of this great and important literary figure. This is another loss to the literary community”, Adedoyin said.

Gabriel Imomotimi Okara (24 April 1921 – 25 March 2019) was a Nigerian poet and novelist who was born in Bumoundi in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The first Modernist poet of Anglophone Africa, he is best known for his early experimental novel, The Voice (1964), and his award-winning poetry, published in The Fisherman's Invocation (1978) and The Dreamer, His Vision (2005). 

He attended the landmark African Writers Conference held on 1 June 1962 at Makerere University College in Kampala, Uganda, along with such writers as Chinua Achebe, Rajat Neogy, Bloke Modisane, Okot p'Bitek, Bernard Fonlon, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, Segun Olusola, Grace Ogot, Jonathan Kariara, Rebecca Njau, Wole Soyinka, John Pepper Clark, Saunders Redding, Christopher Okigbo, Francis Ademola, Ezekiel Mphahlele, Arthur Maimane, and others.

In both his poems and his prose, Okara drew on African thought, religion, folklore and imagery, and he has been called "the Nigerian Negritudist".According to Brenda Marie Osbey, editor of his Collected Poems, "It is with publication of Gabriel Okara's first poem that Nigerian literature in English and modern African poetry in this language can be said truly to have begun."

SYNW advises Ajimobi to immortalize Isola, Faleti and Kosemani before he leaves Agodi

SYNW ADVISES AJIMOBI TO IMMORTALIZE ISOLA, FALETI AND KOSEMANI BEFORE HE LEAVES AGODI

The Society of Young Nigerian writers whose headquarters resides in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital has urged the outgoing Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi to honour and immortalize three Yoruba literary legends who all hailed from the pace setter state. 

This was contained in a press release made available to newsmen in Ibadan on Monday by the National President of the Society, Mr. Wole Adedoyin who is also the Coordinator of Ibadan Book Club (IBC).

The three literary sage from the state according to SYNW to be honored are; Late Chief Supo Kosemani , anchor of Owe L'esin Oro (an Actor, Yoruba Proverb Expert and Yoruba Culture Advocate), Late Prof. Akinwumi Isola (Yoruba Poet, Actor, Playwright, and Novwelist)  and the Late Dr. Adebayo Faleti also (an Actor, Poet and Novelist). These three literary personalities had put Yoruba literature on the World Literature Map before they died and they were all from Oyo State.

Adebayo Faleti (26 December 1921 – 23 July 2017) was Africa's first newscaster, Africa's first stage play Director, Africa's first film editor and librarian with the first television station in Africa (WNTV/WNBS), Nigeria's first Yoruba presenter on television and radio alike, a Nigerian poet, journalist, writer, Nollywood films director and actor. He was also known as a Yoruba translator, a broadcaster, TV exponent and pioneer of the first television station in Africa, Western Nigeria Television (WNTV), now known as the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

Professor Akinwunmi Isola (24 December 1939 – 17 February 2018) was a Nigerian playwright, novelist, actor, dramatist, culture activist and scholar. He was known for his writing in, and his work in promoting, the Yoruba language.

Chief Supo Kosemani, a former chairman of the Oyo State Council for Arts and Culture.

Adedoyin, finally urged the people of Yoruba speaking state to immortalize the three great sons of Oyo state by registering their works in their minds.

Yoruba language and literature is dying because governors from the Yoruba speaking states are not doing what they supposed to be doing for the writers and readers of the language, Adedoyin concluded.

SYNW mourns the passing of Prof. Pius Adesanmi

SYNW MOURNS THE PASSING OF PROF. PIUS ADESANMI

The Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW) on Monday joined other Nigerians to mourn the death Prof. Pius Adesanmi. Prof. Pius Adesanmi, was among the 157 passengers and crew members that died in a plane crash on Sunday. The Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed on Sunday morning shortly after leaving Addis Ababa for Nairobi in Kenya. 

A press release signed by Mr. Wole Adedoyin and Mr. Izunna Okafor, SYNW National President and National Secretary on Monday, said they received the news of the death of the literary giant with shock and pray that his soul should rest in eternal peace.

SYNW National President, Mr. Wole Adedoyin described the death of Prof. Pius Adesanmi as shocking and monumental loss to Nigerian Literary Circle and the academics.

It would be recalled that the Late Prof. Pius Adesanmi was our Keynote speaker during the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) 30^th International Convention which took place in Uyo, the state capital of Akwa-Ibom in 2012 during the presidency era of Prof. Remi Raji. Prof. Pius Adesanmi delivered paper on the theme “What Does Nigerian Literature Secure”.

The release further described the deceased, who was a widely cited commentator on African politics, literature, and culture. Adesanmi taught African literature and African cultural studies in the English and French Departments at the Institute of African Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.  Before he joined Carleton University in 2006, he was an Assistant Professor of Comparative Literature at the Pennsylvania State University, USA, from 2002-2005.

The literary body also expressed their condolences to the family, Carleton University and to the people of the pen community for the loss of the literary icon.

Behold The World's Longest Love Poem

POETRY ALERT !!!

BEHOLD THE WORLD'S LONGEST LOVE POEM

EDITOR'S NOTE:

This special edition of poetry, which is the first of its kind was borne out of ardent desire to give this year's valentine day celebration a poetic colour.

Ahead of the day, we sent an online call to poets to send in lines and verses.

And to that end, we secured contributions from eighteen great poets and poetry lovers from different parts of the country, to weave this panoramic poetic montage. 

Enjoy!!!

TITLE: MY LOVE FOR MY LOVE

My rose for the spouse I treasure

Sparkled I on a glue of miss pleasure

Grazing down to the field of lust

Only to remember my love for the one I love

Love full of life,

Life surrounded with joy,

Joyful within my heart,

Heart meant for you alone,

Alone, you fill my thoughts.

Thoughtful of you all days,

Show me love,

Love of my life,

And make it unflinching.

Hand in hand we held and walked

Looking through the straight path 

We beheld a reverie of green future 

Where in drinking, we want some more. 

More of love sparkling like snowflake

Across the bed of bliss where magic unfolds

In pools of golden ecstasy — embers rising

From our hearts; burning our solitude to rust.

Where else can I go

If I don't visit my ego?

What else can I say

If don't  hail my seer

Ọla aka m, adorned with uli

Ede oko m, beautified by spear glass called world

The firewood I fetched 

Beyond Orie market bend

Today is 14th February

Come on, warm my cold heart

Revel in my love,

Let me rejuvenate your vibrancy,

Spread a perky red canopy over your skyline,

Like dusty red roses scattered on tarmac floor

The love for my love

Brings more life than strife,

More beautiful than the streets of Bulawayo,

Sweeter than a sugary cacao

My love for my love

Inexplicably rare, not like the jacarandas of Zimbabwe

Or the yellow trumpet that adorns Nigeria

A cross dimensional touch

A supernatural rush

Superseding the searing intensity of a Moon

Crossing diverging lanes and cosmic space

A love surreal like wayo

This night too will pass, 

It will be a memory of fallen leaves, 

A path of righteous sin

Because I kissed your sweet 16.

Shall I call you Ogene? 

The clap of your twin breasts

Resonates the reeling song

The spirits couldn't sing with the wind.

What is as beautiful as your lips? 

The only path that knows

The gate to the temple of sin. 

My love for my love 

Is as the sun in the morn

It is as the broom in Osho's hands

It is as the hairs on Wole's head

It is the goose to my bumps

The thought of my love

My love for my love

The star that sparkles in my heart

The shadow that guides my path

Lead me not to God's wrath

As I journey with you my love, my heart

Sometimes it lies 

Sometimes it doesn't

It builds castles and holds her prey in captive

There are skulls of fury within it gory portrait

It does not sound like you've heard it 

It is either a deceiver or a caresser 

sometimes love lies also

My love for my love

In confessions of undying truth,

We live indefinitely but not

In one state of existence. 

After this life, I will search 

For you to a hundred worlds

To keep tasting the sweet wine

Of your rich nectar which makes 

Beauty native to your being

I will follow you to a thousand 

Lifetimes to satisfy my longing to 

Be in your arms and continue feeling the

Contours of your exquisite form

Which makes you ever alluring.

My body in ice smear

The shivers, my teeth clinks

Sounding the gongs of love

For the taste of your warm

Oh how sweet art thou

Love like green leaf

Makes life good to live

Like water quenching a thirsty throat

My heart you keep afloat

Weathering lives stormy weather

And toughening me up like leather

To make the best use of my time

And rule with compassion in my clime.

I will forever treasure love

And be as gentle as dove

Handling each day with focus

And making right my locus

My everyday Valentine your Love Sprung as a tender bud

Pure, healthy and full of life

Blossoming everday with the

Passage of seasons of life

I glow and radiate as a lone 

Star on a cloudy sky the envy

Of love spurned damsels!

Little damsel string round my being..

You will be the song on my lips,

The rhythm of my pulsating heart,

The melody that wiggles my west.

Come...I will proclaim your name

Fourteen times, fourteenth day of our communion!

I will proclaim your beauty to falling stars;

Spread your titillating face above the moon;

And my verse, a connoisseur of your endowment.

Love is a fatherless son,

reading the tribute of his late father,

Under the hurricane rainfall

Love is a bitch

especially that of a boy and a girl

not too strong to be in love.

I sigh and smile when she's not at sight

We talked and walked a lot

Tried to hide and secretly seek

I wanted to write but she's sad

I'm void of idea, just sunk 

She is already double

Though I can't stop looking for trouble

She has got the most beautiful smile

I hide behind my door and sing

Who wouldn't want to adore?

Think about my pain in peace

Breathing gets to its peak

I face it with some smirk 

Better off with a face full of smile

Like the rays of the sun, it shines

She swept me off my foot

Left me with the best mood, I'm over the moon.

Time passed by 

A bid of good bye

I bet this will never die.

As deep as the oceans

As soft as silk

As meek as a lamb

Is my love for you

Words can't express my love

You are the reason I live

My life is meaningless without you

Its just like a song without melody

You are my inspiration

The life I live, not I that live

But you that live in me

You are my world 

Though I'm weak, yet strong in you

Your smiles become my vigour

You are my light, my star at night 

You are my world

How do I explain the wild kisses, 

Like a fire in a burning furnace

ravages my entire spine

Each moment I pass you by

I need you like a heart needs a beat, 

No wonder my life is null without you

Can you live in me and pay no rent?

Oh! My love for my love

What is love that I could not think,

Fantasy eludes my reality

Shall we rehearse our dream before we tell

It speaks from the heart

You are my song

My song of love 

Is like the wind, you can't see it

But you can feel it

My love for my love

LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS:

Izunna Okafor

Kayode Awojobi.

Nwokeabia, Ifeanyi John.

Chukwudi Nwokpoku

Okechukwu Onuegbu

Liam Obidi

Felix Chibuisi

O'star Eze

Nwobi Chidubem Valentine

John Chizoba Vincent

Marcel Ike Okonkwo

Stanley Obum Ezechukwu

Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha

Udo Okokoronkwo-chukwu

Nket Godwin.

Ude Ibiam Ufiem

Onuekwe Jude N.

Chioma Favour

Nnenna Ogbozor

COORDINATED AND EDITED BY: IZUNNA OKAFOR