SUNDAY Vanguard, MAY 3, 2015, PAGE 59 japhdave@yahoo.com 08066625505
Mother of multitudes... colleagues celebrate erudite Prof. Eko By PRISCA SAM-DURU BOOK LAUNCH
I
n this part of the world, it is not often that good people are celebrated, rather, money bags who mostly constitute nuisance in the society are accorded accolades as though they are gems. It was with great joy therefore, that colleagues from University of Calabar(UNICAL), family, friends, former students, mentees and beneficiaries of Professor Ebele Eko, a retired professor of Comparative Literature and former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UNICAL was celebrated in Calabar, recently. The occasion was the launch of Mother of Multitudes in honour of the erudite Professor. It held at the University of Calabar Hotel Conference Centre, Cross River State. The biography which was authored by her former student and mentee, Betty Abah, a journalist and activist, documents the professional and private accomplishments of the
By ELIZABETH UWANDU DRAMA
I
n a concerted effort aimed at creating more awareness about the need to put an end to stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS, the Goethe Institut in collaboration with Lagos film society and Nigerian film corporation screened, a film tagged Stigma. The 2013 film directed by Dagogo Dominas and produced to celebrate 2013 World AIDS Day was performed at the Nigerian film corporation, Lagos last weekend. The emotional and heart breaking film tells the story of a mother and daughter, Ibiso and Venessa who contracted HIV from the job they do as traditional birth attendants in a village. Ibiso and Venessa were then ostracised by family and community members to die. Ibiso died as a result of the stigma, loneliness, and financial strain. But Venessa fought stigmatization and rejection and triumphed over death. Parading some of the best actors/actresses, like Jackie Appiah ( Venessa), Hilda Dokunbo (Ibiso), Emeka Ike( Dr Jide), Soibifa Dokunbo (Smart), Ngozi Nwosu ( Telma), Clem Ohamaze (Pastor), Francis Duru( Counsellor) and Anna & Bob Manuel (siblings to Venessa) they gave a ver good account of themselves as they were able
Nnewi, Anambra State-born Eko. Those who know her describe her as one of the greatest amazons Nigeria has ever produced as well as the greatest human influence in the lives of so many people whose paths have at one time or the other, crossed with hers. Fondly known as mommy Eko, the ever-smiling and amiable teacher and author, is also, a renowned author
Those who know her describe her as one of the greatest amazons Nigeria has ever produced as well as the greatest human influence in the lives of so many people
•Celebration time, friends and colleagues cut the cake of 15 books spanning poetry, grammar, criticism among others. Her books Include the widely read “Effective English book”, “Joy Unspeakable”, a collection of poems; “Masterpieces of African Literature” which was presented to the public in Calabar as well as Lagos, last year. The celebrant’s teaching experience in African and African-American literature both in Nigeria and the United States, spans over forty years. During this period, she became a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Florida (19851986) and Valdosta State University (1991-1992). She is also the first Desmond Tutu Professor, University of North Florida, Jacksonville (19982000). Eko is also reputed as the biggest authority on Nigeria’s iconic writer, Prof. Elechi Amadi, as well as for for bringing about reforms in the
Department of English and Literary Studies Department at UNICAL.
Describing the biography as a much deserved documentation of the work of the Amazon, chairman of the occasion, Prof. Ivara Esu, former UNICAL Vice Chancellor under whom Eko served as Deputy Vice Chancellor, commended the author for putting together such wonderful book that projects the good works of Prof Eko. He praised Abah for being one of their outstanding students who had made them proud. “As a wife, mother and a career woman, Mrs Eko has excelled. There are only a few women who have combined excellence in those areas and we can only thank God for giving her to us as a testimonial
of His faithfulness, to influence lives wherever we go” intoned Prof U.J Ekpe, who also served as Deputy Vice-
Film tackles HIV/AIDS stigmatization on stage to interpret their roles and deliver. And the audience were held spellbound and thrilled from the spontaneous reactions the film evoked and that made them to have a retrospection on their lives and living generally. The film tells the story of love, betrayal, friendship, forgiveness and survival of the human mind irrespective of the HIV status. It also,preached the message of survival of the man against self pity from himself and from any form of stigmatization of people. The film is not just a drama about ignorance and the consequences of carelessness but also about the power to over-
The emotional and heart breaking film tells the story of a mother and daughter who contract HIV from the job they do as traditional birth attendants in the village
•A scene from performance of the film, Stigma come desperate situations in life, to burst one’s bonds and finally to be what you want to be. Speaking on the uniqueness of the storyline, Hilda Dokunbo said, “various movies have dealt with the issue of contracting HIV/AIDS, but none has actually portrayed the stigmatization that follows after one is tested positive of the ailment.” “After this,the question that follows is what happens after he you are tested HIV positive, how do you live and how people around you see? Stigmatization is a killer, it is just means rejection and when people reject you, it is the same thing as when you are shown AIDS. So when people show you hate, because hate is a negative en-
ergy, you can not tap any form of strength. But you can tap a lot from love and that is what is unique about this film, Stigma.” she noted Speaking further, Dokunbo said, “we need ourselves as individuals, people, religious and professional guardian to survive any form of stigmatization. Venessa unlike her mother survived discrimination, loneliness and financial burden by determination in fighting stigmatization; through the pastors encouragement and by good friendship and counsel of Dr Jide and the Counsellor.” Stigma also, corrects the erroneous impression that HIV is gotten through sex
Chnacellor (Amin) at the same time with Eko. The author of the biography and Executive Director of a child’s rights and welfare NGO, CEE-HOPE, Betty Abah, told guests that she was motivated to document Prof. Eko’s exemplary life so as to inspire others to do good.”There is so much celebration of bad role models and outright charlatans in our society, to the detriment of the gems with which this country is blessed. As writers, as conciences of the nation, we owe a debt to hold up good people like Mommy Eko as mirrors before the nation especially as models for our younger generation. As pioneer female Deputy VC, she worked with Prof Esu and Ekpe to stamp out cultism from UNICAL in addition to instilling an enduring tradition of environmental cleanliness in the school.”, Abah stated. alone. As it can be contracted through other means by using unsterilised instruments used by HIV victims, through blood transfusion and the care of a victims of HIV without protection just like the case of Venessa and her mother, Ibiso who got the disease by attending to a woman in labour, who was HIV positive. From the film one is meant to see the every day living of the Niger Delta who despite having oil lack the basis necessities of life, one of which is good health facility. In the play Venessa had to leave her village to the city in search of good medical attention. Aside the above, Dagogo Dominas needs commendation as he blended the Kalabari language with the Queen’s language. Emeka Ike who played the part of Dr Jide who confessed that he decided to star in the movie for its human angle, said “stigmatization is not only shown to HIV victims alone but seen in one self, among people, and race. So any form of rejection is stigma. The moment we rise to the occasion of fighting stigmatization by accepting ourselves irrespective of class, status, or race, the better we will become.” Mrs Patricia Ajenufuja, a volunteer of HIV/AIDS said she really learned from the play the part of religion in the lives of people based on the role played by the pastor( Clems Ohamaeze).