By Anote Ajeluorou
“Ekumeku War statue at Asaba was destroyed to make way for Zenith
Bank roundabout, and later a flyover bridge. I nearly led a one-man riot to
protest that vandalisation of our national patrimony!” That was how
award-winning author of epic play, Iredi
War, Prof. Sam Ukala, put it while expressing his bitterness at the
demolished Ekumeku War statue in
Asaba. It was while recently celebrating him for winning The Nigeria Prize for
Literature 2014, worth USD$100,000, sponsored by NLNG, at Delta State
University, Abraka.
His book threw up the question of abysmal
neglect and even destruction of commissioned sculptural landmarks that beautify
Delta State to the consternation of art lovers and scholars alike. Iredi War echoes such destroyed or
neglected statues, as Ekumeku War echoes
similar concerns in Ukala’s award-winning play in Asaaba people’s historic
struggle with the white man in the early 1900s. Ojife statue also at Asaba and Delta
Panorama in Warri and others adorning entrances to the state are not spared
the same fate.
Ukala’s play particularly helped to raise
questions about the state government’s neglect and poor attitude towards
artistic objects scattered around the state. Dr. Nelson Edewor, who is
chairman, Society of Nigerian Arts (SNA) and teaches at the Department of Fine
Arts, DELSU, and Ukala then charged the Dr. Emmanuel Uduahan-led Delta State
Government to immediately relocate, re-erect and rehabilitate all demolished landmark
sculptural objects in the state.
Specifically, the two dons at the state-owned
university urged the state government to re-erect Ekumeku War statue in the state capital, rehabilitate Ojife statue also in Asaba, remake or
relocate Delta Panorama and
rehabilitate all neglected sculptural works in all entry points to the state.
It was Edewor who raised the issue of
demolished and abandoned sculptural works while responding to Ukala’s Iredi War’s play, a historical narrative
of Owa people and their battle with the colonial powers that sought to
subjugate them. Edewor said the play reminded him of similar wars wagged by
Asaba people against the British colonial powers in 1900s, a war that Ekumeku statue helps to immortalise, as
reminder of that historic struggle in Asaba people’s encounter with foreign powers.
According to Edewor, “Ekumeku War statue at Asaba was pulled down for no reason at all.
But with Ukala’s book that part of our history has been restored. Pulling down Ekumeku is a disservice to visual arts
society in Delta State. We have protested against it and made representation to
government that it be restored. Restoration of that statue is very important to
the cultural life of the people”.
For Edewor, the historical essence of Ekumeku War is inestimable and that only
its restoration would make sense, saying, “For its historical essence, we
desire Ekumeku War statue’s
replacement on any acceptable location within Asaba, as consented to by the
community’s royalty. Ekumeku War sculpture
was made by Mr. Augustus Iweke in 1995 at Inter-Bua roundabout; it was
destroyed in 2010. A giant Christmas tree first replaced the statue, then
Zenith Bank advert, which was eventually demolished for the flyover bridge
under construction.
“Also, the over 20-feet Delta Panorama made
by Mr. Mike Igbowe and situated at Effurun roundabout in Warri went down. Delta
Panorama was replaced with a mere water fountain. Last year it was also cleared
off for a flyover bridge under construction”.
In a meeting with Delta State Commissioner
for Art, Culture and Tourism, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Edewor, as chairman of SNA
had charged, “(We) further decry the high rate of assault on public sculptures
and monuments, with special focus on
Ekumeku War and Delta Panorama
public sculptures that adorned Asaba and Warri metropolises. This assault, the society
believes, has grave consequences as abuse on intellectual property law and
assault on social image”.
The state government’s neglect of statues
erected at strategic parts of the state is another source of worry for the
visual arts teacher and art practitioner. According to Edewor, “Government’s
neglect of monuments or their destruction is insupportable. The Ojife statue at West-end roundabout in
Asaba is falling apart already. All statues at all entrances to the state are
in similar state of disrepair. Government must act to restore these sculptures to
their glory days to beautify the state”.
AT the symposium, Ukala and
Yeibo took opportunity to respond to the honour bestowed on them by their
fellow academics. ON his part, Yeibo expressed gratitude for the honour
accorded him when he said, “I’ve always regarded Abraka as my home. The event
is unique and I’m blessed.” To the students in the hall, he said, “You’re on
the right path; put in your best in whatever you do, as students, as aspiring
writers and you will attain success.”
Ukala also expressed gratitude to English and
Literary Studies Department for honouring him. According to him, “The
department is cultivating, fostering what we see in older universities –
academic culture! How can offices be shut at 4pm, even the library in a
university? At University of Ibadan, offices are still open till 1am. The coming
of Darah has changed things at Abraka.”
Ukala also responded to Omoko’s criticism of
his play and explained that the time lag was justified, as the telegram didn’t
arrive when it should and that the white feared juju given the circumstances of
its happening and what was at stake.
He, however, praised the nobility of Igboba
in not only standing up to the white man, but offering himself to be punished
along with his subjects, as the hallmark of leadership. “Igboba didn’t allow
his subjects to be chained or hanged without offering himself first, as the
hallmark of good leadership,” he stated.
Dean, Faculty of Arts, DELSU, Prof. Austin
Anigala, who was represented by Prof. Grace Orji-Ogwu, thanked the two
prize-winning authors for “representing us well. Ukala has gone beyond the
university to let the world know that this university is grooming men and women
of distinction. The Faculty of Arts is proud of its men and women. Darah just
came back from the National Conference. More is yet to come.”
Sadly though, not even a 10-minute drama skit
was performed to serenade a master dramatist of Ukala’s stature. Clearly, it
would seem Ukala’s department (Theatre Arts) merely watched from the sidelines
while another (English) claimed him in celebration.