REMEMBERING THE WORDSMITH, KALU OKPI

REMEMBERING THE WORDSMITH KALU OKPI Kalu Okpi (1947 – 1993) of Nigeria wrote andpublished some of the most exciting "popular" fiction, or thrillers in Africa over the years. A remarkably imaginative writer of proseand drama, Okpi deserves much more attention even in recent times.

Okpi published some ten works of grippingfiction, starting with The Smugglersin the 70s. In many other works, like Onthe Road, Crossfire, Coup!, Love, he created interesting characters,including delectable women. In a novel like TheSouth African Affair, the usualstunning plot, twists and turns, and startling finale make for powerfulreading.  International scholars have recognised Okpi's contributions to interesting African fiction -at least some of them; as witness certain major anthologies and books onAfrican Literature in general.  Such scholars include Wendy Griswold, Oyekan Owomoyela, K.S Ogbonna, V. Coulon, T A Ezeigbo, and H Ehling. But Okpi's work and impact deserve even more attention.  In many ways, he was a versatile writer, and stylist - he was in fact a scriptwriter for the national televisionof Nigeria (NTA). He also published a play titled ECHOES: a play in 5 Scenes. It is often suggested that"popular writers" are essentially undermined, with a dearth of realstudies or full-length works produced on their ouvre. This is certainly not thecase overseas, with hundreds of studies and books regularly written and published on the likes of Agatha Christie, Enid Blyton, Philip Roth, John Updike, R L Stevenson, and countless others. Why should the situation bedifferent in Africa, or specifically in Nigeria which has such a vibrantliterary history and community? We must celebrate, enjoy the literarycontributions of the likes of Okpi, Victor Thorpe, and the great Ekwensi. Manymonographs should be published on them, which would include appraisals of theirpublished work, positive and negative. Here, for example, is some criticism ofOkpi s novel, Love changes Everything.(byErl, on goodreads) : “… The plot has holes on every page solarge you could drive a Mack truck through them. Additionally, it promoteswrong-headed ideas such as love at first sight and revenge. A woman who is traumatizedby witnessing her parents' murder will not be able to "lay the ghosts torest" by committing additional murders. Lastly, the protagonist, a major rock star, decides to sell all his assets for half a million US dollars. Half -- really? He then proceeds to spend so much money on the next few pagesthat he is certainly broke by the end of the chapter, but there is no mentionof that. .. ‘ Kalu Okpi, rather like the Eurocentricwriters Mark Twain, Agatha Christie, or even James Hadley Chase gave a lot ofpleasure to (African) readers via his well written novels or thrillers. His legacy must be kept alive, with at least 2, 3 - or much more - full-length studies, biographies et al focused onhis life, times, and of course, his prolific creative work.-        OBolaji Works by Kalu Okpi The Smugglers, Cross-fire, BiafraTestament,  Love, On The Road, The Oil Conspiracy, Love Changes Everything,  The Warriors, ThePolitician, The Jasmine Candle,  The South African Affair, Coup !  ECHOES: A Play in 5 Scenes