By Chidi Anthony Opara

For the very few who do not know Odia Ofeimun, he is a Nigerian poet and regular commentator on socio-political, economic and cultural issues in Nigeria. He is a protégé of Professor Wole Soyinka.

Ofeimun held the posts of publicity secretary, general secretary and President of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).

He is also known to be the quasi-godfather of the informal Lagos-Ibadan-Ife literary fraternity, whose influence has extended to the Internet.

At the age of twenty-five, Poet Odia Ofeimun wrote a collection of poems titled “The Poet Lied”, which his friends in the Lagos-Ibadan press like to call “magnum opus”. Other collections were to follow later.

The poet recently turned sixty and as expected, the Lagos-Ibadan news circuit was abuzz with news, articles and interviews of “Odia Ofeimun at 60”. Internet sites moderated/edited by the poet’s protégés were not left out of the frenzy.

While the buzz lasted, one read most of the interviews, which surprisingly dwelt on personal issues like; why Ofeimun have not yet considered it appropriate to get married and why he has not yet written a book on his stint as Obafemi Awolowo’s private secretary.

Having held the post of President of ANA, an influential and hitherto vocal body of the literati in Nigeria, it is a known fact that the poet’s influence in the body is enormous. So how come a question bordering on the embarrassing silence of ANA during the unfortunate Yar’Adua health debacle when other organizations took positions was not put across to the poet even once?

It would have been good to read about the efforts (if any), Odia Ofeimun made to move ANA to take a position, at least for the sake of posterity during the unfortunate period, and if no efforts were made in this direction, it would have been equally good to know why.

This in fact, is one question I would have asked Odia Ofeimun on his 60th birthday anniversary if I had the opportunity.

(From Facebook Note)

Wrong thread!

Let him write the Awo book first, maybe we'll have questions to ask him then