Thirty Pieces Of Sylva...

Another Reading
By Jim Pressman, Freelance, Abuja
Wed Jan 25,2012

NENGI JOSEF ILAGHA, fondly called Pope Pen the First, has worked as a journalist, broadcaster and marketing/public relations foot soldier. Born on December 18, 1963, in Nembe, Bayelsa State, he read English & Literary Studies at the University of Port Harcourt. A one-time Editor of The Tide On Sunday in Port Harcourt, he was Speech Writer and Special Adviser on Research & Documentation to the Governor of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Mantids, his first collection of poems, (once reviewed by this reporter for the defunct Post Express newspaper) won the Association of Nigerian Authors/ANA, Poetry Prize in 1995. His poems have appeared in newspapers, journals and anthologies within and outside the country, including The Guardian, The Post Express, Voices from the Fringe, For Ken for Nigeria, Junge Nigerianische Lyrick (German language), 25 New Nigerian Poets and Camouflage: Best of Contemporary Nigerian Writing. He is currently running a monthly diary of poems on Facebook. Pope Pen is the Founding Chair of ANA, Bayelsa chapter. His other books on the Treasure label include Apples & Serpents, his second offering of poems, I Want To Be A Senator, a collection of essays, and Royal Mail, a twelve-part epistle to Queen Elizabeth OF England, on Nigerias golden jubilee anniversary. January Gestures, the first of twelve books of poetry under construction, was among the nine contenders for the controversial 2009 NLNG-Nigeria Prize for Literature.

Now, Pope Pen the First wants to be Governor of Bayelsa state, as he states in 30 Pieces of Sylva (Note the spelling of silver, deliberate referential pun from the poet). The 224-page book makes hilarious reading but even though you laugh your through, you cannot quite get the niggling buzz the crafty author has put in your ears thereafter! This is even truer for those who come from, live in or have lived in or understand the political terrain and socio-economic equations in Bayelsa state. A strong point going for the author therefore is this deep knowledge and understanding of this terrain and the persons and psychologies of the principal dramatis personae of the drama that has been the political history of the state carved out of the old Rivers state by the administration of late General Sani Abacha [in 19...] Most notable among these the self-styled Governor-General of the Niger Delta himself, former Bayelsa Governor Diepreye Sunday Peter (DSP) Alamieyeseigha, Alams for short; former Deputy to Alamieyeseigha, successor in Creek Haven called up to the Vice Presidency under late President YarAdua, Acting and now substantive President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and of course the lead character of the book, outgoing (?) Governor Timipre Silva, who the author had intended to succeed in office do not ask me if he is still interested, now that his other brother Hon. Seriake Dickson has come into the fray.

Three succinct reactions among a barrage of others home and abroad, will serve here to illustrate the kind of author and the manner of writing we are dealing with in Nengi Ilagha:

A brand new voice of authority has emerged from the creeks of the Niger Delta, compelling like no other in the long-suffering history of a neglected people. Persuasive, enchanting, audacious, this author commands a great deal of gravitas...

Coastline News Network

Yesterday, he was their patient. Today, he is their physician. Pope Pen The First has metamorphosed into the glorious status of a literary physician, not only to the British Empire, but also to the entire English-speaking world. Waribugo Sylva Nengi Josef Ilagha is a world class phenomenon, a literary iconoclast, a rare gift to our people. I dont know who is not listening to me. John Idumange

For this son of Nembe Kingdom who served in a humble capacity for seven years as Speech Writer to [later as Special Adviser on Research and Documentation] two Governors, one of whom is holding a prime place today as President and Commander in Chief , Federal Republic of Nigeria, declaration of an intent to run for the position of Governor in Bayelsa state [Fresh Word, p. xxiii]at first sounded like a betrayal of sorts to some of us from the outside, who worked closely with him as Speech Writer through those days of Alams.

But before you are half through work, you begin to agree even if in part, that maybe, as he stated earlier (p. xxiv) Indeed the least I can do is harness the experience I garnered in the course of that... service, in order that Bayelsa might reap a wholesome harvest from democracy. That is because again as he states: I have seen enough of the ills of government at close quarters to enable me avoid the pitfalls that have not been so apparent to those under whom I served... That is indeed a current theme of discussion in governance: do our leaders ever learn? If they do, do they ever apply that knowledge when the opportunity arises? If you are still wondering why Governor Sylva, after kicking out the author from the headship of the state newspaper, which he starved of funds anyway, he still went ahead to cause to be razed all the copies of the book Epistle To Maduabebe then read 30 Pieces... [And note that the poet has become more shot full with Jesus Christ and his teachings, remember since his marriage to his heartthrob and co-pen-pusher Bina, a fact which is more and more evident in his new writing]. One thing Ilagha seems to have done in daily life and in his writing is to begin to forge a meeting point between the Ivory Tower of the Man of Ideas and the Political Marketplace of governance by thinkers-and-doers. It is therefore now easier for him to not only borrow from Harold R. McAlindon [who he quotes a-top Chapter VIII, p.59]: Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. 30 Pieces and its express project represent the ground-breakers in the new direction of this unique philosopher poets inimitable trail. Pope Pen The First does not appear to be comfortable with ones use of the word hilarious to describe this volume acute wit laced with slicing, biting facts about a Nigerian politicians bungling errors, woof! Yet, you could not agree more with Tade Ipadeola when she states that, We have not had writing like this in our generation, simultaneously serious and hilarious [ouch, that word, again!]
*[booktreasure2005@yahoo.com]