Despite Nigeria being a country blessed with numerous young writers, there are some things very unbecoming that have been obstructing the culture of effective writing, thereby spoiling its freshness, simplicity and dexterousness.That’s, avoidance of criticism and rushing to get published.
In writing there’s something called “the art of criticism” where a creative work is criticised, thereby making it devoid of verbosity and complexity. In fact, it’s not restricted to the field of writing alone, but, in the generality of life. And, something nauseating to be said here is that, many young writers, in the Nigeria of our today, seem to be writing to get eulogies on media, not with progressive intentions. You’d see a young writer running helter-skelter from criticism, like someone being chased by a monster.
How would you expect such a writer to become something in writing? How would he impact on the society? It’s high time we the young writers knew that until we warmly embrace criticism, the genuine growth we have been craving in writing will never be attained. It’s something open; something irrevocable and indisputable.
Roy T. Bannet says do not let arrogance go to your head and despair to your heart; do not let compliments go to your head and criticisms to your heart; do not let success go to your head and failure to your heart.
Dear young Nigerian writers, if you do not want to be immensely criticised, simply do the needful. That is, read voraciously before you write. Do not rush to get published, for it doesn’t help one to do things better, generally in life. Read, read and reread before you write, and you’ll certainly come up with a master piece.
Salim Yakubu Akko,Gombe, Gombe state.
Calling on young Nigerian writers
