"THE NEED TO SEE LITERATURE DIFFERENTLY"...Badiru Kehinde

Just about 2 days ago when American singer and songwriter Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature, questions have been raised on the basis of selection which traditionally is supposed to be focused on fiction writers, poets and playwrights. These were literary expressions which used to be criterias for awarding this prize.

PM News wrote, "He is the first American to win since the novelist Toni Morrison, in 1993. The announcement, in Stockholm, came as something of a surprise. Although Mr. Dylan, 75, has been mentioned often as having an outside shot at the prize, his work does not fit into the literary canons of novels, poetry and short stories that the prize has traditionally recognized". Although, the award has had its way into Africa through winners like our very own Wole Soyinka, Nigeria (1986) with Camus, Albert Algeria (1957), Maathai, Wangari Kenya (2004)
Theiler, Max South Africa (1951, Luthuli, Albert John South Africa (1960). However, Senior research fellow at The University of Ibadan, Institute of African studies, Dr. Senayon Olaoluwa wrote, "The Nobel for Literature has refused to come Africa's way again...wahala no dey...It's good news for popular culture, anyway. Congratulations to Bob Dylan!".

Similarly Literary scholar, Dr. Rotimi Fasan has this to say; "Do you still wonder whether it's scholarly to see poetry in Dagrin, 9ice or P Square to say nothing of Sunny Ade? When some wondered if African oral forms are worthy of the name literature, can such people tell us why an American folk singer can or should be awarded a major prize in literature. Expand your definition of literature and the literary which is not necessarily only what you were taught inside the four walls of a school"

This goes to say that literature today is changing and the walls which it used to be trapped are basically expanding. If a folk singer can be awarded a Nobel Prize, an Hip-hop artist,Country, soul,smoothjazz or jazz music could also someday. One battle the African continent had to fight was the renegotiation of the fact that Africa had her indigenous oral forms which the west have tried on several occasions to debunk. Well I'm watching out for the likes of Brenda Russel, Drake, Adele, The Weekend, Solange, Rihana, Brian Cubertson, John Mayer, Jonathan Butler, Anita Baker, etc to probably get an award someday. LOL just a take. Consider our very own Sunny Ade, the musical legend who just celebrated his 70th birthday. Essays are being received by the centre of African studies, University of Ibadan in order to celebrate the legend. It's an exploration of the intersection between Juju music and literature and the aesthetics each of these artises dedicate to their musical art. This supports the claim that there is a need to see literature differently.

It's not new that the study of literature in the scholarly sense of it has left the pages of the three genres, what we have today is a cross breed of genres, a mix of these traditional forms even with the recent digital and new media devices which we have at our finger tips today. The study of literature today is becoming a honeymoon, a bed of roses and really something to live with, in and for.



©Badiru Kehinde
(Poet, Essayist, Fiction Writer, Grad. Student, Osun Student University)
(Badagry) 14/10/16
Comments: Badirukehunde@gmail.com

Source www.badirukehindewrites.

Bibi, Twaci, AustinBlinks, igwevalentine, classcaptain, foxyflow et all; come and see why you shouldn't stop grinding

Ok

American singer......

am i the only one who doesn't know this guy before he won the Nobel

Yes well said. Hence I have hopes that my works WI surely be recognized someday. I have always had my eyes on that prize. That I must surely get.

Very funny how you all write in English and wonder why ours don't worth awards in literature. Well, you can't eat your cake and have it!!!.

Literature which is writing artistry could be in any language, that's why you have French literature, German literature, English literature, Japanese literature, Russian literature, e.t.c.

But, we've murdered our own Igbo literature, Yoruba literature, Bini literature, Hausa literature, Zulu literature, e.t.c, and instead are writing for white people. What a shame!.

When we pay attention to developing our own languages in schools across Africa, our literature will boom in our various native languages, interesting books would be written and translated into other languages, and will win awards.

The entire African continent with over 2,000 languages, and there're no literary giants in our native languages?? Shame!. Shame!!. Shame!!!.

why the rant?
The guy has won it, there is nothing anybody can do about it. This shows that, as I used to always say, the study of any art course (literature inclusive) is a waste of time and inconsequential.
I don't think any folk can win Nobel prize in physics, chemistry or physiology & medicine like that! science is the momentous!

The only constant thing in life is 'change'.

I made Front page....thank God Just here to make Front page... Then Happy birthday to my Dad

Midgut:
why the rant?
The guy has won it, there is nothing anybody can do about it. This shows that, as I used to always say, the study of any art course (literature inclusive) is a waste of time and inconsequential.
I don't think any folk can win Nobel prize in physics, chemistry or physiology & medicine like that! science is the momentous!

See yourself.

Everything this days is getting a celebrity make over, so wat better way for literature to make itself go famous again like giving a celeb or a singer an award in literature...,

Literature wld automatically be shot into stardom and young peeps wld pick an interest...

Win win for literature...


#My opinion

Jimiolay:
Yea. And aside from this fact, we lack a reading culture.

We lack a reading culture cos instead Of facing our book, we now facebook, tweet, instagram, whatsapp

Social media ti take over

Maathai Wangari won the Nobel Prize for peace and not literature.

rawpadgin:
American singer......

am i the only one who doesn't know this guy before he won the Nobel

Jst the same way u dnt know him is the same they(Americans) dnt know the likes of skales, dagrin, burna boy... save those very 9ja celebs dat made it to international stardom like wizkid, dbanj, 2face and d rest....

I can't believe I cld not even mention 10 9ja celebrity musician names...


I was watching BET awards once and they decided to go on the streets of US 2 ask white folks abt the black celebs, as far I cld remember most of them did not even know who rick Ross was at all as den wen dat brother was hot...

I'm quite curious, how did Dylan get nominated? I hope this is not an award to compensate him for his brilliant musical artistry before he passes.

Besides who knows? Most of the men on the Nobel nominations team may be Bob Dylan fans.

Yes, as a literature major I support this argument.

U guys should hold ur horses Beyonce is getting hers asap

musicwriter:
Very funny you all write in English and wonder why ours don't worth literature.

Literature which is writing artistry could be in any language, that's why you have French literature, German literature, English literature, Japanese literature, Russian literature, e.t.c.

But, we've murdered our own Igbo literature, Yoruba literature, Bini literature, Hausa literature, Zulu literature, e.t.c, and instead are writing for white people. What a shame!. When we pay attention to developing our own languages in schools across Africa, our literature will boom in our various languages, and books would be translated into other languages and will win awards.

The entire African continent with over 2,000 languages, and there're no literary giants in our native languages?? Shame!. Shame!!. Shame!!!.

GBAM! Twenty gun salute for this post.

veekid:
Bibi, Twaci, AustinBlinks, igwevalentine, classcaptain, foxyflow et all; come and see why you shouldn't stop grinding

Am reading it live. Its a fact we africans may have been shying away from for sometime now.

DAVE5:


We lack a reading culture cos instead Of facing our book, we now facebook, tweet, instagram, whatsapp

Social media ti take over

Which still makes a good reading culture nonetheless.
I've read more articles online and in my 3 year nairaland stay to fill at least 10 books.

DAVE5:


I was watching BET awards once and they decided to go on the streets of US 2 ask white folks abt the black celebs, as far I cld remember most of them did not even know who rick Ross was at all as den wen dat brother was hot...

True.
Yet one'd see nairalanders claiming Rae Sremmurd are more internationally relevant than Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga or Beyonce. One has to live in the environment to know rap does not account for up to 20% of the American music industry.

What was the basis of him getting the award, did he write a book? Was the award gifted based on song lyrics over the years? The article does not explain how, only then would I post a proper critical analysis on the issue.

charix:

Which still makes a good reading culture nonetheless.
I've read more articles online and in my 3 year nairaland stay to fill at least 10 books.

U do av a point bro...at least nl sef epp me... I got my current job here in nl 2 years ago n 2dae I'm a better me... glory to God

emperorhenry:
Yes well said. Hence I have hopes that my works WI surely be recognized someday. I have always had my eyes on that prize. That I must surely get.

we will get there, Just keep on writing,believing and be expectant, Better days ahead for writers

musicwriter:
Very funny how you all write in English and wonder why ours don't worth awards in literature. Well, you can't eat your cake and have it!!!.

Literature which is writing artistry could be in any language, that's why you have French literature, German literature, English literature, Japanese literature, Russian literature, e.t.c.

But, we've murdered our own Igbo literature, Yoruba literature, Bini literature, Hausa literature, Zulu literature, e.t.c, and instead are writing for white people. What a shame!.

When we pay attention to developing our own languages in schools across Africa, our literature will boom in our various native languages, interesting books would be written and translated into other languages, and will win awards.

The entire African continent with over 2,000 languages, and there're no literary giants in our native languages?? Shame!. Shame!!. Shame!!!.

words of wisdom which I believe a true African passionate about the African dream will agree with

Midgut:
why the rant?
The guy has won it, there is nothing anybody can do about it. This shows that, as I used to always say, the study of any art course (literature inclusive) is a waste of time and inconsequential.
I don't think any folk can win Nobel prize in physics, chemistry or physiology & medicine like that! science is the momentous!

let me inform you that Art is not a waste of time, The beauty of art is why chemicals and calculations in your physics and chemistry can be valued, it takes a literary eye to appreciate a lab