BY GREGORY AUSTIN NWAKUNOR
SOME women
stand out. Some others are outstanding. Koko Kalango is one of the few women
who combine both traits.
The founder of Rainbow Book Club, Kalango,
does not only stand out in her pursuit of academic excellence, but is
outstanding in her vision of getting Nigerians to read.
 |
| Koko Kalango |
In 2005, the Rainbow Book
Club took on the challenge of reviving the dying reading culture in Nigeria.
Through various instruments, the club has worked to make this dream a reality:
by facilitating and running book clubs, hosting authors, organising various
literary activities, publicising good books through our book-of-the-month,
running workshops for teachers, holding a yearly writing competition and
getting leaders to read to children.
From Get Nigeria Reading
again!’ campaign to Book-of-the Month,
Leaders Read’ project and The Garden City Literary Festival, her
mission has been to encourage reading as a lifestyle, particularly among
children in Nigeria.
Her new goal is
simple in its definition: Port Harcourt must be World Book Capital (WBC) in
2014.
Considering the
caliber of cities bidding for the hosting right
such as Oxford, England; Vilnius in
Lithuania and Pula in Croatia, it seems a very big challenge.
But the lady is
convinced that no other city deserves the bragging right more.
You ask, ‘Why Port Harcourt?’
“Why not Port Harcourt?” she protests,
raising a quizzical eyebrow. “The city has a long history in literary
traditions and has served as a haven for writers for decades. In the 70s, it
had a vibrant cultural centre in the Old Port Harcourt Town that provided
entertainment and education through plays directed by the likes of Comish Ekiye
with an illustrious cast that included actors such as Doye Agama, Barbara Soki
and Aso Douglas. More importantly, some of the early renowned educational
institutes in Nigeria such as the Okrika Grammar School and the Archdeacon
Crowther Memorial Girls Secondary School were very active in promoting
literature in the city.”
Wearing a luminous smile, Kalango says proudly, “today, the city hosts one
of the biggest book events in the continent —The Garden City Literary Festival — alongside other literary events
during the year.”
Looking glowingly pretty, she says, wistfully, “the city will serve as an ideal host for the 2014 World Book
Capital. It is home to diverse groups of authors, including the novelist Elechi
Amadi and poet Gabriel Okara, as well as renowned historians such as Robin
Horton and E. J. Alagoa. Also of note is that Port Harcourt represents the rich
duality of Nigerian and African literary cultures; the legacy of colonialism
and its impact on language, culture and society and the heritage of triumph in
the struggle for equity, peace and justice.”
Glancing around her office in Falomo, South West, Ikoyi, Lagos, Kalango
recounts, “Nigeria has given the world great writers such as Wole Soyinka, the
first person of African descent to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, Chinua
Achebe, author of the most widely read book by an African, Things Fall
Apart, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ben Okri, Amadi and many
others; Port Harcourt, as the World Book Capital, will not only highlight the
past achievements of this region, but will also enrich the current learning
climate towards an even greater era of literature.”
FOR the founder
of Rainbow Book Club, Nigeria’s literary tradition, which has enriched global book
culture, can serve as a driving force for a new literary ‘renaissance’ in the
continent.
Signalling to her staff to get water, she brings out some documents to
show her guest. The lady, who has equal part admiration and astonishment for
her passion, begins to reel out statistics: “Nigeria has a
population of about 155 million people. With approximately 800 million people
living in sub-Saharan Africa, this means one out of five Africans is a
Nigerian. In addition, 70 per cent of Nigeria's population is under the age of
35.”
She says with a brightened expression, “by serving as the host for WBC
2014, with a focus on youth, Port Harcourt will demonstrate what is possible in
the African context. This positive step towards meeting a pressing development
need among the world’s illiterate population will have a ripple effect in other
areas as the HIV/AIDS awareness and the United Nations Millennium Development
Goals. More specifically, it will galvanise stakeholders to address the wide
array of challenges that confront the African book and reading culture, which
include low school enrolment, high levels of literacy and limited availability
of books. We believe that once the young people of Nigeria are empowered
through reading, they can act as an army of change agents not only in Nigeria,
but also across the continent.”
She takes a deep breath, and sips from the glass of water in her front.
Giving an engaging smile, Kalango says enthusiastically, “with a focus on
children and youth, a wide variety of programmes have been planned that will
run through the World Book Capital City 2014 and 2015 year.”
The planned activities and all their components, she says with aplomb, are
in conformity with principles of freedom of expression, freedom to publish and
to distribute information, as stated in the UNESCO Constitution.
Being
mindful of the fact that writers all over the world are mostly in danger due to
the peculiar nature of their profession, the proposal for Port Harcourt as the
World Book Capital of 2014 lays emphasis on the protection of the rights of
writers and book publishing companies in line with their fundamental right to
publish and distribute cultural and educational materials. The programme on
copyright, piracy and sanctity of the written word in Nigeria will draw
attention to the dignity of the end product of literary activities to the
extent that they are protected and their values restored appropriately within
the confines of the time and energy devoted to their production.
The mixture of good education and training sits easily on her shoulder.
For someone with a brilliant idea of how to empower the youth through books,
2014 to 2015 will truly celebrate a ‘renascent’ Africa.
Weaving a smile, which glistens, the warm hearted Kalango says, “this
proposal, in its concepts and themes, is geared towards the cultural education
of society employing the concept of culture, creativity and memory with
relations to achieving order both in thought and in action by a wide range of
organisations and individuals towards, which this project is targeted. The
authors, icons, government institutions, students and ordinary lovers of
literature and arts will share and benefit from the activities and programmes
arising out of the themes, the concept and motifs of the proposal.”
She says encouragingly, while sipping from the glass of water in her
front, the year will kick off with weeklong activities that will have the country’s
President in attendance to create awareness.
There
will be a theme song competition. Popular Nigerian artists will perform this
song at the opening ceremony. Also planned are opening of the multi-purpose
Garden City Library Complex, a national symposium with the topic, Books: Windows to the World, performance
of a drama, Along Came the Book, that
will trace the history of books and the reading culture in Nigeria.
Celebrities Love to Read, where authors,
poets, celebrities from film, music, sports, as well as the business
communities will read to children at strategic locations across the city, including
schools and libraries is also on board.
Culture, Tradition and African Literary
Renaissance: A Roundtable Discussion with Young African Authors, where a
prominent Nigerian author will be invited to give the keynote a on this subject
to be followed by discussion on the role of culture in literary traditions and
its impact on the successive generations of writers by young African authors.
At the end of the discussion, a communiqué for action will be issued.
“The proposed events have been arranged to draw in participation from
various sectors of society including the popular music, film and sports sector,
as well as civil society and grassroots organisations, schools, the public and
the private sector,” Kalango says proudly, raising her eyebrows, meaningfully.
WITH an intelligent face, dark hair and
engaging smile, Kalango says soothingly, “consultations across various
stakeholders including writers and publishers associations, government agencies
and literary enthusiasts have garnered significant support for the hosting of
the World Book Capital in Port Harcourt. In addition, the governor of Rivers State,
himself a literary enthusiast, has constituted a dynamic team, which includes
private sector and civil society organisations, galvanised by Rainbow Book
Club, who will drive the activities for 2014. This team will generate financial
support that will enable it effectively cover all the costs associated with the
programmes for 2014.”
The passion-driven lady lets out a giggle, “2014 will be exciting for
book in the country if Port Harcourt is chosen.”
The
soft-spoken lady says, “in the week leading up to World Book and Copyright Day
2015, Port Harcourt will again hold events to round off the World Book Capital
year activities and initiatives. This celebration will feature: Port Harcourt
World Book Capital Awards (in recognition of the role they have played to
ensure the success of the yearlong programme and in promoting the books as our
window to a world of opportunities, awards would be given to deserving
individuals, schools, libraries, media, civil society organizations and other
strategic partners).
An
exhibition entitled, Possibilities, which
will showcase writings, poems and artwork by children and the youth that have
been inspired by the theme of the World Book Capital and others.
Heading into the year will be monthly readings. Each month, the author
of the book-of-the-month will be invited to the city to interact with readers
and do book signings. Participants will be able to interact with the authors
and engage them in discussions on their books.
The 2014 Garden City Literary
Festival will have an even bigger audience.
This
weeklong festival features an array of local, national and international
writers and their works. It will explore the major themes of the World Book
Capital programme with a diversity of participants from across the continent,
events for children, writers’ workshops, drama performances and symposia.
|
| Koko Kalango |
“As
participants climb the tree, and successfully complete stipulated books
appropriate to their age group at the required time, they would receive
rewards/recognition,” Kalango offers.
Also planned is the Library Support Programme. The Rivers State government
has recently renovated over 100 public primary and secondary schools and each
of these schools is equipped with a modern library. A book donation programme
will be set up and individuals, faith-based organisations and private
organisations would be encouraged to donate books or funds, which will be given
to these libraries.
She says, “part of this drive will be to solicit for volunteers to teach
in an adult literacy programme, which can be hosted in the public libraries.”
There is a pregnant pause. Kalango breathes heavily and smiles, as she
scrapes in words to fill the void. “Part of the World Book Capital activities
will be the establishment of the Ken Saro-Wiwa Writer/Martyrs Memorial Square
to be located in a central point in Port Harcourt. The Square will commemorate
the life and work of this illustrious writer and environmental activist who was
‘judicially murdered’ in 1995 by the military government of the time. Apart
from this, it will serve as a worthy commemoration and celebration for other
fallen Nigerian writers. The day would also be marked by symposia and
discussions,” she says.
Kalango also reveals that WBC 2014 will be an opportunity to introduce a
writers’ residency programme. Applications will be invited from established and
aspiring writers to a one-year residency programme in Port Harcourt at the end
of which they will be expected to write stories with themes on ‘possibilities’
for the Niger Delta. These stories would be published in an anthology.
“As Nigeria turns 100, Port Harcourt will launch
a nation-wide essay contest. The winner of the contest will have the unique
opportunity of presenting his or her paper during the World Book Capital
closing ceremonies in March 2015,” she grins ruefully.
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