Encountering legendary Lindsay Barrett

By Paul Liam

I recently joined other creatives to celebrate my good friend, Umar Yogiza Jr. at the ANA Book Party/Book Chat at the Mamman Jiya Vatsa Writers’ Village, Mpape, Abuja, which held under the distinguished chairmanship of the legendary Lindsay Barrett, a foremost writer, culture expert, photographer and journalist. It was my first time of meeting him in person even though I had known and read about him for years as a renowned literary figure known to most serious literary creatives in Nigeria and perhaps Africa.

The 84-year old showed uncommon humility as he sat through the heat at the ANA conference room because as usual there was no power and the technician wasn’t on ground to help connect the generator after the event was moved from the original venue where the generator had been connected and serving power. The sage endured the heat and engaged with young vibrant writers, readers and critics. He listened attentively, clapped and contributed to the conversation. Surprisingly, no senior or older writer attended the event. Perhaps, they had been exhausted having only hours earlier attended the ANATAINMENT event by ANA Abuja chapter at the conference hall of the secretariat.

Perhaps after a long time, the living literary Ancestor Barrett experienced the true test of contemporary Nigerian young writers’ truest intellect and energy. He commended the guest author, Yogiza’s poetic brilliance, noting that the author of A Taste of Stones writes about what he thinks and not just what he has experienced. He enthused that writers should write about what they think and not merely what they have experienced as that is the true mark of a writer. I interpreted this as writing from the imagination.

However, the highlight for me was his visible elation when I and Oko Owi Ocho Afrika took the floor to respond to Yogiza’s work and offered our perspectives on its brilliance. After the event, during the group photographs, Oko Afrika and I were called that the sage wanted to speak to us. He asked whether we have been properly published. We said no. He expressed his surprise and said that we deserved to be properly published and read. He was impressed with us and offered to keep in touch and requested for our phone numbers. He kept emphasising that we need to be properly published.

We were overwhelmed and grateful that a man of his standing was so interested in us to ask for our phone numbers. We were humbled by his show of humility and acknowledgement. He made us feel special and valid, reaffirming that what we do for the literary community is valid and important even though sometimes literary critics are undervalued in this part of the world. It was a big deal that a man who has traversed the world of art and literature globally found us worthy of his attention. We were also happy that we represented our generation so well to warrant this special attention.

This encounter with one of Africa’s literary legends made us to realise also that whatever you do, do it well. Those who know your value would acknowledge you when they encounter you. The lessons were well registered in our subconscious.

Meanwhile, I wasn’t sure of my attendance at the event initially having earlier attended and delivered a paper (virtually) at the ANA Niger celebration of Dr. Abdullahi Ismaila’s ANA Fellowship, conferred on him by ANA National led by Dr Usman-oladipo Akanbi. But for respect of my friendship with Yogiza, I had to brace the exhaustion to attend and I am glad I took that decision. My good friend and brother Fodio Ahmed had also encouraged me earlier to attend the event. It was great to see the ebullient secretary of ANA Abuja, Sanchitagi Ndakitabu Qasim again; it is always a pleasure to see him.

The day too was a beautiful day.