The Awakening Age

Ben Okri's poem "The Awakening Age" expresses hope. In this poem, the poet wishes for all of the wretched Nigerians who were torn apart by the tragic civil war that lasted three years. In this poem, the poet wishes for their well-being after the breakout of civil peace, a time for everyone to enter a new world of the awakening era.

The poet hopes for all of Nigeria's wretched and fractured people to have a vision of a new world, one full of hope, prosperity, unity, truth, wisdom, and creativity. He also hopes for them to be able to experience the glory of the waking period beyond their current poverty. He refers to the waking period as an era of enlightenment in which people live in peace, prosperity, emancipation, joy, oneness, and harmony.

The poet has created an appropriate new environment in the awakening age for all of them. He appeals to all Nigerians to believe in their ability to progress. Nigerians, according to him, have a lot of optimism, and those hopes have kept them tied to history. Next, he calls for their togetherness and solidarity to attain new heights of prosperity with optimism in their hearts. He also encourages them to modify their perceptions with integrity in a new environment so that they can acquire more in their lives without issues and hardships. He discusses the new reality of the awakening era, in which all of these individuals have the opportunity to gain employment, wisdom, and creativity despite their poverty. In this situation, their lives will be happier, and they will be able to progress in the time and space of the new world.

Some Important Questions

1. Why, in your view, have these people ‘lived with poverty’s rage’? 

ans: In my opinion, these people have 'lived with poverty's wrath since Africans have been exploited by Americans and Europeans since the beginning of history. They committed long-standing injustices against Africans while exploiting natural resources. Meanwhile, due to prolonged conflict in African countries, political stability was nearly nonexistent. As a result of the instability, a few powerful individuals took control of the authorities. This created an imbalance in the distribution of natural resources and wealth. 

The people of Africa were beyond knowledge and light. They were unaware that life existed outside of poverty. They were also focused on different internal issues such as civil war, prejudice, cultural beliefs, ethnicity, philosophy, and so on, ignoring the plight of ordinary Nigerians. Thus, poverty had raged throughout their lives.

2. Does the poet present migration in a positive light? Why? Why not?  

ans: Yes, the poet views migration positively since it allows people to modify their perceptions. Most migrants are of working age. Migration helps people enhance their level of acceptance and adapt to the new state from the previous one.

In the poem, the poet also hopes for them to be unified, smart, prosperous, and creative in the new era of awakening, and he calls for solidarity to build a new world. Most of us have observed that migrants bring skills with them. Some provide wealth, others bring imagination. They aim to shape their views, expertise, and learning in the destination countries. They also want to be innovative and contribute.

3. Nepal is also known for its economic as well as educational migrants. Have you noticed any change in the perceptions and behaviors of these migrants when they return home from abroad?

ans: Yes, Nepal is renowned for its economic and educational migrants. Every year, people travel abroad for education and jobs. Certainly, I have observed many changes in these migrants' perceptions and behaviors when they return home. I've observed a difference in their attitude and manner of thinking. As a person emerges from a narrow door into a vast space, he encounters many things, climbs various heights, learns, thinks, and crafts, and his way of thinking and viewing the world is undoubtedly altered. Every worker or student returns home with their newly acquired information and attempts to apply it there. If it is a cash gain or a degree that they attempt to obtain from them. They obtain financial literacy and learn to invest, to overcome traditional beliefs and restrictions that limit their inquiry. These are the various perceptions I've observed of folks returning from abroad in my neighborhood.