Idoto Revisited

Editor’s Note

In November 1996 and March 1997, I collaborated with Onix Communications, Enugu in organising some memorial events for the Late Christopher Okigbo, foremost African poet. Consisting in exhibitions, lectures, and cultural night, the events took place at Hotel Presidential and National Museum, Enugu, and Didi Museum, Lagos. It attracted a highly electric gathering which included Nigeria’s former Vice President Dr. Alex Ekwueme, former governor of Oyo State Chief Bola Ige and former Tanzanian President, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, among many other important personalities.

In a solemn manner, the Okigbo memorial reaffirmed the poet’s other name, Ifekandu (not Christopher), which translates as “greater than life”. In his life and work, Okigbo only lived his name Ifekandu, and glaringly exemplifies a Nigerian poet’s claim that “Pen men may die as flowers do/but their children survive the tidal waves.” In mortal combat, Chris Okigbo has poignantly assailed the tides of time to re-emerge at Havensgate, constantly revarnished and renewed. In spite of 30 years of mortality, he continues to live in his poems, hovering over the literary world like a divine spirit in eternal flight.

Christopher Okigbo’s life was lightning. His death remains tragic. But his story is the kind that survives the darkest night and inscribes hope and inspiration on the uncertain visage of the new dawn.  It is the glory of the practical triumph of immortality, genius, creativity, and intellect, a rare example of the fulfilment and crystallisation of the human will and spirit even when it was truncated, or seemingly so, “at midterm.”

In the pages, we have published some of the papers presented during the Okigbo memorial. Some were published in the exhibition catalogue; others are appearing for the first time. Vividly woven by some of his closest friends, the following collection of essays are, perhaps, the final word on Okigbo, not only in terms of their theses, though, but also with regard to depth of logic.  Any further study on Okigbo may depend on what has been said in the next few pages.

C. Krydz Ikwuemesi..