Sometimes I wonder about the maxim that the pen is mightier than the sword. The reality of the physical difference between the two “weapons” makes it difficult to understand how they can even be compared, talk less of the pen being mightier (in effect stronger) than the sword.
Now I know better.
The story of the Jews is one almost everyone is familiar with. Mostly from Biblical accounts. Ancient Jewish scholars were nearly excellent in documenting their experiences through written accounts. The Bible, possibly the greatest and most read book of all times, bears eloquent testimony to the Jewish tradition and excellence in record keeping through written work. I strongly suspect that the Jews were selected by God as the progenitor tribe of the messiah, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, because of their writing skills. The omniscient God knew the Jews, more than other people, will keep records that will stand the test of literary scrutiny more than 2000 years after.
From Genesis to Revelation contains authentic stories of the Jewish sojourn on mother earth. To date, the account is yet undisputed by scientific, archaeological or historical inquest. One consistent thing about the Bible is the self evident truth contained therein. Hence it is said that every biblical scripture is written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Modern day Jews followed in the fine traditions of their forebears in penning down classics containing the experience of the Jewish people. Philip Roth of The Plot Against America fame, Modecai Richler, Sidney Sheldon and countless best sellers all have Jewish blood running in their veins. But my favorite Jewish writer is Leon Uris. His writings defined my sympathy and love for the Jews and the nation of Israel. I remember the first time I read Exodus with my lantern. I was shedding tears while still reading. I couldn’t put down the book even when it was dark and what I was reading was tearing my soul apart. By the time I finished reading that book, I felt like fighting every enemy of Israel and the Jews.
Of course I read other books by Leon Uris including Mila 18, Trinity, QB VII and Armageddon. Suffice it to say they didn’t disappoint at all. Am still looking for his other books like Battle Cry, The Angry Hills, Exodus, Exodus Revisited,
Ireland, A Terrible Beauty, Jerusalem: A Song of Songs, The Haj, Mitla Pass,
Redemption, A God in Ruins and O’Hara’s Choice. If you have read any of those please lend me your copy.
With these books, particularly Exodus and Armageddon, Leon Uris told the Jewish story the way nobody else can. The Jewish story is simply a story of affliction, survival and the triumph of the human spirit. The Jewish story reminds me of the old Volkswagen advert we watched as kids-“you can’t kill the beetle”. They have seen it all and survived it all. From their travails in Biblical Egypt where they made bricks without straws through Babylon where they cried and prayed until their blood flowed into the rivers of Babylon to Nazi Germany where over 6 million of them, including 1 million children, were killed by Hitler and his goons in the Holocaust. In all these they came out stronger and better. May be apostle Paul was thinking of his people when he penned “we are hard pressed on all sides but not crushed….in all these things we are more than conquerors”.
Jewish writers ensured that the world never forgot any of their ghastly experiences in the hands of their oppressors. Their writings became a sword in the conscience of the world. Leon Uris was a master servant of that cause. His great books tell the story of his native people even though he was a Jewish American. The books are also well researched and stand historical scrutiny even with the label of fiction.
As an Igbo boy, I’ve always heard about the relationship between the Igbo of Nigeria and the Jews of Israel. My parents told me. My class teachers alluded to it. My sunday school teachers emphasized it. As an adult, I’ve listened to great Igbo born preachers like Uma Ukpai, Humphrey Erumaka and many more make references to the cultural and linguistic similarities between Ndigbo and the Jews. More recently, as a member of the number one Igbo group in social networks, Igboville, I have also read scholarly works linking the Igbo with the Jews. Do I believe I have Jewish ancestry? I don’t know.
But I know an Igbo man whose writings are similar to that of Leon Uris and have produced the same effect of piercing the heart and conscience of the tormentors of Ndigbo in Nigeria. Not many will argue that Ndigbo have had a raw deal in the hands of their brothers in Nigeria and even that of foreign powers. (The only time the old Western and the Eastern power blocs unified against a people seeking self determination was during the Biafra conflict). As far back as 1945 Ndigbo were massacred in Northern Nigeria in an unprovoked religious cleansing that only got reported as a religious riot. Since then, Ndigbo have been at the receiving end of evil conspiracies, genocide and murderous gang up. I need not give references because if you are old enough to read this note then you must have heard or read about one genocidal killing of Igbo or another. May be you even participated in one.
The most gruesome of the Igbo experience remains the mass murder of 1966 to 1970 that led to the death of more than 3m Igbo, including 2m children starved to death. The painful thing about this remains the conspiracy of silence by those involved as either victims or perpetrators. It is on record that those involved in killing Igbo receive the most honour in Federal Nigeria. If you line up 700 Igbo at Asaba and execute them Hitler style, an airport will be named after you and your face will be in our currency. If you author and execute a starvation policy that killed 2m Igbo children, a university will be named after you and you get to have your face in another denomination of our currency. If you murder your Igbo commander in chief and his host you will get a national honour and a lucrative oil block. Others known to be persecutors of Ndigbo are given choice political appointments and their Igbo collaborators are rewarded too. For helping to decimate the population of their own people, Judas style.
Who dares to write about the travails of the Igbo man in the country called Nigeria? If you ever dare and you are lucky to remain alive you will be branded a tribalist and effectively a political pariah. When Nigerian people gather to loot and share oil revenue you will be excluded for rocking the boat of one Nigeria. After all, like they say, the task of keeping Nigeria one must be accomplished, even if it means burying the truth and setting the wrong standard for generations yet unborn.
Then came a Leon Uris clone of Igbo origin. He will rather die than be found among liars and conspirators. He doesn’t care about national honours and promptly rejected them twice. Wealth mean little to him including the one million dollars of 50cent. He was determined to document for posterity the travails of his people, including the starvation to death of 2m children. He knew feathers will be ruffled and boo boys unleashed on him by servants of erstwhile demi gods undressed in the market place of eternal truth. For him, things have fallen apart and only the truth can hold the center.
Surely, there was a country where 2m children were starved to death so that one man can achieve his dream of becoming president of Nigeria. Nobody can deny that.
Just like Leon Uris, Chinua Achebe has pierced the conscience of the high and mighty with his pen. Generations yet unborn will read his new book and hopefully, decide that never again will this happen in our dear country. Like Leon Uris, Achebe is beyond death. His voice will boom forever to remind us of the weaknesses of the animal called man. It will challenge us to stand up and save Aluu 4 from those who have beaten them to stupor and hung tires round their necks. It will remind policy makers that whatever you do today might come to haunt you tomorrow and bring shame to your family and followers. We will learn to disown “the end justifies the means” message of Niccolo Machiavelli and seek just and fair way of winning.
Indeed, there was a country and a people whose spirit cannot be destroyed. A people asking for love, understanding and fellowship with fellow countrymen. There was a country and a people whose destiny is indestructible. Neither starvation nor genocide can stop the story of this country from being read abroad. Achebe has assured that.
There was a country.
There is a writer.
Like Leon Uris, Achebe has discharged the burden history placed on him. Are you still carrying your own burden?
