A song out of the bagA song out of the bagThe publishing The publishing

of Igbo poetryof Igbo poetryin Nigeriain Nigeria

Françoise UgochukwuThe Open University

The aim of this paper is

• to explore Igbo poetry as a genre that has been experiencing a rapid growth in Igboland (Nigeria)

• survey a few of the publications in circulation

• consider how they feed on orality and how the targeted audience impacts on the contents.

• Exploring the development of Exploring the development of written poetry in Igbowritten poetry in Igbo

• Its authors’ background and Its authors’ background and intentionsintentions

• Its targeted publicIts targeted public

• its publication till dateits publication till date

• Compared with poetry publications Compared with poetry publications in Englishin English

AbstractAbstract

ContentsContents

1. The development of publications in Igbo2. Poetry development in Nigeria – some landmarks3. A University-born poetry4. A subordinate status 5. A long history of Igbo writers publishing in English6. And a new generation of poets 7. Basic hindrances to publishing affect poetry8. The Igbo preference9. The question of standard10. Some publishers of Igbo poetry11. Marketing & Distribution 12. The curriculum obsession13. The targeted public14. A world yet unknown

The development of The development of publications in Igbopublications in Igbo

• 1933: Omenuko, the first novel in Igbo

• 1961: the Onwu orthography

• 1967: 3 novels, no written poetry, no play

• 1967-1970: Biafran War

1970s: Igbo Renaissance1977: new federal language policy1986: 70 novels, 11 poetry collections, 25 plays

Poetry development in Poetry development in Nigeria – some landmarksNigeria – some landmarks

• 17th century: first written Hausa poetry• 18th century: first Fulani written poetry• 1957: Ulli Beir starts Black Orpheus• 1958: J.P.Clark & A.Irele start The Horn• 1961: Okigbo’s Heavensgate• 1962: Osadebay’s Africa sings – poems

already published separately• 1992: Hausa poetry very much alive on

both public & private scene

A University-born Igbo Poetry withA University-born Igbo Poetry with

Achebe ChinuaAgu O.A.Chime UchennaChukuezi Anelechi B. Egudu RomanusEmenanjo E. NolueIkwubuzo IwuNwadike I.Uzoma

Nwoga Donatus †Nwankwo Ogbalu F.Chidozie †Okoro L.C.Ogbulogo C.U.Udechukwu Obiora

Uba-Mgbemena AsonyeUgonna Nnabuenyi †Uzochukwu Samuel

A subordinate statusA subordinate status

• Igbo studies – a devalued currency

• Poetry – a “useless” occupation

• A.Quayson, 1997: “The work of Tutuola, Soyinka and Okri along with others from Nigeria can be said to have done more for a knowledge of Nigerian culture outside (…) than any of the texts in local languages.”

A long history of Igbo writers A long history of Igbo writers publishing in English since 1789publishing in English since 1789

Olaudah Equiano †

Ernest Emenyonu

Cyprian Ekwensi

Chukwuemeka Ike

Obiora Udechukwu

Christopher Okigbo†

Chukwuma Azuonye

Arthur Nwankwo

Chinua Achebe Romanus Egudu Dubem Okafor

Flora Nwapa †

Buchi Emecheta

Adaora Ulasi

And others

With only a few poets among them

And a new generation of poetsAnd a new generation of poets• Chimamanda Adichie• Jenna Akuchie• Nnamdi Azuonye• Nnorom Azuonye• Benedicta Mbanuzue• Odinaka Nwamadi• Chimalum Nwankwo• Ebele Uche-Nwakile

Onyeji ChiboI.O.Dike-UgwuAzuka NzegwuOke IkeoguAnd others

Still publishing in English both in & out of Nigeria

Basic hindrances to publishing Basic hindrances to publishing in Igbo equally affect poetryin Igbo equally affect poetry

Identified in 1973 in Ife University

• Lack of printing skills and facilities

• Lack of willing investors

• Lack of public interest

• Existing publishing management problems

• Competition from international publishers

• Prof. Adamolekun, 1984:“hundreds of manuscripts have

been accepted for publication some years ago but because of limited printing facilities the books could not be produced in Nigeria.”(Okoro 2002)

• Today, most of these problems have been overcome. Even poetry is being published locally.

The Igbo preferenceThe Igbo preference

1. Theatre

2. Novels

3. Short Stories

4. Poetry

Possibly determined by audience choice, is fast changing, with a swelling of new poetry collections on the market.

The question of standardThe question of standard• The Official orthography is still being

challenged in recent publications• Achebe has been championing the

cause of dialects• Ugonna : “we insist on standard Igbo

so as to give the language the needed cohesion and stability for continued growth and development.”

• Uzochukwu: “The standardization of Igbo has come a long way & we don’t want to stir up the hornet’s nest again.”

Some publishers of Igbo PoetrySome publishers of Igbo Poetry• University Publishing Co. , Onitsha• Oxford University Press, Ibadan• Spectrum Books, Ibadan• University Press Ltd, Ibadan• Fourth Dimension, Enugu• Totan Publishers, Owerri• Macmillan (Nig.), Lagos• Longman (Nig.), Ikeja• Evans (Nig.), Lagos• Malthouse Press, Lagos

Marketing & DistributionMarketing & Distribution• Authors footing the bill• Book launching• School/University programmes• Market stalls & bookshops• Books kept in the town they get

published• Poor printing quality but more

affordable• Book market hit by “otanisi”• The role of the African Book Collective

The Curriculum obsessionThe Curriculum obsession

Kole Omotoso, 1973: everything published in Nigeria suffers from the national obsession with school programmes.

Alain Ricard, 1995: “the literary milieu is strictly controlled by a few linguists writing the texts they then put on school program, to their own benefit and to the potential detriment of literature (…), and of readers whose igbo literary experience will now be limited to a school experience.”

The targeted public: Writers’ wishThe targeted public: Writers’ wish• Uzochukwu writes to keep “our moonlight

plays, our poetry (…) in print for posterity.”

• His target audience is “students at the tertiary level.”

• One of his works has been recommended for the Senior Secondary School Certificate.

• He also wants to encourage the public to read for pleasure.

(The Sun News online (Nig.), 17th May 2005

• Ikwubuzo said he writes mainly for his students of Igbo, to guide them in their studies

• He also wishes to entertain

• “Secondly, I educate the society through my writings.”

(The Sun News online, Nigeria, 27th Sept.2005)

Books in circulationBooks in circulationA world yet unknownA world yet unknown

• 1986, A.Ricard: “Nigeria is the first producer of books in Africa, but one would need to be very clever to give a figure for its publications.”

• 1992, A.Gérard: “The outside world’s faulty and fragmentary perception of publications in African languages does not mean they do not exist.”