Han Kang: Nigerian writers celebrate South Korea’s 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature winner in Abuja

By Paul Liam

ALTHOUGH she was not present nor did she join virtually, Nigerian writers and other culture workers nevetherless took to the South Korean Embassy in Abuja to celebrate the winner of this year’s Nobel Prize for Literature 2024 Han Kang, the first to do so for the East Asian country. The Swedish Academy that awards the Nobel Prize says of Kang’s work, “for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life”. The Vegetarian, The Human Act and We Do Not Part are Kang’s best known literary works.

And so on December 20, 2024, writers, readers and other culture workers converged at the Korean Cultural Centre, Abuja to celebrate South Korean novelist, Han Kang’s The Vegetarian, winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature. Curated by the Abuja-based theatre expert, art administrator and founder of Arojah Theatre and Abuja International Theatre Festival Omo’oba Jerry Adesewo, the literary evening featured a panel discussion with notable Nigerian writers and critics that included the celebrated writer, poet, and novelist, Barrister Ahmed Maiwada, poet and literary agent Salamatu Sule, the founder of Benue Poetry Troupe and talented poet, Oko Owi Ocho Afrika, award-winning poet and writer, Adetola Jerry Adesewo and critic and poet Paul Liam. Also in attendance were the Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Kim Pan-Kyu, the Director of Korean Cultural Centre, Kim Chang-Ki, a retired director with the National Council for Arts and Culture and Chair of Yusuf Buratai Young Adult Literature Prize, Dr. Lizz Iheanacho and renowned visual artist and writer Imal Silva.

The event manager, Lee Yun-Jin started the evening when her provided a brief context to both the event and Kang’s literary trajectory, setting the stage for the series of activities that were soon to follow, and commended the participants for coming out to celebrate Korea’s first female Nobel laureate. Event anchor Adesewo informed guests that the event was part of the global celebration of Kang’s brilliance as a novelist and for winning the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature. Before the panel discussion, Adetola Jerry Adesewo read excerpts from The Vegetarian, her eloquent reading set the mood for the robust discussion that was to follow but not after Maiwada’s introduction to the novel. He established the crux of the story and declared what became the spine of the conversations, positing that In-hye rather than Young-Hye is the novel’s protagonist because of her sheer ability to overcome the challenges thrown at her by life. He also stated that the story represents the patriarchal cultural society of South Korea, drawing a parallelism between the representations in the country’s text and Nigeria’s social realities. He said that the reflections in the novel are similar to what is obtainable in Nigeria, especially the suppression of women. Maiwada opined that the book is a technical masterpiece.

Panel session on Han Kang’s The Vegetarian: Salamatu Sule (left); Oko Owi Ocho Africa; Paul Liam; Adesola Jerry Adesewo and Ahmed Maiwada in Abuja

After Maiwada, another fine critic Salamatu Sule offered an enlightening review of The Vegetarian, shedding light on some of the crucial themes addressed in the book. Sule’s presentation was followed by a panel discussion that further explored the depth of social and cultural representations. The moderator, Oko Owi Ocho Afrika deftly managed the conversation as he moved from one discussant to another with the ease of a professional literary moderator. The panelists dissected the novel, highlighting its brilliant representation of the human conditions in the context of the marginalization and suppression of women. They also reflected on the driving force of the narration centred around the implications of mental health, suicide, childhood trauma, patriarchy, and emotional depravity. The panelists’ observed that Kang’s choice of a male narrator in a crude feminist narration serves to buttress the subjugation of women as incapable of telling their stories. The portrayal underscores the indifference of men to women’s happiness and safety. The conversation also touched on the anti-male motive in the text. According to Maiwada, the text suggests that women are saints while men are bad.

Other guests were not left out of the conversation as they made strong positions, agreeing or disagreeing with the submissions of the panel members.

By the time the session came to an end, it was unanimously agreed that Kang’s representation of the sociocultural norms that undermine women’s agency in South Korea is akin to the Nigerian society which is still under strong patriarchal influences. Dr. Ben-Iheanacho who gave the closing remarks made very insightful interventions during the conversation, thanking everyone for attending and commended everyone for their insightful contributions and for celebrating Kan’s ingenious novel. The event ended with another memorable reading from Kang’s The Human Act, by Ene. No doubt, it was a lively evening filled with unforgettable memories.

* Liam, a poet and literary critic, is founding co-editor of Ebedi Review