National
Jp Clark and Gabriel Okara as Tellers of Long Stories without Long throats, by Enewaridideke Ekanpou
By: Enewaridideke Ekanpou
They lived in this world; they are still living in this world.
Once on earth they told their stories unfazed by the dramatics of the readers and listeners.
Their stories have fed the world with morals.
They were fed by their stories too because they did not beg to live on earth.
With every tide in the Niger Delta, their stories travel to lands far away, cradling the differently clothed story-lovers.
The stories of Clark and Okara have become the nodes from which new
storytellers sprout today.
Clark and Okara are the storyteller geniuses;
Their stories shall preserve their names forever in every century
For Clark and Okara their stories have become the Bible of life.
Without long throats they once told their stories, not netted for once over thirst for man-made honey.
Because they tell their stories without thirst for man-made honey,
Because they tell long stories to guide the world, their life-ropes were lengthened like shadows beyond the vindictive snap of enemies…
Sure as the tide in River Forcados, may the life-rope of tellers of long stories be so lengthened on earth like Jp Clark and Gabriel Okara.
In the tides of our time the marks of Clark and Okara have become the buds and the lodestar for every generation.
- Ekanpou writes from Akparemogbene, Delta State
