The aim of this paper is 1. to explore Igbo poetry as a genre that has been experiencing a rapid growth in Igboland (Nigeria) 2. survey a few of the publications in circulation 3. consider how they feed on orality and how the targeted audience impacts on the contents.

1. A song out of the bag
The publishing
of Igbo poetry
in Nigeria
Françoise Ugochukwu
The Open University

2. The aim of this paper is
• to explore Igbo poetry as a genre
that has been experiencing a rapid
growth in Igboland (Nigeria)
• survey a few of the publications
in circulation
• consider how they feed on orality
and how the targeted audience
impacts on the contents.

3. Abstract
• Exploring the development of
written poetry in Igbo
• Its authors’ background and
intentions
• Its targeted public
• its publication till date
• Compared with poetry publications
in English

4. Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
The development of publications in Igbo
Poetry development in Nigeria – some landmarks
A University-born poetry
A subordinate status
A long history of Igbo writers publishing in English
And a new generation of poets
Basic hindrances to publishing affect poetry
The Igbo preference
The question of standard
Some publishers of Igbo poetry
Marketing & Distribution
The curriculum obsession
The targeted public
A world yet unknown

5. The development of
publications in Igbo
• 1933: Omenuko, the first novel
in Igbo
• 1961: the Onwu orthography
• 1967: 3 novels, no written
poetry, no play
• 1967-1970: Biafran War

6. 1970s: Igbo Renaissance
1977: new federal language
policy
1986: 70 novels, 11 poetry
collections, 25 plays

7. Poetry development in
Nigeria – some landmarks
•
•
•
•
•
•
17th century: first written Hausa poetry
18th century: first Fulani written poetry
1957: Ulli Beir starts Black Orpheus
1958: J.P.Clark & A.Irele start The Horn
1961: Okigbo’s Heavensgate
1962: Osadebay’s Africa sings – poems
already published separately
• 1992: Hausa poetry very much alive on
both public & private scene

8. A University-born Igbo Poetry with
Achebe Chinua
Agu O.A.
Chime Uchenna
Chukuezi Anelechi B.
Egudu Romanus
Emenanjo E. Nolue
Ikwubuzo Iwu
Nwadike I.Uzoma

9. Nwoga Donatus †
Nwankwo
Ogbalu F.Chidozie †
Okoro L.C.
Ogbulogo C.U.
Udechukwu Obiora
Uba-Mgbemena Asonye
Ugonna Nnabuenyi †
Uzochukwu Samuel

10. A subordinate status
• Igbo studies – a devalued currency
• Poetry – a “useless” occupation
• A.Quayson, 1997: “The work of
Tutuola, Soyinka and Okri along
with others from Nigeria can be
said to have done more for a
knowledge of Nigerian culture
outside (…) than any of the texts in
local languages.”

11. A long history of Igbo writers
publishing in English since 1789
Chinua Achebe
Olaudah Equiano †
Romanus Egudu
Ernest Emenyonu
Dubem Okafor
Cyprian Ekwensi
Flora Nwapa †
Chukwuemeka Ike
Buchi Emecheta
Obiora Udechukwu
Adaora Ulasi
Christopher Okigbo†
And others
Chukwuma Azuonye
With only a few
Arthur Nwankwo
poets among them

12. And a new generation of poets
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Chimamanda Adichie
Jenna Akuchie
Nnamdi Azuonye
Nnorom Azuonye
Benedicta Mbanuzue
Odinaka Nwamadi
Chimalum Nwankwo
Ebele Uche-Nwakile
Onyeji Chibo
I.O.Dike-Ugwu
Azuka Nzegwu
Oke Ikeogu
And others
Still publishing in
English both in &
out of Nigeria

13. Basic hindrances to publishing
in Igbo equally affect poetry
Identified in 1973 in Ife University
• Lack of printing skills and facilities
• Lack of willing investors
• Lack of public interest
• Existing publishing management
problems
• Competition from international
publishers

14. • Prof. Adamolekun, 1984:
“hundreds of manuscripts have
been accepted for publication
some years ago but because of
limited printing facilities the
books could not be produced in
Nigeria.”(Okoro 2002)
• Today, most of these problems
have been overcome. Even
poetry is being published locally.

15. The Igbo preference
1. Theatre
2. Novels
3. Short Stories
4. Poetry
Possibly determined by audience
choice, is fast changing, with a
swelling of new poetry collections
on the market.

16. The question of standard
• The Official orthography is still being
challenged in recent publications
• Achebe has been championing the
cause of dialects
• Ugonna : “we insist on standard Igbo
so as to give the language the needed
cohesion and stability for continued
growth and development.”
• Uzochukwu: “The standardization of
Igbo has come a long way & we don’t
want to stir up the hornet’s nest again.”

17. Some publishers of Igbo Poetry
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
University Publishing Co. , Onitsha
Oxford University Press, Ibadan
Spectrum Books, Ibadan
University Press Ltd, Ibadan
Fourth Dimension, Enugu
Totan Publishers, Owerri
Macmillan (Nig.), Lagos
Longman (Nig.), Ikeja
Evans (Nig.), Lagos
Malthouse Press, Lagos

18. Marketing & Distribution
•
•
•
•
•
Authors footing the bill
Book launching
School/University programmes
Market stalls & bookshops
Books kept in the town they get
published
• Poor printing quality but more
affordable
• Book market hit by “otanisi”
• The role of the African Book Collective

19. The Curriculum obsession
Kole Omotoso, 1973: everything published
in Nigeria suffers from the national
obsession with school programmes.
Alain Ricard, 1995: “the literary milieu is
strictly controlled by a few linguists
writing the texts they then put on school
program, to their own benefit and to the
potential detriment of literature (…), and of
readers whose igbo literary experience will
now be limited to a school experience.”

20. The targeted public: Writers’ wish
• Uzochukwu writes to keep “our
moonlight plays, our poetry (…) in print
for posterity.”
• His target audience is “students at the
tertiary level.”
• One of his works has been
recommended for the Senior Secondary
School Certificate.
• He also wants to encourage the public to
read for pleasure.
(The Sun News online (Nig.), 17th May 2005

21. • Ikwubuzo said he writes mainly for
his students of Igbo, to guide them
in their studies
• He also wishes to entertain
• “Secondly, I educate the society
through my writings.”
(The Sun News online, Nigeria, 27th
Sept.2005)

22. Books in circulation
A world yet unknown
• 1986, A.Ricard: “Nigeria is the first
producer of books in Africa, but one
would need to be very clever to give a
figure for its publications.”
• 1992, A.Gérard: “The outside world’s
faulty and fragmentary perception of
publications in African languages
does not mean they do not exist.”