The Chief of Staff to Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON, Barr Sylvester Okonkwo has extoled the virtues of literary icon, Professor Christopher Okigbo, saying he was not just a poet but a cultural icon whose voice echoed the struggles, aspirations and yearnings of a people.
Barr Okonkwo was a guest at the Uyo Book Club, August reading session in honour of Professor Christopher Okigbo held yesterday in Akwa Ibom State.
In his address, Okonkwo conveyed greetings from the Senate President and his solidarity with the aspirations and contributions of the Igbo nation, history and intellect.
According to him, “My Principal has asked me to convey his deepest admiration for the man we celebrate today, a poet whose words continue to resonate across generations.
“It is indeed an honor to stand before you today, in this hallowed gathering of intellectuals, poets and literary enthusiasts as we come together to celebrate the life, legacy and works of a colossus in the literary world and my beloved Brother Christopher Ifekandu Okigbo.
“Christopher Okigbo, a name synonymous with profound introspection and lyrical mastery, was not just a poet but a cultural icon whose voice echoed the struggles, aspirations and spiritual yearnings of a people. His work remains a beacon of intellectual rigor and artistic excellence, reminding us of the power of words to shape nations and define destinies.”
Okonkwo maintained that in Okigbo is seen the embodiment of the Igbo spirit: unyielding, introspective and profoundly connected to the land and its people.
“His poetry was his weapon and he wielded it with unparalleled skill, challenging the status quo, questioning the very foundations of society and advocating for justice and equity. It is no wonder that his works remain an integral part of African scholarship, studied and revered in academic circles across the globe. The passage is seamless; ‘beyond our dearest sorrow, the silence is unbroken…’ These lines, drawn from his Elegy for Alto, capture the profound sense of loss and the enduring pain that marked the turbulent era in which Okigbo lived. Yet, even in his elegies, there is a powerful affirmation of life, a recognition that from sorrow and silence, we must find the strength to forge ahead, to build anew,” Okonkwo stated.
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