A former Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada and Envoy to Mexico, Professor Iyorwuese Hagher, has called on Nigerian writers to speak truth to power and hold leaders accountable using their literally works.

The erudite scholar made the call in Abuja at the public presentation of his books titled: “Warrior for Humanism” and “The Conquest of Azenga.

Speaking at the event, which also marked the celebration of his ‘Literary Oeuvre And Life As Scholar Diplomat, Public Servant and Patriot, Hagher 

called on all Nigerian writers to muster the power of their writing to roll back violence from the land.

“We must continue to talk truth to power, hold power accountable, and take command of our presence and future existence through humane policies and actions.

“I am aware that many writers in the Western world enjoy the luxury of 

ignoring the political turmoils of their times. They claim that it is not their responsibility to find solutions to the world’s problems. 

“This luxury is unaffordable to the African writer and creative artist. For indeed 

while it may not be our responsibility to find solutions to Africa’s many problems, we are not free to ignore them, nor free to refuse to attempt to find solutions to them. 

“All creative writing is political. We are either contend with the status quo, or like me, we are dissatisfied with the status quo, of things in Africa. This is why we write, and I personally am not just dissatisfied, I am mad at how things are. I am mad at how we treat our weak and downtrodden, our youth, and our 

women.

“We must infuse a new consciousness based on education and rationality 

rather than attempts to mirror the world of magic, spells, and enchantment which is killing our people, and making 

them spare human parts for rituals. Our rural people in villages and humble slums have been given a permanent 

inferiority complex,” he said. 

He also tasked the politicians to look at the present security challenges as a unique opportunity to rise to the true 

calling as leaders and to embrace healing. “A young democracy like ours is bound to be messy. Democracies 

tend to be messy. 

“This is the time for us to think deeply 

and far for the future of our children. Our present security nightmare and descent into dystopia have made responsible people reticent, self-effacing, and opting to hide to avoid being harmed or hurt. 

“As political leaders, we must understand that leaders are leaders only when they 

act as leaders. Leadership is acting responsibly in doing the right things rather than doing selfish wrong things. 

Leading is not seats and positions occupied. It is actions taken in situations that make the followers better. 

“We need a different type of politics and politicians. We must shun the politics of meanness and cruelty that is in 

vogue for one of empathy and love. We must close the gap between elected officials and the voters. The voters 

do not deserve the horsewhips and the gun-totting invasions from the police that are their servants,” he added.

While advocating for a national theatre tradition for peace-building, Hagher called on writers to make the liberation of African women a top priority. “They complete us. They are an equal part of us. We have continued to oppress them so much that they have become used to being beasts of burden.”

Earlier, the Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom, lauded the contributions of Hagher to the development of Nigeria via his literally works.

Ortom who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Professor, Dennis Ityavyar said, “Professor Hagher is such an example of someone who is holding torchlight and getting in the dark corners where you get ideas that would be used for development of this country.

He further cleared the perception that the Tiv people and Fulanis are at loggerhead, saying they are not enemies

“I need to also said that the Tiv people historically embraced all the Fulanis and I would like to  submit that the friendship still exists and so I want those people who are trying to sale what’s wrong to the people. We the Benue people are not against the Fulanis. We are still friends and what other people are selling is not acceptable.

“The anti-  open grazing law is a very progressive idea, which is done in almost all the countries of the world. Any Fulani person who wants to establish a ranch in Benue will have a land,” he added.

On his part, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Hon Gabriel Suswam, commended Hagher for his contributions to the development of Nigeria, saying the acclaimed problem between Tiv and Fualni is the created by the elite.

“We the Tiv people don’t have any problem with the Fulanis. What is going on are series of criminals who are being used by the elites”

The celebratory drew together scholars from Canada, diplomats and academics from across the country.