The family of Clark-Fuludu Bekederemo has announced the passing of foremost writer, Prof. Johnson Pepper Clark-Bekederemo, who was popularly known as JP Clark. He died at 85.

The writer has been ill for some time, according to family sources.

In a statement released by the Clark-Fuludu Bekederemo family of Kiagbodo Town, Delta State, the Emeritus Professor of Literature and renowned writer, Prof. John Pepper Clark, “finally dropped his pen” in the early hours of yesterday, Tuesday, October 13, 2020.

The statement said, “Prof. J. P. Clark has paddled on to the great beyond in comfort of his wife, children and sibling around him.”

Prof. C. C. Clark, for the family and Mr. Ilaye Clark, for the children, signed the statement.

Born on April 6, 1935, his quiet death, yesterday, precipitated media commentaries and tributes.

With the late Prof. Chinua Achebe and Prof. Wole Soyinka, Clark played a key role in the shaping of Nigeria’s literature. These three men bestrode the stage like colossus of Nigeria’s literature and it seemed they farmed out the genres with each holding firmly in his own forte.

Clark was such an important figure in the country’s literature. “Clark was always respected as one of the quartets — Achebe, Chris Okigbo, Soyinka and Clark. Sometimes, he was their leader in making public performances. As many people will remember, he was the one who organised the big three: himself, Soyinka and Achebe to try to plead the dictator General Babangida not to kill Maman Vasta,” said the writer and polemist, Odia Ofeimun.