David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
Members of the Awka Literary Society recently relived the sweet memories of Christopher Okigbo, the Ojoto-born renowned poet. Okigbo died in 1967, during the civil war, while fighting on the side of Biafra forces.
In honour of his literary legacy, the group held a three-day event described as a festival of poems, featuring leading Nigerian poets drawn from different parts of the country. The event was held in iconic venues such as Ogbaukwu cave in Owerre Ezukala; Nri the ancestral home of Igbo; various shrines in Ojoto, which were made popular by Okigbo’s works, and the country home of Okigbo in Ojoto.
The event which started with a night of poems in Awka witnessed performances by visiting poets such as Ifesinachi Nwadike, Aj Daggar Tolar, Nwachukwu Egbunike and winner of the 2020 ANA prize for poetry, James Eze, who was the star poet of the night. Several other upcoming poets also shared the limelight.
Tagged “Return to Idoto “, the second day of the programme featured a visit to Ogbaukwu cave in Owerre Ezukala community, where poems were also read at a natural setting provided by the ancient caves. There, the voices of the performing poets reverberated through the forests. A bonfire night at Okigbo’s compound, a visit to the seven stations of Ojoto, as well as visits to Ukpaka Oto and Idoto shrine, evoked the memories of Okigbo’s poetic lines where he referred to the River Idoto and other places.
Dr Okechukwu Asika who read from his poem, “Portrait of an Artist as a Mad Man”, regaled the audience. At Okigbo’s compound in Ojoto, the poets read from Okigbo’s collection at his grave side, in what looked like an attempt to rouse the late literary legend. The performance was accompanied by a traditional flutist.
The group, moved like pilgrims to Ukpaka Oto shrine, Mother Idoto shrine, and then the oil-bean tree, which was a resting spot for Okigbo while returning from the Idoto River to fetch water. In each of the stations, the poets read one of Okigbo’s poems. The event climaxed at Mother Idoto River where the group entertained performances from all the poets.
Odili Ujubuoñu, an award-winning novelist who was anchor of the programme explained that the seven stations where the poets made a flag stop to read from Okigbo’s collection were the places Okigbo always passed through, while coming back from the River Idoto. “By going through this seven stations, we are walking the path walked by Okigbo the legend while he was alive, and we are honoured to be the ones engaging in this,” he said.
Speaking at Nri Community, where the event ended at the home of the former Chief Judge of Anambra State, Prof Peter Umeadi, Umeadi said: “I consider it a privilege being the host of today’s event. I dedicate the night to my friend, late Ogbueshi Emma Okocha. Even though I’m the host, I consider myself a guest and would like to sit down and enjoy the performances. The pilgrim (Okigbo) you’re celebrating was a great man, and we are happy that his memory has remained alive.”
‘Return to Idoto’ is an annual event, in its third edition.
