Please interested parties should goggle the following topic-"Hausa to English-a study in paraphrase by Neil Skinner."
It sheds a lot of light on the issue in question. Apparently from Dr Skinners investigation, Mr Ekwensi got the story from an unnamed Mallam 18 years after Jiki Magayi was published.
On the part of the co writer of Jiki Magayi,Mr Rupert, he encouraged John Tafida Umaru to write a story about Hausa culture but the end product was so poor that he had to work on the story with Tafida,hence both their names had to appear as co authors of the book.

CoCoLav:
There is copyright in the translated version of a literary work. Most times the original author may assign that right to another person with an understanding. Nevertheless, even if permission was not obtained, Cyprain will still have copyright in the translated version because it satisfies the originality and fixation requirement albeit he might have infringed the original author's own copyright as well. This is not about plagiarism, he put efforts into translating it and the law recognizes that. It would be plagiarism if he reproduced it in Hausa.

I can decide to translate Shakespeare's works into Yoruba and make money off it and nobody will come after me.

& who says Tafida couldn't have translated the work himself?

Sparkle777:


Thanks a lot, u ve been very patient and kind about this issue.

Well thanks sweety for the compliment. have a good evening. It's nice engaging you.

Caveatemptor:
Please interested parties should goggle the following topic-"Hausa to English-a study in paraphrase by Neil Skinner."
It sheds a lot of light on the issue in question. Apparently from Dr Skinners investigation, Mr Ekwensi got the story from an unnamed Mallam 18 years after Jiki Magayi was published.
On the part of the co writer of Jiki Magayi,Mr Rupert, he encouraged John Tafida Umaru to write a story about Hausa culture but the end product was so poor that he had to work on the story with Tafida,hence both their names had to appear as co authors of the book.

Thanks for that info. That's very vital. please can you help with link am seeing all kinds of articles about Skinner. Am feeling lazy as well. Thanks and wish you had arrived the thread earlier.

Vanquay16:
Igbo man...Enough said


One can almost be forgiven for wondering if they cursed with Diabolical brains


21 Savage

I hope 🙏 you don't commit suicide one day in your quest to being tribalidtic

EazyMoh:

Thanks for that info. That's very vital. please can you help with link am seeing all kinds of articles about Skinner. Am feeling lazy as well. Thanks and wish you had arrived the thread earlier.

http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublication?journalCode=reseafrilite

That's the link,sir.
Actually I have been on the thread since it was posted. Cyprian Ekwensi was such a big part of my reading as a youth and I was shocked to read about all this plagiarism stuff and I have been searching the internet all day to reach the truth. Unfortunately there is very little information on this issue but we must continue to search. The truth must be hidden somewhere. I also found out that John Tafida was not an illiterate as I thought before but actually one of the Hausa intellectuals of the time although not a top class writer but he could hold his own.

iawaziri@yahoo.com


There is also a link of a nephew of John Tafida accusing Cyprian Ekwensi of plagiarising his uncles work. It was written in 2012 after Mr China Achebe released his book,"There was a country".

Caveatemptor:




http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublication?journalCode=reseafrilite

That's the link,sir.
Actually I have been on the thread since it was posted. Cyprian Ekwensi was such a big part of my reading as a youth and I was shocked to read about all this plagiarism stuff and I have been searching the internet all day to reach the truth. Unfortunately there is very little information on this issue but we must continue to search. The truth must be hidden somewhere. I also found out that John Tafida was not an illiterate as I thought before but actually one of the Hausa intellectuals of the time although not a top class writer but he could hold his own.

Thank man. Really appreciate it. CE is a literary icon and this case it's a heartbreak. Have you read my concluding post on page 0 about how he was initially sued in the 60s?

Y do i feel as though this guy wants this book to sell again cos now ppl who didn't read it will look for it now to read.

EazyMoh:

Thank man. Really appreciate it. CE is a literary icon and this case it's a heartbreak. Have you read my concluding post on page 0 about how he was initially sued in the 60s?

I read it.
I feel very sad about this sword of plagiarism hanging over the work of Mr Ekwensi but the dangerous fact is that if he could plagiarize one book and get away with it,it follows that some of his other works could be plagiarized too. Serious food for thought and saddening.

emonkey:


[size=14pt]Who published Jiki Magayi and what were the terms of his publishing agreement ? This is what should be your focus and not who wrote what ? Publishing terms are never always the same.
1. If the original writer sold it outright to the publisher , the publisher can assign another writer to write the translation or rewrite the book without giving any credit or money to the original writer. I have previously sold two books to a foreign writer under this sort of agreement with full understanding of the consequences.
2. Have you ever asked who John Tafida Umaru is/was ? The person may not exist and might have just been created by the publisher for the purpose of localising the book. Does he/she have any other literary credit apart from this book ?
3. Was Jiki Magayi still in copyright when Ekwensi did the translation? Copyright typically expires 50 years after the death of the author, if not renewed,
Check the facts properly . Don't criticise unduly.

Most of Wole Soyinka's plays are not original by the way. They are brilliant adaptations of nearly forgotten classics . His plays were good and became famous, made him famous. They were not original in any case and the families of Greek authors who have been dead for centuries are not looking all over for the Nobel Laureate to sue,[/size]

I can't comment on the plagiarism of African Night Entertainment because I don't have any facts and unlike what some people here are already doing, I won't jump into any conclusions just yet.

However, I find it nauseating that every time there's an issue involving any member of the Nigerian literary circle, people like to use the opportunity to cast aspersions on the works of Wole Soyinka as if doing so would somehow lessen the negative press the former literary personality is getting.

How possible do you think it would be that Soyinka's works would majorly be adaptations if he could win a laureate? Which classics did 'Telephone Conversation', 'Lion and the Jewel', or Trial of BrotherJethro adapt? Pray tell. Trust me, adaptations, no matter how well written will never win you a Nobel Laureate. Ask Ola Rotimi who wrote a masterpiece with Gods are not to blame which was adapted from Oedipus Rex.

Cyprian Ekwensi is one of my favourite Nigerian authors and I have read several of his books (Burning Bush, Juju Rock, and Trouble in form six are my favourites), he is a great author in his own right no matter what the truth of this plagiarism allegation is. But please don't dishonour the memory of the man by trying to somehow insult Wole Soyinka's work. It doesn't help.

oluamid:



I can't comment on the plagiarism of African Night Entertainment because I don't have any facts and unlike what some people here are already doing, I won't jump into any conclusions just yet.

However, I find it nauseating that every time there's an issue involving any member of the Nigerian literary circle, people like to use the opportunity to cast aspersions on the works of Wole Soyinka as if doing so would somehow lessen the negative press the former literary personality is getting.

How possible do you think it would be that Soyinka's works would majorly be adaptations if he could win a laureate? Which classics did 'Telephone Conversation', 'Lion and the Jewel', or Trial of BrotherJethro adapt? Pray tell. Trust me, adaptations, no matter how well written will never win you a Nobel Laureate. Ask Ola Rotimi who wrote a masterpiece with Gods are not to blame which was adapted from Oedipus Rex.

Cyprian Ekwensi is one of my favourite Nigerian authors and I have read several of his books (Burning Bush, Juju Rock, and Trouble in form six are my favourites), he is a great author in his own right no matter what the truth of this plagiarism allegation is. But please don't dishonour the memory of the man by trying to somehow insult Wole Soyinka's work. It doesn't help.

Sorry boss; but I was just making reference to the issue of adaptation/translation and WS I only suggested as a person who has used this to great gains, I am not denigrating him. Who am I to do this ? Wole Soyinka knew what he wanted to do since he was a child and even in secondary school was a member of the Literary and Drama societies. I have a picture of him from the days. Do you know that Cyprian Ekwensi also attended the same secondary school as Wole Soyinka ? I also did attend that same secondary school. so why should I play one against the other ? You people should please stop overreacting whenever anyone suggests anything different from what you want to hear.

Nickydrake:


Intelligent response. You need not have made the Soyinka analogy, because it has turned out to be the weak spot in an otherwise sound stance. You have said yourself that there is a duration to copyright. The writers of the Greek classics were taken up to Olympus long before the invention of the printing press, when there was no notion of copyright. This means that their work is in the public domain, so adapting an ancient Greek classic to African culture is not plagiarism, it is more like borrowing.

Sorry boss; but I was just making reference to the issue of adaptation/translation and WS I only suggested as a person who has used this to great gains, I am not trying to belittle his achievements. Wole Soyinka is undoubtedly a great writer . Not my type, but nevertheless good at what he does. Regards

Most comments on this thread are giving a tribal slant to what is purely a literary issue. No one likes their work copied without at least an acknowledgement.

How would you feel if the great Things Fall Apart was translated verbatim into say any of the indigenous languages and the translator did not give credit to Achebe but slapped his own name on the cover of the book as the author? Would CE himself be happy if any of his works is reproduced verbatim without given due credit?

That is not to conclude that Cyprian Ekwensi plagiarized. The OP certainly didn't say so and he made it known he is still investigating the issue and whether permission/copyright was actually sought or not. So we should reserve judgement.

Moreover, many people on this thread seem to think plagiarism is the same as adaptation. They are not the same. If you are confused, google both words.

einsteine:


Educate yourself on copyright laws. You don't need the permission of Shakespeare estate. Copyright has a fixed term, the maximum is 70 years after the author's death.

what is your statutory authority? Don't dorget copyright is constantly renewed.
Besides even if it is 70 years that limitation would not apply because we are talking about a book that was plagiarized 12 years after it was originally published. So the action would be brought based on a 1962 action rather a 2016 action. Bringing a Shakespeare comparison to a matter that is Sui generis is absurd and unintelligent.

emonkey:

Sorry boss; but I was just making reference to the issue of adaptation/translation and WS I only suggested as a person who has used this to great gains, I am not denigrating him. Who am I to do this ? Wole Soyinka knew what he wanted to do since he was a child and even in secondary school was a member of the Literary and Drama societies. I have a picture of him from the days. Do you know that Cyprian Ekwensi also attended the same secondary school as Wole Soyinka ? I also did attend that same secondary school. so why should I play one against the other ? You people should please stop overreacting whenever anyone suggests anything different from what you want to hear.

You are making suggestions and passing them off as truths, and that's okay to you? That you see Wole Soyinka as a literary icon doesn't mean you should come to a forum like Nairaland and say 90% of his works are adaptations when they are not. Someone who doesn't know better would automatically think that is true.

And I'm not 'you people'. You made a statement which is not true and I didn't personalise it. Rather, I went about correcting it by giving examples. You should do the same if you think I'm wrong. Don't play to people's emotions by using words like "you people". I don't play that tribalism game that seem to be a favourite on Nairaland these days.

nwaanambra1:




well your people dropped the case after feeling that the millions of igbos killed in the civil war is enough recompense for Cyprians copy right infringement.

the speed northers use to attack any issues relating to north is so amazing!

if only you guys can also use the same speed to sort various issues bedeviling Nigeria - after all, you guys own Nigeria stock, lock and barrel!

Hmmmm well its a shame that politics dictated the fate of the integrity of literature knowledge and rule of law. Anyway my point is made, and the political discuss of it is another topic. Cheers.

adaweezy:

what is your statutory authority? Don't dorget copyright is constantly renewed.
Besides even if it is 70 years that limitation would not apply because we are talking about a book that was plagiarized 12 years after it was originally published. So the action would be brought based on a 1962 action rather a 2016 action. Bringing a Shakespeare comparison to a matter that is Sui generis is absurd and unintelligent.

You are the unintelligent one here. I didn't bring Shakespeare into the matter. I only corrected your wrong notion that publishing a translated version of Shakespeare requires permission from the Bard's estate. Again, go read on copyright laws before engaging in discussions like this.

oluamid:


You are making suggestions and passing them off as truths, and that's okay to you? That you see Wole Soyinka as a literary icon doesn't mean you should come to a forum like Nairaland and say 90% of his works are adaptations when they are not. Someone who doesn't know better would automatically think that is true.

And I'm not 'you people'. You made a statement which is not true and I didn't personalise it. Rather, I went about correcting it by giving examples. You should do the same if you think I'm wrong. Don't play to people's emotions by using words like "you people". I don't play that tribalism game that seem to be a favourite on Nairaland these days.

Now I can clearly see your problem !! Have a great week

einsteine:


You are the unintelligent one here. I didn't bring Shakespeare into the matter. I only corrected your wrong notion that publishing a translated version of Shakespeare requires permission from the Bard's estate. Again, go read on copyright laws before engaging in discussions like this.

I asked for your authority and you can't provide it.... He who alleges must prove even common sense denotes that. You are proudly misinforming people. You peddle discussions about copyright laws yet you don't know the applicable legislations in force in nigeria
For your information section 5(a)iv and 5(a)ix of the copyright act protects the intellectual property right of the original writer of an African Nights entertainment.

emonkey:

Now I can clearly see your problem !! Have a great week

Well then. But please learn to argue in the public space without snide remarks. It doesn't make one sound too intelligent.

oluamid:


Well then. But please learn to argue in the public space without snide remarks. It doesn't make one sound too intelligent.

You are joking , right ? Please show us all where it was I mentioned 90% and then we can determine if you have not just insulted yourself.

MChaze25:
lol! Yeye. I can draw you in 2 mins and make you sleep in 1 min

your insults are too much, must you insult to prove your point?

ritababe:


your insults are too much, must you insult to prove your point?

Alright. Am sorry.

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