"Gabriel Okara na star for African Literature"
"Gabriel Okara na my mentor. Na im encourage me to go into poetry" Dat na how di oga for Literary Appreciation Organization Angus Chukwuka take describe literary icon and poet Dr. Gabriel Imomotimi Gbaingbain Okara.
Dis dey happun for event wey ogbonge Nigeria writers organise for Port Harcourt southern Nigeria to honour di works and life of di late poet. Dr. Okara na ogbonge Nigeria poet, novelist and cultural nationalist wey groom plenti writers and win Commonwealth Poetry award. For some poets like Anthony Abagha and Anthony Chukwuka, di Late Gabriel Okara na im coach and help dem fine tune dia poetry wey dem later publish for book. Emeritus Prof. Ebiegberi Joe Alagoa say Okara help dem wen dem first start di University of Port Harcourt and for di first convocation of di University, di school give am and two odas di first honorary doctorate degree wey make am di first Writer in Residence for di University. Prof. Chidi Maduka of Uniport for di paper im present say "Gabriel Okara na meteor for African literature because im develop new genre for literature and also change di type of literature wey European pipo bring come and show di tori and poetry wey dey African culture and literature. As meteor, im grow, shine, come suddenly disappear but pipo no go forget am like dat." E say Okara na poet, novelist, prose poet, dramatist, short story writer, painter, dancer musician and cultural nationalist wey push Ijo and African oral poetry for di world to see. Dis im say na im make im work 'The Fisherman's invocation' be co-winner of Commonwealth Poetry award 1979 and 'The Dreamer, His Vision' na joint winner for di LNG Nigeria Prize for Poetry 2005. Im daughter, Timi Okara Schilla wey also receive di posthumous award wey di Literary Appreciation Organisation give am say her papa give dem lifetime legacy wey make dem appreciate di value of humility, hard work and to give out without looking back. She say make big organizations dey recognise pipo wey dey write and assist dem so dem and preserve some of di work of her papa because many of im works dem neva publish am and some wey dem publish sef don loss. Many young poets also perform some of dia poems and some tok how Okara books help dem appreciate literature as some of dem start to read im book wey im write for pikins dem 'Little Snake and Little Frog' and 'An Adventure to Juju Island'. Former commissioner for Information and broadcasting for Rivers State, na 21 April, 1921 Late Dr. Gabriel Imomotimi Gbaingbain Okara enta dis world and im from Bomoundi for Yenagoa Local goment for Bayelsa State. Im die exactly four weeks to im 98 birthday for 24 March, 2019.