When I see you
Playing the notes of a passionate melody
I wish that you were my lover
and I your dear beloved
in whose eyes you can see
love, love and only love…

When I see you watching
an amorous and dreamy album
I want to get inside the idiot box
and dance with the music
wishing that you keep gazing at me…

Yeah, I do know that
our love is ancient, archaic and antiquated
but,
there is no time and place for love
Isn’t it?

- Neelam Chandra

I
(Traffic of a Night…)

I am a passage tonight
to the rhythms of crabs…

I sit buttock-deep on this hearth
to steam the whirlwinds of my eyes…

But lamps are etherized
on the lap-stands of this night,

and it is not the time for wax…

So ants can file out on trails
Rain drains can meet and kiss into flood
The speed of darkness may rise or rot.

It’s not the night for wax…

To read the rest of this piece, download the issue.

- Kolade Ajayi

Einstein’s love for music was so strong that some believe music was the inspiration for his Theory of Relativity. He is quoted as having said that the theory was a result of his music-induced intuition. Given this, I ask: to Einstein, was music science or art? Such a question might seem baseless for the professed artist but for the scientist it holds credence. Humour me for a second: Musical pieces are known to have form, structure and other characteristics that could normally be applied to mathematical equations.

So what did Einstein think? Perhaps we should start by considering the scientist’s definition of the words ‘science’ and ‘art’. For Einstein, science and art didn’t differ in subjects and classes, but in expression. He was quoted as having said ‘If what is seen and experienced is portrayed in the language of logic, then it is science. If it is communicated through forms whose constructions are not accessible to the conscious mind but are recognized intuitively, then it is art’. Perhaps, then, in Einstein’s opinion, music transcended traditional views /boundaries of art and science, remaining in its own shores and choosing to manifest itself in any form its muse wished.

I am completely at home with this stance. Like a well-known lover, I do not want to be asked on what basis I am in love. All I know is the love I feel. But what should I care if music is art or science? Music first touches my spirit and emotions before my mind is brought in on the already established tryst. I knew music long before the current boundaries of science or art were introduced to me and long after they are done away with, (and knowledge remains exactly that – raw inhibited knowledge) I will still know music. Music is an indissoluble part of me and I of it.

Perhaps this is what Einstein found out.

- Lore Adebola

Her sol-fa notations tried to strangle her on a day when all the elements seemed to be in sync and the sun united with the trees to cast dappled shadows on verdant grass. The G clef extended sharp claws and grabbed her neck while the other clefs and strings helped to hold her down.

It was to the strangled sounds of weeping emanating from her daughter’s room that Molara’s alarmed mother hastened to, to see her daughter fighting off forces only visible to her. She could make no sense of it but she tried to calm her down, to no avail. Molara had to be taken to the hospital and heavily sedated.

Later, people would say that they had always thought it quite unnatural, the relationship she had with her music.
Ohers would sigh and shake their heads in pity for the poor mother of an only child who was now lost to the ravages of a mind disease. All would agree that this was bad business; in fact, terrible business. Many came to the house. Some to see for themselves whether it was true, some to gloat and some just to be seen.

To read the rest of this piece, download the issue.

- Agatha Aduro

I was never conscious of music until this time. Speakers always howled. Technology hadn’t balanced the noise speakers produce with the distinctness of the sounds. To play music then, you had to imbibe the culture of showoff that came with it. People rolled their curtains and placed their sound system at the windowsill. It was the season when foreign hip-hop music was the standard for measuring Nigerian playlists. If you wanted to show how well versed and informed you were, you had to play Craig David’s Walking Away, Snoop Dog’s Drop It Like It’s Hot, 50cent’s In Da Club or Eminem’s Just Lose It.

It was even more humorous that I listened only to the beats these songs generated. I hummed the beats rather than their clear words. I didn’t know what was being sung. The foreign musicians sang through their noses. I was solely for the entertainment of convulsive mutterings called rap. A larger splitting up of this revisited memories are foggy recollections that have been blared off in nauseating decibels. I knew there were sounds. And I danced to tunes incomprehensible to me.

To read the rest of this piece, download the issue.

- Joseph Omotayo

The Publishers and Editors hope to recieve diverse submissions of poetry, fiction and non-fiction that reflect the open-ended parenthesis that surrounds/reflects the diversity of sex and sexuality. Our bias is for work that is experimental in form and organic in outlook/subtleties.

If unsure about your work, please send a query to the attention of the Managing Editor of Saraba Magazine. If you have not already submitted, please consider submitting through our Submissions Portal. Due to the amount of submissions we recieve, only entries that follow our submissions guideline will be considered. No exceptions will be made.

Prospective contributors are encouraged to download our publication schedule for 2012.

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1. Can the Political Scientists and the Lawyers amongst us enlighten us on the constitutional devices by which the National Assembly can pressure the Executive or Judiciary into taking a particular course of action?

2. Based on our practical options and the decision criterion of ‘what is immediately actionable’, can we can draft a 1-paged, straightforward and measurable demand which we would press on the National Assembly to be pressed, in turn by the Legislature, on the Executive or the Judiciary?

3. We can decide on what consecutive number of days on which to Occupy the offices of the National Assembly members, both their offices in Abuja and all the ones in their constituencies simultaneously.

4. The Occupiers would not only turn out in large numbers, but as many people as possible would have had the same 1-paged demand sent to their emails, which they would print out and hand in at the Legislators’ offices.

5. The Occupation can continue for as long as is practical either continuously or continually or in any mix of both that is effective until the demand is met.

6. The Occupiers, in large numbers, would occupy court proceedings.

7. This can be repeated with as many issues over the next 6 months: Ringim & Boko Haram, PIB & the Cabal etc.

The process, which I think is easily learned, should however be designed to allow the most popular and pressing demands to bubble to the top through an inclusive, bottom-up mechanism. Say, voting on some sensibly framed options through emails, SMS on some central platform(s) in a transparent manner. The inclusion works both ways as it then makes it easier to mobilize Occupiers through the same email addresses and SMS.

I am more than convinced we’d receive other, better strategies and I watch eagerly to see what would emerge.

However, it seems there is a genuine need for some young people to recalibrate the temporal dimension of their expectations, and to understand that unison is not the only way in which harmony can be expressed. To use one well worn example, that movement that formed around the nucleus of 12 apostles was not without its complexities, contradictions and divergences. How then can we expect less complexity and dissent of a movement of millions of young people, many who have not even spent any significant period of time together prior to the events of the recent past?

But even if there is a falling away, it’s only until the next wave. This movement will be characterized by cycles, crests and troughs. It may be useful to adjust expectations to anticipate such a pattern. Again, much of the gains we have made in last few days will only begin to become clear in April of this year. I expect some to be brought home to me by my own children. Some insights will only appear to me on my death bed and will, unfortunately, go with me into my grave.

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I think it’s best to give an idea of where I’m coming from.

I began my active engagement with the immediate issues a bit earlier than most of the people I know personally.

My expectations were, should I say, relatively moderate, not in the grand objectives but in terms of time frames and the outcomes I thought I would see.

To put it differently, I thought it would be a marathon, not a sprint, I hope you see what I mean.

Again, my terms of engagement evolved to become largely intellectual (research, analyze, enlighten, did some propaganda along the way) based on the interactions of my natural inclinations and the great people I’m surrounded with and the situation of my life at present.

I have embraced the emergent roles presented to me and to the extent that I could do a little more than make intellectual contributions, I have been able to make financial contributions.

Altogether, I continue today to do what I’ve been doing since October or thereabouts. Actually, to be truthful, I have gained more momentum.

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I’m not disappointed. I am not by any definition of the word underwhelmed. Actually, more opportunities exist now than ever before. My network has widened and I am meeting more young people every day who are committed and most inspiring in the nature of their commitment and mental, spiritual and practical tenacity.

Now, I want to point out that many of the young people I have met in the past few days are Opportunists.

Yes. From the beginning their eyes were set on Corruption and Governance, but they sensed the opportunity that the removal of the petrol subsidy presented and they took it.

I do not remember that the ‘If I die, I die’ lady, who now seems to have become some sort of poster child for the movement, brought up, even once, the issue of the subsidy during her fifteen seconds of fame, and it was not once that I heard the suggestions, ‘Occupy by day, rewrite the constitution by night’ or ‘Occupy by day, rewrite the budget by night.’ One can even do a sampling of the placards, to see what sort of messages were on them, whether they were largely focused on the Petrol Subsidy or went beyond that. In fact, a lot of the rhetoric soon converged on Government’s ineptitude and waste. And the refrain of even the most ‘jaded’ subsidy ‘profiteers’ was: fix the refineries!

From the outset most of the young people I knew and others that I have now come to know were vociferous in their distrust of Organized Labour, and few can genuinely say they didn’t expect Organized Labour to agree to some sort of compromise with Government. Yet, that didn’t stop the young people from riding the bandwagon of Organized Labour for what it was worth.

Actually, some of the more seasoned activists among the youth leaders that I met opined that since a large number of the young Nigerians would be participating in activities of this kind for the first time, it was even more necessary for the youth movement to serve a period of apprenticeship under Organized Labour, to learn the dynamics of civil disobedience.

Of course, most of the critics of the movement have confused the means and the end. And even then, some of the criticism is justified even though the opportunism may not have been conscious, inordinately or vilely intended, it still is what it is, and the criticism is more than welcome.

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Now, I should also point out some reason why it would seem as if a marriage with Organized Labour was decreed in the heavens. Permit me to quote Toni Morrison, ‘And fantasy it was, for we were not strong, only aggressive; we were not free, merely licensed; we were not compassionate, we were polite; not good but well-behaved. We courted death in order to call ourselves brave, and hid like thieves from life.’ The quote is not a prescient, universal form of the criticism that I have spoken of above. Rather, I think it’s a lens through which we can appraise the developments of the past few weeks.

Probably everyone understands how the strikes hurt Government. It is not clear that 1 million young people with placards, on the streets of Ibadan would translate into the same thing as PENGASSAN shutting down the upstream production of petroleum in Nigeria. This may help to highlight the difference between ‘aggression’ and ‘strength.’

Now that we have established that we have aggression to spare we need to identify the strengths, where and how we can really hurt bad Government. Once we can identify those, we’d bring on the aggression again and ‘full speed ahead,’ we’d immediately begin to see our engine pulling away from the coach of Organized Labour and the failures of an older generation of Nigerians.

Or, to put it differently, what we need is to agree on another issue, like the petrol subsidy removal, around which an initial critical mass can develop so as to gain more momentum, which would be better directed this time, based on the lessons we are learning from the last round.

We can find such issues ready to hand if we look. To be sure, some pressure has been built up within the conduits of power and we can expect this Government to attempt to activate a safety valve by sacking some members of the present administration without prosecuting them in any meaningful way.

But what we need is to make a real scapegoat and begin to put deterrents in place. What I have in mind may serve us in demanding accountability from the administrators of the Petroleum Industry, as regards the Corruption under the old subsidy regime or even the administrators of the Security services as regards the manner in which the Boko Haram issues have been handled.

SOCIETY OF YOUNG NIGERIAN WRITERS TO CELEBRATE YORUBA LANGUAGE WRITERS WITH FAGUNWA’S NIGHT

In a statement released by Mr. Wole Adedoyin, the National President of the Society stated that the Society is now planning to organize another great literary event in honour of the great author, D.O Fagunwa. The programme is tagged “Fagunwa’s Night”. Fagunwa’s Night promises to be an avenue of promoting Yoruba culture and literature. Important personalities in Yoruba Literature that will grace the occasion include Prof. Akinwunmi Isola, Alagba Adebayo Faleti, Alagba Tunbosun Oladapo, Prof. Remi Raji, Dr. Remi Adedokun, Dr. Wale Okediran, Alagba Supo Kosemani, Dr. Bayo Adebowale and Prof. Wande Abimbola.

Young writers using Yoruba Language to write are invited to read from their works or those of other writers. Using Yoruba language to write among youths has become a taboo which every individual youth fear not to commit. Youths are no more having any pride in using their indigenous languages to communicate or express their views and opinions in a written format because they are fearing not to be called an illiterate or win an international laurel through the medium or be ridiculed among their mates. They have forgotten the fact that they are to exhibit their culture, traditions, values and norms to their neighbors and foreigners as Achebe, Soyinka, Amos Tutuola, Labo Yari, Ben Okri, Sefi Atta and Chimamanda have done through their works. Those young writers writing historical plays or works using English Language sometimes failed to conduct adequate research about what they are writing because they don’t understand the foundation or basics of such language, the origin of the tribe itself and the flowery elements in the language of such tribe.

Upcoming and talented young writers who have developed or want to develop writing in indigenous languages should consult the works of the following people, Pita Nwana from the East, Abubakar Imam from the North, Daniel Orowale Fagunwa from the West on how they can write world acclaimed works using their indigenous languages.

The programme is scheduled to take place on February 25, 2012 at African Heritage Research Library and Cultural Centre, Adeyipo, Ibadan.

It is very sad and discouraging that the Association of Nigerian Authors as big as they are do not have prizes for writers writing in indigenous languages especially Yoruba Language. Even moreso, the attitude of Egbe Akomolede Yoruba towards upcoming Yoruba Writers is not in the least encouraging, and hence the clarion call for them to rise up to the occasion.

The Society is embarking on projects that will motivate and encourage young Nigerian writers to continue writing using their precious indigenous languages. For more information visit: www.societyforyoungwriters.webs.com.

SOCIETY OF YOUNG NIGERIAN WRITERS In collaboration with AFRICAN HERITAGE RESEARCH LIBRARY AND CULTURAL CENTRE presents the YORUBA LITERATURE WRITING COMPETITION

For Writers using Yoruba Language to write between the ages of 15 and 40.

The competition is organized by the Society to rekindle the interest of Young Writers writing in Yoruba language in Nigeria. Also to motivate and encourage writing in indigenous languages among young Nigerian Writers. The competition promises to be an exciting display of Yoruba Culture, Traditions, Norms and Values.

Prizes to be won include

• Fagunwa Prize for Prose Writing – 20,000
• Prof. Akinwunmi Ishola Prize for Drama – 20,000
• Tunbosun Oladapo Prize Poetry – 10,000
• Dr. Adebayo Faleti Prize for Drama – 20,000
• Elder Supo Kosemani Prize for Poetry – 10,000

Conditions of entry
1. The competition is opened to anyone aged 15-40
2. Works should be in Yoruba Language, unpublished and not currently submitted or accepted for future publication
3. They must not previously have been awarded a prize in any competition nor may be simultaneously entered for any competition other than this one.
4. Works must be your own original work.
5. Works must be on a separate sheet of A4 size, which must not bear your name, class, age and school.
6. No entry form is required but on a separate sheet of A4 you should show your name, address, title of the work submitted and please tell us where you heard about the competition.
7. Entry should be sent to the following e-mail: societyofyoungnigerianwriters@gmail.com. The closing date is 1st of March, 2011, as results will be sent out in April 1st, 2012.
8. The Judge’s decision will be final; no correspondence can be entered into
10. Unfortunately, submitted works cannot be returned so remember to keep a copy.

Wole Adedoyin
National President
08072673852

Here at Saraba, music has been a perpetual ache, a constant obsession, so we are as confounded as you are that it took this long to rest our oars on these stringed sheets that stretches memory and touches eternity gingerly.

We like to start on the precipice of controversy, the shoulders of Chris Abani. We like to start where he ended his brilliant essay, “Lagos: A Pilgrimage of Notations’’: “listening to Fela Kuti on my iPod…I am listening to Lagos with my eyes closed.” Listening to music is an intimate process, enjoyed like a polite kiss with closed eyelids. But we need you, dear reader, to open your eyes to savour Saraba’s latest oeuvre.

On some counts, music is the gateway to memory; it carries an enabling pouch that sets up memory’s threshold quite easily; in essence, it is easier to recognize an event with its accompanying music, an era by its dominant musical genre, a generation by her musical interests.

Hence it becomes important to enjoy Akinlabi’s Naming Hip-pop and Recalling Abati’s Debate, a rather eloquent rejoinder and miniature treatise on the Yahooze Generation’s supposed identity crisis. Lore Adebola’s potent argument grafted on Einstein’s thoughts situates music in the exact middle of Arts and Science and perturbs a century old discourse. We find a masterly poet ploughing his voice in A Poet’s Thoughts, a lyrical dissection of sub-urban reflections, the voice remarkably resonating an Elliot-sque tendency. Dikeogu Chukwumerije’s poetic interpretation of music is familiarly true, dilating the tucked-in recesses from where the gratitude for music outpours from.

In the end, one is left with one thing: to recourse back to music, to enjoy it more intimately, to participate in the creation of its notes, to anticipate that favourite riff or thump or string, to listen for that avalanche of tune in which memory is crested, with your eyes closed.

D.A & E.I,
December 2011

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In this issue:

Making Music: Publishers’ Note
My Music Timeline: Joseph Omotayo 
Sweet Notes: Agatha Aduro
The Guitarist: Ayomide Owoyemi
The Piano: Neelam Chandra
Naming Hip-Hop or Recalling Abati: Peter Akinlabi
The Chocolate Torte: Andrew Rooney

With Musical Scores
The Pledge: Ikeogu Oke
I Can’t Reach You: Ikeogu Oke
Maple Country: Ikeogu Oke

We Have Known Ironies: Donald Molosi
Between Einstein and Me: Thoughts of Music: Lore Adebola
A Poet’s Struggles: Kolade Ajayi
Picture, Cap and Gown: Michael Lee Johnson
An Old Melody: Neelam Chandra
Music is…: Dikeogu Chukwumerije