…as Ekiti State varsity don dissects effects of Covid 19 on literature
From Kehinde Adewole
The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Ekiti State chapter has elected Dr. Sola Balogun, a Lecturer with the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), as its new state chairman.
Dr. Balogun, a former Arts Editor with the Daily Sun newspapers, and ex-National President, Arts and Culture Writers Association of Nigeria (ACWAN), emerged the new state chairman of ANA Ekiti after a keenly contested election between him and Dr. Gbenga Daramola of the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti. Balogun had served as Secretary of ANA for three years in the state before succeeding the association’s immediate past chairman and current General Secretary, Akogun Tai Oguntayo.
The election also saw the emergence of Dr. Gbenga Daramola as Vice Chairnan while Mr Gani Salau emerged State Secretary. Others who were newly elected are Mr Demola Atobaba as Financial Secretary, Miss Eniola Akinola as Assistant Financial Secretary. Other officers include Mr Adeolu Ajobiewe (Treasurer) Dr Olaide Nasir (PRO), Miss Toyin Bade-Afuye (Welfare Officer), Mrs Elizabeth Balogun, (Assistant Welfare Officer), Mr Femi Adeosun (Assistant PRO) Miss Tolu Afolabi (Assistant Treasurer) and Mr. Sunkanmi Adesitan (Auditor).
The new executives of Ekiti ANA now being led by Dr. Balogun were inuaguarated during the 2020 emergency congress meeting and ANA monthly reading held on August 25 at the state council secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital.
Shortly before the election that produced Balogun, a lecture entitled Literature and Covid-19: The Way Forward in Nigeria was delivered by Dr. Lara Owoeye of the English and Literary Studies department of the Ekiti State University (EKSU).
Owoeye explored the various diemnsions to the emergence of the Covid 19 Pandemic, particularly the reality and politics of the pandemic. . She said: “Our major concern in literature is society. So, Covid 19 as a feature of our society is of course an issue to be discussed in literature.
The reality of Covid 19 is already here and there is also another dimension, which is the politics of Covid 19.
The reality is that it is real. While the politics of it is about its widespread as is being portrayed. We have heard so many stories about the politics of the pandemic, such as people getting paid to declare themselves positive, that China created it and others.’
‘It has also led to what one would describe as the new normal. It has really come to be part of us.
HIV was once a pandemic like Covid 19 before it now became part of us. Now it is Covid 19 that has come and it will also be part of us
‘There is this narrative about Covid 19 being an offshoot of the launching of 5G but it has been quickly denied, but we later noticed that our own spread of Covid 19 in Africa is far far different from the one in the European nations.
‘The pandemic appears like one that has come to effect poor education system in Nigeria, while other developed nations are using online opportunities to continue teaching and learning, everything has become comatose today in Nigeria…
There have been works of literature on the impact of Covid 19 on the family life, Covid 19 and culture, Covid 19 and rural/urban life. For the rural community it is as if Covid 19 is a mirage to them because it is not common to them.’
She explained further ”Family life and Covid 19 which is about the fact that most of us were forced to live with our families during the Covid 19 lockdown . This is a very rich area for research. Covid 19 and business is another area of research for writing . It is a very rich field now for research and writing generally. Covid 19 and culture is also a very rich area of research and writing,”
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Balogun commended his predecessor, Akogun Tai Oguntayo for laying a good foundation for the association in Ekiti. He pledged an all inclusive administration and open door policy, urging all members in the state to support his team.
