Varsity Don Wants Literature Revolutionised In Higher Institutions
A University don, with the Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Professor Damian Opata has called on the Federal Government to revolutionise literature in higher institutions.
Opata, said this at the presentation of the books entitled: Spiked beyond spikes and Tapestry of a dolphin, by a Warri based author, Mr. Ekanpou Enewaridideke in Warri, Delta State.
Reviewing the books, Professor Opata commended the author saying: “All in all, Spiked beyond spikes, is a well written text, one that is lavishly inter-texual, evoking as it does many writers, national and international.
It is a very captivating text. The various sub-plots of family life of the Alabeni family of the love life of Endorobou the fiery journalist, as well as the cultural episodes and fiestas portrayed here and there in the text all combine to make the novel a rich text.
Very importantly, parts of this revolutionary novel constitute good philosophical reflections that suggest some form of indigenous cultural resurgence. “The rich and varied imagery drawn from nature, and replete with riverine evocations do good service to the setting. It is a marvellous feat that the narrative achieves a great deal of historical distantiation despite its apparent concern with contemporary political/economic turbulence of the Oporozan nation, that is, of the Nigerian nation, I strongly recommend the novel to the reading public for use in teaching revolutionary literature in higher institutions.”
In his remarks, Enewaridideke said the two books saying it aims at exposing the dangers of a deliberately and vindictively blocked canal and river which creates deprivation in varying degrees. Enewaridideke said: “I have a story to tell. However, in this story told, the dangers of a blocked river shall before grounded. I firmly believe that the writer is the thermometer of his own people, society, community and this world. The writer is the director of the moral, intellectual, philosophical, cultural and historical compass of this world.
“By this I haven’t forgotten the words, the great words, of Wole Soyinka, who sees the writer as the conscience and the voice of vision in his own society. Awakened by these timeless philosophical thoughts of man in the world I have for you today two new books entitled: ‘Spiked beyond spikes and Tapestry of a dolphin.’
“In these two books I have awakened in you my potential readers and the entire world to the dangers of a deliberately and vindictively blocked canal, river, tributary, distributaries, stream, brook or estuary. “When a river is deliberately and vindictively blocked, mobility or navigation becomes totally impossible, as this blockage creates deprivation in varying degrees. We all know that whenever a river, canal or tributary is deliberately and vindictively blocked, certain things are bound to occur: indignities, barbarities, abnormalities, imbecilities, atrocities and violent reactions will cascade upon man in the world.
“This is where my intervention is needed. I strongly insist we must not get there; we must not get to that morbid region, that morbid world, of dangerous reversals.
“This is why I want you my potential readers and the entire world to read these two books and be correspondingly nudged and nourished for a better world – I mean a world safely away from the consuming dangers of a deliberately and vindictively blocked canal, river, tributary, distributary, stream, brook or estuary.
“This is why I have come here today to communicate with you and communicate my vision stored, safely stored, in my two books entitled Spiked beyond spikes and Tapestry of a dolphin.”
