In the Nigerian Tribune Akintayo Abodunrin reports on a recent panel at the Port Harcourt World Book Capital, focusing on poet J.P.Clark and his comments.
Good to hear that:
Good to hear that:
Professor Clark wished that more Nigerians will write in their indigenous languages.But, on the other hand, Clark has no illusions about writing generally:
There are those of your age who believe that poetry is magic, it solves all problems of society. I am of the other school that poetry does not change a politician. Today, politics is for winning elections. You win the seat and instead of sitting down and providing service for the people, the politicians are just about elections. They waste time instead of applying themselves to the task of serving the people. You can write all the poetry, they [politicians] won't read you anywhere. Probably because they didn't go to these great Government Colleges we are talking about. You can write all the poetry you want to write, it won't change the establishment. It won't change Nigeria, I'm afraid.(I'd kind of like to meet some of those folks: "who believe that poetry is magic, it solves all problems of society" .....)