The Honourable Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, High Chief Edem Duke, has expressed delight with the efforts of a retired Director of Culture in the ministry, Ugo Agada-Uyah, whom he said was not tired but very energetic to write and publish a novel even after her retirement.
At an event to publicly present the book, titled, Omezue, the Complete Achiever, to Nigerians and indeed the world, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja on Thursday, 6 March, 2014, the Minister, who was represented by the Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, said Ugo Agada-Uyah’s effort was quite exemplary which was an indication that if one is going into retirement, he or she is not going into redundancy but can still contribute meaningfully to society.
Speaking in his personal capacity, Ayakoroma also congratulated Mrs. Agada-Uyah for her effort in contributing to knowledge, saying, “I am not surprised that after having been in contact with her and followed her career in the culture sector; and, of course, seeing that she is a Great Uites (which I am also), I am not surprised.”
Continuing, Ayakoroma reiterated that as an individual who happens to be in the arts and has had the privilege of writing, directing and acting several plays, he feels that if somebody is doing something he is also into, he should most heartily give his support.
He further challenged the Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, to fund the process of adapting the novel to the screen, if the process was not on already, saying there was no arguing the fact that the novel was a very good material that would make an fine epic film in Nollywood.
Earlier in his opening address, Chief Dokpesi, who was Chairman of the occasion, described the novel, which he emphasized was put together even in the author’s retirement, as fascinating and one that was likely to interest quite a lot of Africans in the Diaspora.
Dokpesi, who recalled his earlier discovery of some Igbo speaking Nigerians in Jamaica who were speaking impeccable Igbo, maintained that a lot of people in the Diaspora have their origins in Nigeria both from the South-West and the South-East but without an opportunity to mix with the people, saying the novel was a further presentation of how it started, what brought about the slave trade, the trans-Atlantic movement and, above all, the recognition of an achiever in an environment.
He was to later put smiles in the faces of guests, especially the ES, NICO, Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma, when he directed that the Africa Independent Television (AIT) team to quickly start the process of adapting the novel for the film medium, so that Nigerians at home and the Diaspora would have the pleasure of viewing the film adaptation of the novel.
Dignitaries present at the book presentation included the Distinguished Senator (Omezue) Emmanuel Azu Agboti;
Director, Nigeria LNG, Chief (Mrs.) Cordelia Agboti, who was the Mother of the Day; Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Alright Dokpesi, who was chairman of the occasion; Chairman Le Look Nigeria Ltd & MD/CEO, Ocean Serve & Logistics; Chief (Mrs.) Florence Chinwe Ezenwa, who was the Chief Hostess; former Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada; First Female Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Ebele Okeke; Director-General of National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Alhaji Yusuff Usman Abdallah; Executive Director, Engineering Services, DAAR Communications PLC, Engr. Tony Chukwuemeka Uyah, Director Research & Documentation, NICO, Prince Bamidele Olusa and his Orientation & Cultural Affairs counterpart, Mr. Alex Omijie, among others.
Caleb Nor
Corporate Affairs
NICO, Abuja