Flora Nwapa: A Reminiscence

In her book, Flora Nwapa: A Reminiscence, Kodili Ogbonna takes a critical look at the history and life path of the famous feminine novelist, peeping into her community background at Oguta, Imo State, her education as well as her undergraduate days. She also delved into her scholarship expedition at Edinburgh down to her career trajectory, touching also on her not-so-sweet marriage experience

Flora Nwapa, the famous feminine novelist used the art of story telling to undertake her crusade for womanhood. She had a flowery career as an educationist, writer and socialite, but may not have succeeded as much as a wife.

Hiding under the cover of many of her characters, Flora Nwapa portrayed he womenfolk as blessed and courageous breeds with exceptional attributes to wade through the rivers of life.

In her book, Flora Nwapa: A Reminiscence, Kodili Ogbonna takes a critical look at the history and life path of Flora Nwapa, peeping into her community background at Oguta, Imo State, her education, her undergraduate days into her scholarship expedition at Edinburgh down to her career trajectory, touching also on her not-so-sweet marriage experience.

Kodili traces how they arrived at the present day settlement called Oguta. The people of Ugwuta came from the Northern part of Imo State formerly called Owerri. They found a fishing settlement close to a very important lake which was discovered by a fisherman and warrior called Aman Adu Aka Eneke Okitutu.

Those lands were acquired through war with the king of Away who didn’t want Aman Adu and his two brothers to inhabit the land.

The traditions and cultural practices of the people of Ugwuta were similar to the Kingdom of Benin. They worshipped the goddess of the lake of Ogbuide and practised a lot of rituals and sacrifices before the coming of the missionaries who brought Christianity to the land of Ugwuta. The coming of the European and Portuguese traders changed the name Ugwuta to Oguta, for ease of pronunciation and spelling.

Flora Nwapa’s childhood was a mixture of traditional and western culture. She learnt hard work, good morals from her grand parents, Chief Onumonu Uzoaru and Madam Ruth. Onumonu who didn’t discriminate against boys or girls. They were influential persons in Oguta; both her grand parents were educated and as Christians who instilled their Christian belief in their children.

Flora Nwapa’s grand parents were international traders who travelled vastly and were invited to wine and dine with royals such as the Queen of England in the early 1950s. They sent their children to school even the girls among them.

Flora Nwapa’s father, Christopher Ijeoma Nwapa also attended the same schools were he studied and taught for sometime.

He distinguished himself in all that he did. Her mother, Mrs. Martha Onumonu Nwapa also distinguished herself in her field as one of Oguta’s first female graduate. She made great feats.

Mr.Christopher and Martha Nwapa made Oguta their home where they lived with their children.

Flora Nwanzuriahu Nkiru Nwapa was their first daughter, born in 1931. Mrs. Martha gave birth to nine girls three boys. All her children grew up to be influential citizens in their communities. Mr Christopher taught his children the virtue of hard work by making them work on the poultry and animal farm he established immediately after retiring from active service at African Trading Company and UAC at Port Harcourt.

Christopher also trained his younger brother, Alfred Chukwudifu Nwapa who was a great influence on Flora Nwapa both in western ways and in social ethics. Alfred was the one who introduced the Nwapa’s name into Nigerian Political scene. Flora came from a family of firsts i.e.first in every aspect of successful achievements in life.

Her literary and professional career was nurtured by her educated parents and accomplished relatives. She learnt that with good education a person would become a leader and acquire the rIght network.

The early years of Flora Nwapa saw her acquiring the art of speaking and writing English Language.She attended Archdeacon Crowther Memorial Girls School in Elelenwa and the University College Ibadan where she mastered English classics and African creative poetry and drama. She was a dutiful daughter who helped her mother around the home and also helped to look after her siblings.

Flora loved reading books a lot even when doing her duties. She found time to read literature books; while at ACGMS Flora learnt how to bond with her classmates as well as her housemates because of the vigorous nature of life in the boarding house which was situated in a very rural location.

They were subjected to daily labour of fetching water from the stream, cleaning and Ironing their uniforms. She compared her life at ACMGS to the life of those who gained admission into Queen’s College Lagos where it was living a life of royalty. Although the life at ACGMS was tough, it was made easier by Flora’s Aunt, Rhoda, who taught Domestic Science at the school. She helped her through her trying times at the school.

Her Aunt taught her how to cook foreign cuisines. Flora learnt good behaviour, cleanliness, kindness and godliness from her principal,Miss Hill while preparing for her O’level exams. From ACGMS, Flora prepared to enter the prestigious University College, Ibadan in 1948.

She stayed with her friend Edith Oki who spoke about Flora’s days at Queens College Lagos, were very eventful, she attended Queen’s College, Lagos where she sat for her A’levels and later returned to Oguta to teach while waiting to gain admission into UC. Ibadan.

Flora Nwapa was the first female student to gain admission into UCI by direct entry. At UCI Flora was classmate with people like Chinua Achebe, Christopher Okigbo, Mabe lmoukhuede, Segun to mention but a few. She witnessed great writers like Chinua Achebe write stories which they published. At UCI there was a mixture of ethnic group which helped to de-tribalise the school.

Flora and her younger brother who also gained admission into UCI had great mentors like JAP Oki who tutored Flora in History. She lost her dear uncle, Alfred Nwapa which shook her family greatly especially Flora’s father.

Flora gained admission to study a diploma in Education in Edinburgh University, Scotland through an award of a scholarship, but before she could leave for Scotland she suffered another terrible loss. She lost her best friend, Bisi Fagbenle to a botched abortion at UCI. She was heartbroken by her friend’s death.

Her stay in the University of Edinburgh Scotland was filled with great adventures with her friends because she already had friends in London. She was very comfortable; she didn’t feel out of place there. Her scholarship was for a year so she faced her studies with great enthusiasm and also spent time reading.

Before leaving for Edinburgh, Flora had got into a relationship with Gogo Chu Nzeribe whom she had met In Lagos around 1946. She really liked him. Gogo was a handsome man who studied at King’s College, Lagos; while she was at AMDGC. Gogo was from a prominent family in Oguta.

While at King’s College Gogo was involved in school Unionism. He was a radical and activist who got expelled from King’s College in 1948. He went on to join the NCNC party and became a writer for Labour Champion in Lagos and he made a name for himself as a first-class journalist. Flora’s relationship with Gogo was a serious one. Everyone knew they were together but Gogo never made a formal commitment to her.

He never visited Oguta or his family. Flora’s parents had rejected their relationship because of this fact. They felt he was an outsider who did not associate with his people or family and if Flora were to marry him they would not see their daughter again.

After Flora was done with her scholarship education in Edinburgh University she was given a hero’s welcome back home. She was also given a title’ “The killer of cows.” Flora missed Gogo so much that she couldn’t wait to get back to Nigeria.

After her return, they got married secretly to the dismay of her family who didn’t see Gogo as a good match for their beloved daughter.

By the end of 1958, Flora had Ejine, her precious daughter but her relationship with Gogo was never the same strongbond anymore because they did not stay together. Gogo worked in Lagos while Flora worked in the East. The trip to the East was difficult for Gogo so he saw his daughter, Ejine only once. He bought her a red toy and a crate of soft drinks.

During this period Flora was working at Queen’s College, Enugu, from where she later resigned to take up a job opportunity at The University of Lagos.

She took up writing as a serious past time. Writing helped Flora heal her pain and also gave her something more to live for. She was 35 years old when she published her first novel, Efuru in 1966 in London.

It was her friend, Chinua Achebe who read her manuscript, liked it and sent it to the publishing house in London. Flora became the first African female novelist. This led to the beginning of a career in writing.

Flora’s novels depicted strong women who had gone through struggles and pains to rise as champions of the home and family. During the height of her success as the first female novelist hostility broke out between the Hausas and Igbos that it became unsafe for Flora and her daughter to stay in Lagos.

She fled Lagos with her daughter Ejine to Oguta where she continued to write and care for her daughter. Gogo was murdered in Lagos during an unrest because he refused to relocate to the East.

Most of her novels were written to reflect her experiences in life. The story lines in all her novels pointed to similar experiences in her life. Her books ‘Efuru’, ‘Women were different” One is enough’ and many other books were written to show some similarities with her life and marriage.

She wrote about the marriage life in Igboland using characters in her novels. Her experiences with Gogo’s family especially her mother in-law’s role in destroying her marriage by insisting on Gogo taking a second wife were all used to create her master pieces.

The women in Flora’s novel portrayed the strength of womanhood. How the women stood their grounds against oppositions and oppressions from their husbands. Flora disguised herself in many characters in her novels and books. Her books also condemned the maltreatment of the womenfolk and favoritism the male apiece get in our society.

Some of her works include ‘Two women in conversation, ”Women are different’,’The first lady’and so on.

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