EverythinLiterature

I went down fighting - Agada

2011-12-13T10:29:00.000+01:00

The Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, held its 30th Annual International Convention in Abuja from Wednesday 30th November to Sunday 4th December, 2011. And one of the main activities at the conference was the election of new executive council members for the association. In the keenly contested election, the incumbent president, DR. JERRY AGADA, lost to Professor REMI RAJI by only three votes. In this interview with SUMAILA UMAISHA, conducted shortly after the election, he spoke his mind about the exercise.

Question: How would you describe the election?

Dr. Jerry Agada: Well, the election was very good, very interesting. It has been keenly fought and won. And I’m happy that I went down fighting to the best of my ability.

Professor Remi Raji defeated you by only three votes; you could have knocked off this insignificant margin. What went wrong?

I saw my agent there; he was complaining. He said during the counting he saw that Professor Olu Obafemi, one of the electoral officials, picked two or three ballot papers at a time. So he was protesting that they should recount, but they refused. He protested to everybody, he sent text to Odia Ofeimun and to me. He met Professor Sam Okala, chairman of the electoral committee, but he said no, he is not re-counting. So if they had recounted… But no problem, I’m not complaining.

In that case, you wouldn’t say this election was free and fair?

Well, that is what my agent said; because he insisted on recounting if there was no foul play.

Now that it has turned out this way, what is your wish for ANA?

My wish for ANA is progress. You know, like I said in my speech at the AGM, ANA is something that I have passion for, ANA is in my blood. It is even now that I will work harder for ANA, if they come to me for anything, like I have been doing. When Dr. Wale Okediran was the president was I not the one at background providing support? The new EXCO can come to me for any assistance; I’m not that kind of person, I will do my best. I’m a different person with a different orientation; I will continue to be doing my best for ANA. Like I have repeatedly explained, there is no president of ANA that has shown commitment to ANA than I have done. Have you ever seen in the history of an ANA convention where the president bankrolled the whole thing? The Local Organising Committee did not come with one naira. The national EXCO didn’t have anything. And I wanted the convention to hold, because by my own conscience, I felt that if the election was not held somebody somewhere would say, ‘you cancelled the conference so that election will not take place’. That was why I went out of my way to show that commitment so that it will hold.

Finally, what’s your message to ANA members, particularly the newly elected EXCO?

My message to ANA members is to please cooperate with the new EXCO. ANA is something that can be managed with cooperation. If there is no cooperation things will not work properly. So my advice to ANA members is that they should please give them support. And for the new EXCO… you know, they came in with acrimony, insulting people up and down; for the past five months they have been sending text messages everyday insulting personalities like me, they should behave responsibly. Did you see one day that I replied them? I never, because I knew for sure that they didn’t know what they were doing. Now that they have come, the taste of the pudding is in the eating. So I think the way they have come in they should now demonstrate their commitment by carrying ANA to greater height. I will support them as a person. And I want other members to support them too. And they themselves should not claim to have monopoly of ideas; let them be receptive to ideas from other members so that together ANA would be moved greater height.

(c) published in the New Nigerian edition of 11/12/11.

It was a hard fought battle - Raji

2011-12-13T10:22:00.003+01:00

For PROFESSOR REMI RAJI, the newly elected president of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, the election that saw him to the exalted seat had been a very though one, a hard fought battle, as he put it. Unseating an incumbent president of ANA, especially a personality like Dr. Jerry Agada, a one-time minster of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is not an everyday feat. So what’s the secret? He spoke to SUMAILA UMAISHA about it.

Question: How would you describe your victory at election?

Professor Remi Raji: It is a revelation of the need for change. It is a revelation and I think it came at a time that everybody needed that change. It was a hard fought battle; the first of its kind in the history of ANA over thirty years. I thank and give all appreciation to all those who believe that we are capable of leading ANA in this crucial time.

What were the things that necessitated this change?

The change was necessary because ANA was losing its relevance in the scheme of things in a very fast manner. ANA had no voice again. ANA was lethargic. The leadership was sluggish. And more so there have been instances of corrupt actions, corrupt activities even at the high level of ANA. We said ANA should not be connected with any corruption.

In my interview with Dr. Jerry Agada, he said the electoral process was not properly conducted. Would you describe the election as free and fair?

I’m sorry to say Agada is a professional politician. I came into Abuja with a view to express in a very intellectual manner the need for change, I came into Abuja hoping that I would be given the chance to address the electorate, but Agada spent three hours of the AGM to curry favour, to attract sympathy to himself, to give himself the feeling that he is the victim of all kinds of circumstances. I kept quiet all through. When he talked about irregularity, he should be accused of bringing the system of corruption that is in the political system in Nigeria to the house of ANA. Because he was the one who brought 53 people from Benue State; meaning we have such a number of known writers in Benue. He just brought in students to vote for him. I find that very shocking. And he kept on claiming that there was irregularity. When you lose there is going to be such claim. He can’t claim irregularity; he should just be a good loser because there are works to be done. If he wants to continue to work with ANA, if he considers himself as the elder statesman he said, he should not come up with excuses, he should begin to think of mopping up so many bad things that he himself had done. He should simply accept defeat and act the way former presidents have behaved.

Having won, how are you going to ensure that ANA becomes the ANA of your dream?

We will do everything to forestall having fake writers among us. Let’s have a database. Thirty years after ANA’s establishment, you cannot know who is a writer and who is not.

Agada pledged to help in moving ANA forward if you ask for his assistance.

We welcome the support of everyone, we can’t ostracize anyone.

(c) Published in the New Nigerian newspaper edition of 11/12/11

2011 ANA Convention: A Monumental Failure!

2011-12-13T10:12:00.000+01:00

A cross-section of delegates at the convention

The haunting memories of this year’s International Convention of the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, which took place in Abuja from Wednesday 30th November to Sunday 4th December, will linger on for a very long time. The event was so poorly organized that even the organizers could not help admitting it was a monumental failure. “Surely, it was not good,” said Dr. Seyi Adigun, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, LOC – a euphemistic way of reaffirming the view of Dr. Jerry Agada, the erstwhile president of the association, under whose leadership the event was organized. He had said in one of his remarks at the occasion: “This is a serious failure.”

A serious failure indeed, for apart from the fact that most of the items on the programme of activities were not fully executed, some of those executed were done haphazardly, thereby subjecting members of the association who had come from the various chapters across the country to unnecessary confusion and hardship.

The delegates had come full of expectations because the General Secretary, Mr. Hyacinth Obunseh, had assured it was going to be a convention like no other. “We have an extra day added to our usual four days, to make five,” he had said in an interview with this reporter a few days to the convention. “We will have our usual cocktail on arrival, opening ceremony, convention drama, sight-seeing, plenary sessions, dinner/awards ceremony and then for a change, we are bringing a musical group from one of our branches to entertain members. And one or two other innovations.”

But it all ended on paper. From day one of the convention, things started sagging, by the second day the programme began to spin out of control and by the end of the event the whole thing had degenerated into what some delegates described as the biggest flop in the history of ANA convention. “It was a flop, a total failure,” said Mr. Aseidu Sarpong, a member of Kaduna State branch of ANA and one of the judges of ANA literary prizes. “Since I became ANA member in 1990, this is my first time of experiencing this kind of convention.”

As usual, the conference began with the registration of delegates. At Cyprian Ekwensi Cultural Centre, Area 10, Garki, the arrival point, delegates were in a happy mood, welcoming colleagues as they registered. But the ecstasy was short-lived as some could not get the usual conference bags. “They are finished, we will provide more later,” explained one of the registration officials. That promise was never fulfilled. Nor did Hyacinth’s promise of “We will have our usual cocktail on arrival,” see the light of day. No cocktail, no festival of life that were scheduled to be held at the arrival venue; and it was getting dark. So after lingering on for a while without any official explanation on what to do, delegates thought it wise to go their assigned hotels.

Some were lodged in Reiz Continental Hotel, Central Business Area, others were lodged in far away hotels in suburban areas like Kuba and Mararaba in Nasarawa State.

The following day, delegates were somehow compensated for the initial disappointment with a befitting opening ceremony from 10.00 am at the Continental Hall of Reiz Continental Hotel. The hall was filled to capacity some delegates had to stand throughout the entire programme.

Highlights of the event included speeches by the Chairman of Abuja ANA, Dr. Seyi Adigun, ANA President, Dr. Jerry Agada, representative of Dr. Bukola Saraki, Chairman of the occasion, celebrity reading by Gabriel Okara, cutting of ANA at 30th anniversary cake by the LOC chairman and exco members, and presentation of the keynote address by Professor Tanure Ojaide.

The keynote address, which was on the theme of the convention; “Home Coming: African Literature and Human Debvelopment”, highlighted vividly the roles of African literature in human development and the numerous problems faced by the African writer. A renowned poet, multiple award winner and professor of Literature, Ajaide held everyone spellbound as he eloquently discussed the subject-matter. Donnis Chikere of Katsina State chapter of ANA was particularly impressed by the presentation. “In terms of interacting intellectually and sharing ideas, I think the convention was okay despite the shortcomings,” he observed. “The keynote address by Tanure Ojaide was particularly interesting as it highlighted the problems of writers.”

Formal opening of book exhibition rounded off the opening ceremony. And thereafter, the programme nosedived again. All the other activities slated for the day did not hold and there was no explanation as to why they didn’t hold. No plenary session, no musical performance that was to be presented by the Anambra State branch of ANA, and no dance drama, ‘One is Vortex’, which was scheduled to be performed by the TV College, Jos.

Delegates shuffled back to their hotels at the end of the day, feeling cheated. But while some grumbled, die-hard optimists looked forward to a better tomorrow. When the tomorrow came, however, they longed for yesterday! For, the whole day-three of the convention was wasted. The literary roundtable that was to take place from 10am at Cyprian Ekwensi Cultural Centre was not even talked about. And the scheduled Read and Ride Tour to Gurara Falls slated for 2 pm only took place in the imagination, as delegates were merely directed to the desolate Millennium Park and left there like sheep without a shepherd.

Describing the situation, Mr. Chikere said, “After the opening ceremony, I think the programme they gave us became obsolete because it became like they had a new programme that was not written. We were just following sheepishly, moving from venue to venue. We were in several venues doing things that were not planned. And the hosts in most cases were not there to take us through the programme.”

Binta Spkin of Kano State branch of ANA was also irritated by the experience. “It was a bitter experience, the way we were left like refugees at the Millennium Park,” she fumed.

Those who could not take it any longer returned to their respective homes before the end of the convention. One of them was Dr. Adamu Kyuka Usman, a member of Kaduna State chapter of ANA. Though his novel was on the shortlist of ANA literary prize, he had to leave because, according to him, “the event was not well organized in terms of accommodation of delegates to the convention and in terms of even the activities”.

However, the excitement that was lacking on the third day of the convention was made up by the heady activity of the fourth day, which was the election of new executive council of the national body of ANA. Everyone seemed to be so excited about the election that the Annual General Meeting, AGM, became a mere appendage of the day’s programme.

The AGM, which was originally scheduled to hold at Cyprian Ekwensi Cultural Centre eventually took place at the Raw Material Research and Development Council, Maitama. As usual, minutes of last AGM was read, matters arising from the minutes were discussed; the General Secretary’s report and those of the Treasurer and Auditor were also read. Issues like the ANA land in Abuja, which has been a court case, were discussed. The need for ANA chapters to submit their reports a few days to convention were also highlighted. Then all other discussions centred more or less on election campaigns. During his opening remarks, the president expressed his displeasure over the way “some faceless campaigners for membership of ANA EXCO” used text messages to insult him. He also took a long time explaining why the convention turned out the way it did, pointing finger at the LOC members. As a president, he said, he had done enough by loaning the LOC over N2 million to organize the event.

The LOC chairman equally took time to explain to the audience why they failed. It wasn’t his fault, he said. “The convention was well conceptualized, we had a credible team, the situation was that we had to execute the convention under stringent circumstances. Under the circumstances, I think we tried our best to ensure that the convention took place properly.” He said the problem was caused by lack of funds. “We were not able to get funds. In terms of cash, we got less than four hundred naira 48 hours to the convention. Niger State government promised us two million naira which they later said was one million. Till this moment they haven’t redeemed it. Professor Remi Raji promised us one million naira; all of these have not been redeemed. All we got were promises; it was on the basis of those promises that we accepted a loan from Dr. Agada. We succeeded in convincing him to part with the loan a day before the arrival of delegates… less than 24 hours to the arrival of delegates.” He added that Agada may likely not be paid back his loan because, “even as I’m talking to you we’ve not been able to convert those promises to cash.”

Ahmed Maiwada, who was a member of the LOC believes that the failure in securing sponsorship was as a result of the LOC’s reliance and confidence in funds from the federal government and many of its agencies. In an interview with this reporter, he said, “Several letters were signed by the Chairman and Secretary of Abuja chapter and sent to the presidency, CBN, the Senate President, a few ministries and government agencies. So much follow up was made, following the letters. But after raising much hope, the presidency was not forthcoming at all, and even cut off all communications with the Chairman. The CBN replied to indicate their apology due to lack of funds. There was no response from the other expected sources.”

Maiwada added that the matter was worsened by the fact that Agada himself was not forthcoming with his promise of using his contacts to assist in breaking the thick ice. “And so, the convention date had to be moved forward by one month, hoping that the situation would change. It never did till the second date fixed for the event fell through.”

Mr. Odoh Diego Okenyodo was initially the chairmn of the LOC, but he later resigned. Explaining his resignation, he said, “I resigned because ANA Abuja Chairman, Dr. Seyi Adigun, was bent on not running a transparent and accountable management of funds. He frustrated the account opening for the LOC and decided to print separate letterhead papers to send requests for funds without recourse to the LOC or me as LOC Chairman. I said I wouldn’t be a party to that and unfortunately, Dr. Jerry Agada couldn’t persuade Adigun to behave well.”

At last, the arguments were laid to rest to pave way for the other items on the agenda, which included electing the hosting chapter of the next convention, constituting the electoral committee and conducting the election. Akwa-Ibom State chapter won the hosting right in spite of the eloquent manner Odia Ofeimun, former president of ANA, and the Lagos ANA chapter chairman campaigned for the Lagos hosting.

This was followed by the nomination of electoral umpires. Dr. May Ifeoma Nwoye and Professor Olu Obafemi emerged members of the electoral committee, with Professor Sam Okala as the chairman. Thereafter, the EXCO was dissolved and the election held.

The electoral Tsunami was quite unprecedented as almost all the members of the executive lost their seats. The usual courtesy of allowing the incumbent EXCO members ‘automatic’ second term was completely jettisoned. Agada was knocked down with three votes. Professor Remi Raji got 114 votes while he got 111. For the post of Vice President, Denja Abdullahi beat Sunnie Ododo 113 - 100, while BM Dzukogi got 123 votes to defeat Hyacinth Obunseh and Jare Ajayi.

The post of Assistant Secretary went to Tanko Okoduwa while PRO North and PRO South went to Richard Ugbede Ali and Greg Mbajorgu, respectively. The new Finacial Secretary is Chinyere Iwuana Obi-Obasi and the Treasurer is Joy Esuku. Hyeladzira Balami and Ahmed Maiwada were elected unopposed, to the posts of Auditor and Legal Adviser, respectively. Ex-officios are; Binta Spikin, Ngozi Chuma Udeh, Sunday Afolayan and Hyacinth Obunseh.

In an interview with this reporter shortly after the election, Agada described the exercise as very interesting. “The election was very good, very interesting. It has been keenly fought and won. And I’m happy that I went down fighting to the best of my ability,” he said.

He, however, observed that the election wasn’t quite free and fair. “I saw my agent there; he was complaining. He said during the counting he saw that Professor Olu Obafemi picked two or three ballot papers at a time. So he was protesting that they should recount, but they refused. He protested to everybody; he sent text to Odia Ofeimun and to me, he met Professor Sam Okala, but he said no, he is not re-counting.” In his characteristic manner, he added, “But no problem, I’m not complaining,” and pledged to work with the new EXCO for the success of the association. “You know, like I said in my speech at the AGM, ANA is something that I have passion for, ANA is in my blood. It is even now that I will work harder for ANA, if they come to me for anything.”

He also advised the EXCO to shun acrimony, which according to him, was displayed in the course of campaigning, and be receptive to ideas from other members so that together ANA would be moved to greater height.

The new president described his victory as a revelation of the need for change. “It is a revelation and I think it came at a time that everybody needed that change. It was a hard fought battle; the first of its kind in the history of ANA over thirty years. I thank and give appreciation to all those who believe that we are capable of leading ANA in this crucial time.”

On the question of whether the election was free and fair or not, Raji said Agada “can’t claim irregularity” because it was he who “brought in students to vote for him.” He, however, pledged to carry everyone along. “We welcome the support of everyone, we can’t ostracize anyone.”

After the inauguration of the new EXCO, the convention lost direction again. The dinner/awards ceremony originally scheduled to take place from 7 pm at NICON Luxury Hotel, Garki, didn’t hold there. In fact, most of the delegates, including Agada, were roaming the premises of the hotel looking for dinner tables when someone called that the event had been shifted to Sheraton Hotel and Towers.

By the time delegates got to Sheraton, everyone was fagged out. The stress was exacerbated by the rowdiness of the place. Foods were set, but the hall was like a market place - in fact, a ship without a captain. There was no such thing as opening prayers or remarks by the new president. No one expected the usual musical interlude and the scheduled address by the Guest Speaker, Dr. Babangida Muazu Aliyu, governor of Niger State. Because even the announcement of winners of ANA prizes, which is usually the main reason for the dinner, was not done!

The drama reached a crescendo when some delegates, on getting back to their hotels, were held hostage by the hotel management on the ground that the accommodation bills had not been paid. Narrating her experience, Binta Spikin, who was among those lodged at Sa’abhi Hotel, in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, said, “The most unpleasant experience was when we came back to our hotel after dinner to meet our rooms locked up. We were prevented from entering because, according to the management of the hotel, the accommodation fee was not paid. They prevented us from even carrying our belongings from the rooms. We were held hostage till after 1 am.”

In the case of those who were lodged in Amazak Hotel, in Mararaba, they were allowed to have a restful night. The trouble began in the morning when they were set to depart. While the Delta State chapter delegates managed to escape by leaving very earlier in the morning, Katsina State delegates were not so lucky. The gates were shut as they made to drive out in their bus. They were held hostage for hours before the new president and his team came to their rescue. Similar ugly incidents took place in virtually all the hotels where delegates were lodged.

For many of the delegates, the convention was quite a harrowing experience. The only saving grace, according to Odia Ofeimun, was that it produced “a new executive that appears to have enough self-respect not to accept business as usual – a generational change in leadership that I hope would have the courage and creativity to move from the recent ineptitude and build upon the abandoned ambitions of the founding fathers and mothers of ANA”. He advised the new EXCO to ensure that the association is refocused. “We need to return to having a proper secretariat, serious programming that rates literature above the personal grubbing for personal property by ANA chieftains. It is time to make the Writers’ Village a reality beyond the incompetent projection of those angling to sell part of the ANA land in Abuja to feather partial interests against present and future generations.”

Labo Yari, one of the trustees of ANA, also advised ANA members to be less partisan and concentrate more on issues that would enhance their creativity. “It is like these days people join ANA only to become members of the EXCO. This is wrong because there is no reason why a writer should be so concerned about positions in the EXCO. We should concentrate on writing; we should concentrate on discussing the problems of writers.” He further admonished that only chapters who are ready to host the annual convention should bid for it, to avoid a repeat of the Abuja experience.

ANA Prize winners

The list of the winners of this year’s ANA prizes was later sent to the press by the new Secretary General. According the Jury, a total of 137 entries across nine categories spanning the genres of poetry, drama and prose for were received for the Awards. The entries were received from writers resident both in Nigeria and abroad. Several entries were published abroad, some of them dealing with the experience of migrant Nigerians. The winning entries are as follows:

1. ANA/NDDC Flora Nwapa Prize for Women’s Writing (N100,000) – Twilight at Terracotta Indigo by Umari Ayim.

2. ANA/JACARANDA Prize for Prose (N50,000) – Sieged by Adamu Kyuka Usman.

3. ANA/Chevron Prize for Prose on Environmental Issues ($2,000). In the case of this category, even established writers did not send in entries that agree with the criteria for environmental writing. Only one merits being shortlisted. The award goes to: The Poacher’s Daughter by J. C. Agunwamba.

4. ANA/NDDC Ken Saro-Wiwa Prize For Prose (N100,000) - The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin.

5. ANA/NDDC Gabriel Okara Prize for Poetry (N100,000). No award is made. However, three entries merit honorable mention. These are: The Ant Eaters by Kufre Ekanem, Colourless Rainbow: Poetry of My Childhood by Senator Ihenyen and My River by C. Otobotekere.

6. ANA/James Ene Henshaw Prize for Playwriting (N150,000). Nine entries were received; 3 published and 6 unpublished. The winning entry is The Scent of Crude Oil by Eni Jologho Umuko.

7. ANA/NDDC JP Clark Prize for Drama (N100,000). 22 entries were received. The winning entry is Ogidi Mandate by Olu Obafemi .

8. ANA/Cadbury Prize for Poetry ($1,000). 15 entries received. The Beauty I Have Seen by Tanure Ojaide won the prize.

9. ANA/Esiaba Irobi Prize for Playwriting (N50,000) Five entries received. Only one is merits being shortlisted. The award goes to: Casket of Her Dreams by Isaac Attah Ogezi.

The judges for these adult categories were: Professor Chidi T. Maduka, University of Port Harcourt, Professor Victor S. Dugga, University of Jos, Mrs. Maria Ajima, and Benue State University, and Dr. Obododimma Oha, University of Ibadan.

CHILDREN’S CATEGORY

The team of judges comprises Dr. E. E. Sule of the University of Abuja, as the Chairman, Poet John Asiedu Sarpong of Kaduna, and Professor Virginia Dike of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

According to the chairman, “We were impressed with the quality of work as compared to last year’s entries. In addition to written expression, the themes and content are more appropriate and suitable for children of Nigeria. The physical quality of the published titles is also commendable. Together, there were 24 titles in all the categories of four.” The winning entries are as follows:

ANA/Atiku Abubakar Prize for Children’s Literature – Preye and the Sea of Plastics by Fatima Akilu, and Mayowa and the Masquerade by Lola Shoneyin are joint winners for the prize.

ANA/Funtime for Children (Prose) – Jide Meets a Ghost by Spencer Okoroafor.

ANA/Lantern Books Prize for Children’s Fiction – Chijike by Chinyere Obi-Obasi.

ANA/Mazariyya Prize – No shortlist because of insufficient entries, so there is no winner for the prize.

(c) Reported By SUMAILA UMAISHA and published in the 10/12/11 edition of New Nigerian newspaper.

Making the 30th ANA convention memorable

2011-11-28T11:14:00.001+01:00

As the International Convention of the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, draws near, the General Secretary of the association, Mr. Hyacinth Obunseh, in this interview with SUMAILA UMAISHA, speaks on the prepaprations so far. He also speaks on the efforts of the present EXCO to re-posotion the association, calling on members to re-elect them at the convention for a second term in order to complete what they started.

NNW: ANA convention is 30th of this month; how far have you gone with preparations?

Hyacinth Obunseh: Indeed the ANA 30th International Annual Convention is on hand. We have continued to work hard with the Local Branch/Organising Committee to make the celebration a memorable one.

What are the activities lined up for the occasion?

We have an extra day added to our usual four days, to make five. We will have our usual cocktail on arrival, opening ceremony, convention drama, site seeing, plenary sessions, dinner/awards ceremony and then for a change we are bringing a musical group from one of our branches to entertain members. One or two other innovations.

How has it been in terms of funding?

Funding as usual has been our headache! You will recall that the convention should have taken place already, but for funding, which necessitated the Abuja branch to request a shift in date to enable them get some more funds. It has been as bad as always, but we are weathering the storm.

Being the 30th convention, in what way is this one going to be special?

One or two ways, as I have said earlier. We have an extra day added, we have a musical band coming, and then one or two other things we will keep to ourselves for now.

It is also election convention, any possibilty that your team will be given a second term?

Well, the voting members will decide that. On our part, we have served and are willing to serve another two years, finish up the things we started or are about to start, like the Writers Village. We have explained the reasons for the ‘seeming’ inertia. In the end, we have high hopes that the electorate will give us another two years.

There are allegations that the exco’s performance over the two years has not been impressive. What do you say to this?

Well, if one says our first two years in office is not impressive, then it behoves him to be specific. We delivered on our campaign manifesto, except on the ANA land development which we could not have done anything about, seeing that the matter had not been disposed of in the court. As you may well know, judgement will be given on the matter on 29th November. If we are being compared to our predecessors in office, then one would have to look at the financial burden they passed on to us. It was not easy for them either, which is what led to their leaving such financial debt behind.

What problems have you been facing in administering the association?

The same that practically all previous administrations faced! Funding for our projects. There is a general literary arts funding aparthy out there! We have good projects lined up and seeking funds to prosecute, but funds are not forthcoming!

What do you have to say to ANA members regarding your quest for re-election and the convention generally?

Aha! Dear colleagues, in the last two years, my colleagues and I have given of our time and resources to make our dear association better. There are so much we planned to do from the onset, that we have not been able to do yet, due to constraints. After two years, we are in the best position to lead ANA to a better day. Two more years and we would work with the new friends we just made, the old ones that came on board, and the governments (states) we have managed to woo to our side. The world economic recession is not affecting the national body alone, it is also affecting the branches. Take a look at your local branch and you will see that in the last two years, you achieved little, if anything. We want to serve you for another two years and leave with our heads held up high, knowing that we are leaving behind a stronger and better Association.

Remi Raji posed to re-write ANA’s history

2011-11-28T11:00:00.001+01:00

PROFESSOR ADEREMI RAJI-OYELADE a.k.a. Remi Raji is a well known name in the community of writers and academics, having authored a number of creative pieces and critical works in the areas of literary theory, African and African American Literatures, popular culture and creative writing. The Professor of English and African Literature at the University of Ibadan has served as Publicity Secretary, Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Oyo State chapter of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA. He has also been Editor of the Association’s yearly journal, ANA Review. Now he wants to be the president of the association. In this interview with SUMAILA UMAISHA, he speaks on the forthcoming ANA election holding at the international conference of the association coming up on 30th November, 2011, which he hopes will usher him to the exalted seat. He also speaks on the problems of ANA and how he intends to tackle them when he eventually gets the seat.

NNS: Tell us briefly about yourself.

Remi Raji: My name is Remi Raji, which is a simple reduction of my formal name – Aderemi Raji-Oyelade. I was born in Ibadan in 1961 to a family of artisans and farmers, extended from one of the major progenitors of the huge war-camp by the Savannah which lends its name to the city. I had primary and secondary education in both Islamic and Christian mission schools and completed my Higher School Certificate in 1981 at the prestigious Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo. That same year, I entered the University of Ibadan to study English with secondary interests in Communication and Theatre Arts. I graduated with a Second Class Upper degree in 1984, a Master of Art in Literature in 1986, and a PhD in 1994 from the same University. I have been a lecturer since then, teaching, researching and publishing in the areas of literary theory, African and African American Literatures, popular culture and creative writing. I became a full Professor of English and African Literature in 2007.

I have edited or guest-edited, co-edited over ten books, and published five collections of poetry apart of other appearances in journals, e-journals, and literary festivals in Africa, Europe and America.

What prompted you to decide to contest for the post of president of ANA?

A time comes when a man sits and reflects on his work, his interests, his legacy and his value in society. A time comes when you begin to query your own significance vis-a-vis the more enduring project of the literary tradition to which you belong. I reflected on the drift, negative I will say, in the direction of the Association of Nigerian Authors to which I belong. At the local level, I have served as Publicity Secretary, Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Oyo State chapter of ANA; I have also been Editor of the Association’s yearly journal, called ANA Review; and I have been a communiqué writer for the 2004 Congress in Lokoja, as well as co-editor of the collection of short stories to commemorate the 2008 Congress in Minna. Those were tangential and secondary works for the association at the national level.

I have been an unacknowledged or non-commissioned critic of the activities of ANA over time, believing that we are running half-steam at a certain time, believing that we have not been able to harness and exploit all our God-given talents to serve ANA and put it where it rightly belongs in the scheme of art administration, not only in Nigeria but also on the African continent. More recently, I shudder at the grim fact that ANA has suffered real inactivity. So if we complained of running half-steam some years ago, we are talking of running without feet, and flying without wings at the present time. No well-meaning member of ANA who is capable of delivering should sit down and watch the gallery of inertia and anarchy continues.

This was what prompted me to contest for the post of the President of ANA, believing that I have garnered enough experience over the years to deliver, believing that I have associated with the best minds in creative writing/arts administration all over the world to know what to do. We do have the main elements – an eager youth willing to do well if they get the right direction and encouragement. I want to do that, not alone, but with others who believe in my abilities.

Do you think you know much about the workings of ANA to be able to solve its problems?

As I said earlier, it does not take much to know the workings and the problems of association like ANA, but it does demand so much to be able to know how to solve the problems. The problem currently is that those at the helms of affairs of ANA do not think there is a problem. I have been a member of ANA National since 1988 to know enough about these problems. But even those who are new members, not more than five years in the fold know the problems.

Then would you say are the main problems of ANA?

We have the problem of identity; we have the problem of definition; we have the problem of interest and focus; and indeed, we have one problem that everybody knows, that is the problem of funding. But these other problems which I have identified apart from that of funding are very crucial to the body politic of ANA. We have lost track of the main agenda set forth by Chinua Achebe and his other colleagues at the formation of the association. I am sorry to say that there are many real writers who are no longer part of ANA because of our loss of focus, and because the chicanery laundered by those who have no business being in the loft of the house of writing in the first place. What makes a writer? What are the requisites for a writing tradition, and who should be involved in the administration of a writers’ body? What are the benefits of a writers’ association for the upcoming as well as established author? These are main issues which the current leaders in ANA National have failed to address.

Are you sure you can win the election considering the fact that the incumbent excos still have a term to go?

I am told that there are smses flying around from their stable begging and pleading for a second term, to consolidate on what has been done in the past two years. That enough sounds like an insult to the imagination of a true writer. You cannot consolidate on nothing, nor can you build something on nothing, except if you are in the fictional world of castle-building. Whether I can win the election is actually immaterial. What I have done in the past one year, consistently, is to bring the matter of the state of ANA to public glare. Very few people actually want to discuss it, that we have a secretariat that has been overly corrupted, that we have a presidency that is ineffectual and half-hearted and politicised, that nothing holds at the centre and therefore it has been a free fall of things in the house of writing. It is indeed sad. As for winning the election, I can.

What is your level of preparations for the election?

Let me just say here that I have reached out to all members of ANA in all the state chapters letting them know my intentions, reasons and plans for ANA within the next two years. The electorate will decide. The rest waits till when we get to the venue of the election in Abuja.

Now, specifically, how do you intend to solve the problems when you are elected?

I have noted three major matters to address when elected as President of ANA. We are going to focus on Outreach, Mentoring and Advocacy as a matter of urgency and strategy. Outreach will involve connecting with other organisations related to our own interests, governmental parastatals, corporate organisations, the civil society in need of literary support and collaboration; it is from these that we hope to re-launch ANA. We will also reach out to our potential audience, in secondary and tertiary institutions in hope that we will find market as well as recruits for another generation of Nigerian literatures.

We will make it a rule to get each state chapter to create a Mentor-Author twinning programme in a way that younger writers will benefit by association to ANA. Besides this, we will address the issue of the identity of the writer as member of ANA because we have different cadres of membership – full, associate, honorary and life memberships. We are going to find a place for the younger ones to occupy, although I am aware that one or two state chapters are already ahead in this. We will tap into this.

Also, in the area of Advocacy, we want the voice of ANA to be distinct in the matter of national development; we want to contribute immensely, as writers, as constructive critics, as imaginative people to the literary tradition and by extension we want to mean more than mere decimals in the matter of representations in our country’s culture and information industry.

What do you have to say to ANA members regarding your candidacy?

To the constituency of writers, I offer myself to serve. I am not hesitant in offering myself. I have well thought-out the demands, and the sacrifice of service. So I depend on the vote of every member of the association, from Maiduguri to Asaba, from Lagos to Sokoto, from Kano, Kaduna to Port-Harcourt, from Owerri to Lokoja, and from Makurdi to Abuja. I want all of us to converge in Abuja and use our God-given intelligence as writers, to re-write the history of ANA on its thirtieth anniversary.

FJA joins the race for ANA EXCO membership

2011-11-28T10:52:00.001+01:00

FRIDAY JOHN ABBA, former chairman of Kaduna State chapter of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, is a well known name in the Nigerian literary circle for his radical comments on how ANA should be run. Several members of the association have always challenged him to be part of the national exco if he is serious about changing it. Now he is taking up the challenge, contesting for the post of Assistant General Secretary in the election holding at the International Convention of the association this weekend. In this interview with SUMAILA UMAISHA, he reveals his reasons for contesting and his priorities for ANA.

Q: Who is Friday John Abba?
ANS: I was born on the 2nd day of May 1969. That day happened to be a Friday and, so for reasons which I am still trying to figure out, I am called Friday. I was born in Kaduna but soon my civil servant father had to move with us to Nguru, in Yobe State. I had my first taste of formal education at Kasungula Primary School, Nguru. After leaving primary school, I got admitted into the prestigious Nigerian Military School, Zaria (NMS) for my secondary education before going on to study Computer Science at the Kaduna Polytechnic. I worked as a soldier in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State for a while as demanded by my training in NMS. Later I joined the services of Nigerian Tobacco Company which later transmuted into Brittish-American Tobacco Company.

I have been involved with the Rotary International. I became the president of a Rotaract Club at the age of 18 and went on to become the District Rotaract Representative, the highest position a Rotaract member could attain. I was responsible for over a hundred clubs in 19 states and that gave me the opportunity to travel across the country, understanding the people, their cultures, their pains and their triumphs and also identifying ways through which people’s lives could be made better. I joined the Rotary club of Zaria-city and became the president in 2005.

I have been involved severally with government and other agencies. In 2006, I was one of 24 chosen from across Africa to fine tune the Protocol setting up the Peace and Security Council of the African Union.

I have since left the services of the tobacco company to start my own concern. First it was House of Abba publishing but this was truncated by my 9months detention in 2007. Today, I have set up Wright Words Consulting, a firm that works with writers to make their manuscripts publishable and to help identify certain other imperatives that make for successful publishing. I also serve on the Board of the Centre for Community Relief Initiatives (CCRI) as the Director of Research and Publications.

I have been involved in literary activities since my days at the polytechnic when I took time every Thursday to meet with the Creative Writers’ Club of the Ahmadu Bello University. I joined the Kaduna Writers’s League where I served as editor for 4years and later served as Vice Chairman and Chairman. I joined the Association of Nigerian Authors in 2001 and have served as Editor of my branch. Today I am the immediate past Chairman of the Kaduna State Branch of the Association of Nigerian Authors.

I am primarily a prose writer and my works have been published severally in anthologies and through other media.

This, I guess, summarizes Friday John Abba.

Why do you want to contest for the post of Assistant General Secretary?

Shortly before the last elections, I wrote about what I thought was an ineffectual election. I looked at the way we ran our campaigns and realized that we were not addressing issues. And the most fundamental of these issues is the structure of the association. I wondered back then, as I do now if any magician could come and build on what is known to have basic structural defects. And like I wrote back then, and still believe, we have to look at the very foundation of the association and work to correct the defects that have inhibited our growth as individual writers and as an organization.

Sometimes I wonder at the fact that all a writer in this country can manage is a paltry print-run of a thousand copies, two third of which end up in shelves that never get visited. I wonder why with a population of about a hundred and sixty seven million people, the Nigerian writer cannot capture just a percentage or 1.6 million. I read about a hundred books each year and I see things. We must address these concerns and I think that my inclusion on the National Exco will enhance my sharing of ideas with the others to chart a course for the Nigerian writer and ANA.

What makes you think you can win?

I really do not see it as a win or lose thing. I think that anyone who has taken the step I am taking does it in an altruistic way. The most important thing here is the association and how we can make it better. If the electorate - and this is an enlightened electorate - see in me their dreams and aspirations then I will definitely be elected. I really think that the Nigerian writer has the capacity to move mountains but we must address the fundamental issues that have held us down here. Through the years I have made my thoughts known to other writers and I am sure that they will also agree that my voice will be of more effect as a member of the Exco.

What will be your priority when you win?

My primary role if elected will be to assist the General Secretary. But beyond this I think that priorities must be the synergy of the workings of the group. Every individual comes with the ideas that will make the association grow and the group prioritizes these ideas. As a member of the Exco, I will endevour to always insist on prioritizing the welfare of the Nigerian writer because the organization is the sum of the individual members. In ANA today, members cannot even pay the paltry five thousand naira annual dues. And come to think of it how many writers net five thousand naira annually from their literary activities in Nigeria? I think that if we address some of these challenges, ANA will grow with its members.

Another area we have neglected is the need to strengthen the state branches of the association. I have always maintained that the effectiveness of ANA lies with the branches. Strong branches will inevitably result in a strong body. This I think, we must look at very seriously.
How prepared are you for the election?

As a matter of fact, I have been a little unprepared in respect of developing the Politian-style campaign. I have spent all the time thinking strategies to make the association better. But I know the people I have chosen to serve. They are intellectuals with the capacity to see beyond the cheap antics of politics and I am sure that the other contestants are aware of these facts. However, I am still getting across to members across the country and sharing my thoughts with them.

What is your message to the electorate?

ANA can be better. Writers in Nigeria can have their books read and they can make a lot of money from their works. And on the election, we must live above petit sentiments and elect into office those who will work with us to make our dreams come true.

Your advice to other contestants

I respect your decisions to run for the various offices and I know that your decisions are borne out of genuine concern for the association. We are not politicians, we are intellectuals who are seeking to make our trade worth the while. We must not allow other considerations to destroy that which we have struggled to keep alive for thirty years.

Niger holds the First National Literary Colloquium in grand style

2011-11-28T10:15:00.001+01:00

Chief Servant receiving letter of appreciation (in which the Writers' Village is named after him) from Gimba

Children performing at the ocassion

The fact that Niger State is fast becoming the headquarters of Nigerian literature was re-confirmed last week with the state government’s hosting of the First Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, MBA, National Literary Colloquium. The event, which marked the 56th birthday of the Executive Governor of the state, popularly known as the Chief Servant, took place last Saturday at Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre, Minna, under the Chairmanship of Professor Abubakar Rasheed, Vice Chancellor, Bayero University, Kano. It was held under the theme ‘Building Intellectual Power to Fix Nigeria’ and the Guest Speaker was Odia Ofeimun, social critic, writer and journalist.

Highlights of the occasion were musical and poetry performances, paper presentation, discussions on the paper and literary parley.

The grand event began with the national anthem beautifully rendered by the students of Government Secondary School, Minna. This was followed by the first segment of the performances with renditions by Great Kids Musical Perfomers, poetry performance by Saddiq Dzukogi, Jimoh Olawale and cultural display by the stundents of Government Girls Secondary School, Minna.

After the scintillating performances, a welcome address was presented by the initiator and host of the event, Professor Muhammad Kuta Yahaya, Chief of Staff, Niger State. In the address, Professor Kuta explained that the event was aimed at giving Nigerians the platform to share ideas on social regeneration. Stressing the fact that no meaningful development could take place without a proper intellectual foundation, he said the Chief Servant has resolved to promote literature in order to ensure an enduring development.

In the same vein, the chairman of the occasion, Professor Rasheed, observed that intellectual power is the main driving force of most developed countries, and commended the Chief Servant for his vision and foresight.

The second segment of the performances featured musical presentation titled ‘Talban Minna, We Love You’ by Amad O, poetry performance by Professor Karen King Aribisala and a dazzling dance by a Nupe cultural group.

This was followed by the presentation of appreciation letter to the Chief Servant by Alhaji Abubakar on behalf of the Niger State Chapter of ANA for his donation of 23 hectare of land to the association to build writers’ resort. There was a brief citation on the Chief Servant, read by the Master of Ceremony, Benjamin Ubiri, and then the main item of the event – paper presentation on the theme of the event by the Guest Speaker, Odia Ofeimun.

Speaking on the topic, Building Intellectual Power to Fix Nigeria, Ofeimun observed that the literary achievements recorded since Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu assumed office as the Executive Governor of Niger State in 2007 surpasses the achievements attained by any state in Nigeria. The free education policy of the state government, he said, was a step in the right direction worthy of emulation by other state governments.

Odia also spoke extensively on the national language question, stressing that conscious effort must be made to develop the Nigerian indigenous language if meaningful development is to be achieved. He said language is instrumental to the people’s way of thinking and acting and that unless the people’s mentality is domesticated through reading and writing in indigenous languages they will continued to think and act like the Whiteman in circumstances that require local solutions. Nigerians must do away with colonial mentality because, according to him, the world is at the stage it was in the colonial era and “we must be on guard and fashion out the best indigenous way of defining our political and socio-economic entity.”

These point were subsequently summised by the discussants – Dr. Salihu Bappa, of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Dr. Vicky Sylvester and Dr. E. E. Sule of the University of Abuja.

The session was rounded off with speech by the Chief Servant, in which he expressed appreciation for the impressive attendance.

The literary parley segment, which began from 4.15 pm, featured six sessions. The first session, comprising three panelists; Ahmed Maiwada, Jumoke Verissimo, Dr. E. E. Sule and Akeem Lasisi, and moderated by Alkasim Abdulkadir, focused on the definition of poetry. The second session centred on the arts for art’s sake proposition, the third session discussed the future of writing in indigenous language in Nigeria.

The other three sessions featured the art of literary criticism, the fate of drama in modern literature and publishing in the digital age, respectively.

The event came to an end around 10 pm with a mouth-watering dinner.

The Umaisha Dialogues goes to press!

2011-10-28T11:05:00.002+01:00

At last the first of the four volumes of my interviews with Nigerian authors, The Umaisha Dialogues, has gone to press! The volume, which features new Nigerian writers like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Remi Raji, Toni Kan, Jude Dibia, BM Dzukogi, Razinat Muhammed, Ibrahim Sheme and Sefi Atta, will be available at the International Conference of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, taking place from 30th November, 2011, in Abuja.

***

Comments on the book

This first volume of Umaisha’s series of interviews with writers celebrates the achievements of some of the best among new Nigerian writers. The interviews are interesting, perceptive, witty and sometimes critically illuminating, presenting succinctly useful information about the writers, their backgrounds and their works. The book is a landmark publication - one of the best in its field...

Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Ph.D.
Award-winning writer & Professor of English
University of Lagos.

Umaisha has done what most critics should learn to do, let the writer speak for himself/herself – guide the writer by all means with artful, thoughtful questions, but don’t pretend that your own views and quarrels are the writers’… Apart from the interviews themselves, Umaisha has thoughtfully provided for each writer a bibliography, a brief biography, a picture, and a brief excerpt, thus making this not only a valuable pedagogical tool for our schools, but also a timely historical document… We can point at any of the authors covered here and say, he or she became a writer for so and so reason; or he or she wrote this particular book at this moment in his or her life...

Helon Habila
Caine Prize winner.

Shehu Sani’s recipe for peaceful co-existence

2011-09-20T11:26:00.001+01:00

To say the security situation in Nigeria has reached an alarming rate is to understate the obvious. For, unlike the recent past when only some parts of the country were identified with incessant crises, everywhere across the country today is either in crisis or sitting on a time bomb that might soon explode. In fact, sensitive crisis-prone issues are being toyed with on daily basis by both government and individuals without regard to the fact that lives and property are being lost to preventable and senseless violence. While the causes of the widespread bloodshed could be traced to many factors, the major root-causes are, ironically, religion, politics and ethnicity, which are supposed to be unifying factors. Specific examples are the recent post-election violence that engulfed most parts of the Northern part of the country, the Boko Haram saga, which has claimed many lives and the Plateau State ethno-religious crisis which has refused to go away. Only recently there were cases of bomb blasts and attacks on some villages, claiming innocent lives, including women and children.

This is no doubt a cause for concern. It is no wonder, therefore, that well-meaning Nigerians have expressed their concern. Some have even gone a step further to produce books that would sensitise the public on the need for peaceful co-existence irrespective of ethnic, political or religious differences. One of such concerned Nigerians is Comrade Shehu Sani, the renowned human rights activist and writer. In the past few years the president of the Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria has produced close to twenty books dealing with this contentious subject-matter. He has written and published works on this theme in all the genres of literature; poetry, prose, drama and essay. The latest addition to his relentless fight against violent crisis in Nigeria is a children’s book titled The Children of Jos.

The work, which is aimed at educating children on the issues of peace and is distributed free to children in Jos, is not the usual run of children’s book where acquisition of language skill is the main focus. As the author himself pointed out in the introductory part of the book, the motivation for writing the book is to inculcate in the children the ethics of peace building and good neighbourliness, serving as their brothers’ keepers and vanguards of peace.

To this effect, the 120-page book is roughly divided into seven sections. The preliminary pages comprise Introduction, Motivation, What is Peace? Why Do We Need Peace? Who Can Promote Peace? When there is No Peace? Who are Those That Hate Peace? The topics span from page i to vii. They are treated briefly (each occupying just a page) in essay form and in simple language that could be easily comprehended by children of school age. The introductory pages are obviously meant to serve two purposes – to serve as a teacher’s guide and to introduce the child to the aims and objectives of the reading exercise.

The main body of the book consists of quotations on peace from famous personalities like Thomas Jefferson, coloured illustrations on effects of violent crisis on adults and children and quotations from scriptures; the Bible, the Qur’an and Hadith. While each of the quotes by famous figures and the nearly full-page illustration (with caption) occupy every left-side page, each quotation from scripture, which actually form the main body of the work, takes the right-side (equally coloured) page. This segment covers page 1 to 94.

From 95 to 118, the book features photographs of historical personalities like Mahatma Ghandi on the left-side page and their statements on the left-side page. Then the remaining two pages (119 to 120) feature the letter of Prophet Muhammad, S.A.W, to King Negus of Ethiopia and quotation from Qur’an chapter 29 verse 46, where Allah says to the people of the book, Christians and Jews, that “Our God and your God is one and it is to Him we bow in Islam”.

Among the outstanding quotes from the scripture are:

Let the peace of

Christ rule

in your heart

(Colossian 3;15).

Faith is a

restraint against
all violence,

Let no mu’min

commit violence

(Hadith)

These are on page 6 and 8, respectively.

Outstanding quotes from historic figures include “A person is a person because he recognises others as persons” by Desmond Tutu, page 114; “We seek peace, knowing that peace is the climate of freedom” by Wight D. Eisenhower, page 63; and “You can’t shake hands with clenched fist” by Indira Gandhi, page 53.

The strength of this book lies not just in its content, which fulfils all the requirement of children’s literature, but its topical nature. This, like the author’s other books, has come at the right time when all hands should be on deck to reverse the dangerous trend that is threatening to wipe out the entire nation. The target of the book is also quite timely because children, as they say, are the leaders of tomorrow. Catching them young will, therefore, go a long way in ensuring a peaceful future. The book is a must-read, especially as a supplementary study material on for pupils and students. Even adults can gain from the rich harvest of this masterpiece.

Reviewed by Sumaila Umaisha.

Agabi’s gripping tale out f school

2011-09-20T11:07:00.001+01:00

Sumaila Umaisha’s review of Chinyere Agabi’s The Survivor, published by FirstBorn Sevices Partner (2011); pages - 200.

Dr. Chinyere Agabi’a new book, The Survivor, is a children’s story based on a teenager’s struggle for admission and subsequent strive the school. In order words, it is an interesting story on the challenges faced by the teenager, Blessing, in the course of her seeking for admission, her eventual success in gaining admission and the further challenges she had to contend with in the process of her studies. With Blessing’s success at the end of the story, the author makes a powerful statement on the fact that hard work pays and nothing good comes easy.
As a children’s story, the 200- page book is full of moral lessons. But the lessons are not just for children but adults as well, as it is also critical of some societal vices perpetrated in the adult world with dire consequences on both grown-ups and children.
The novel is divided into sixteen chapters, with the first chapters dealing with Blessing’s quest for admission, the middle chapters focusing on her life in the campus and the last chapters highlighting the culmination of her efforts in resounding academic success at the end of her studies.
The moral and philosophical statements come subtly in a simple narration that holds the reader from the very first page to the last. The lessons range from the consequences of ‘unserious’ behaviours which we often neglect but which have far-reaching effects on our lives to some obviously bad behaviours. Examples of these could be seen in virtually all the pages of the book. For instance, on page 3, Blessing is advised against biting her fingernails. “It is not healthy to bite your nails all the time. If you continue at this rate you’ll soon have no fingers to bite from,” the man had whispered into my ear. It was at this point I realized that I had been nibbling at my nails.
On page 24 is another moral lesson where Blessing entrusted her fate in the hands of God as Musa tries to rape her: “Oh God, is this the path you want me to follow? Is this why you delayed my university admission, so that I become desperate enough for men like Mr. Musa to take advantage of me, using the UME admission letter to entrap me?” As I went into communion with God in my heart, Mr. Musa’s voice became distant. “God this is your test and not mine. Whatever happens today between Mr. Musa and me, I accept as having your divine approval.” The fact that Musa eventually decided against carrying out his evil plan shows the strength of her faith and underlines the potency of good moral upbringing.
The author’s principles of life are also reflected in many instatnces in the book. One can see how dishonesty could boomerang when least expected. A typical case is that of Rosaline who changed the score in her English from F9 to F8 in order to gain admission. She actually got the admission, but just as she is concluding her studies, the forged result is discovered and she is summarily dismissed. And she laments: “I will go and tell my parents the truth. What makes it so painful is that I have worked very hard at my studies these past four years. And I have made very good grades without cheating at any exam. Now, in spite of all that, I’m going home empty-handed, without a degree…” (page 101).
Though a children’s story, The Survivor is also a kind of protest against the ills of the society, especially the failures of our leaders. The author talks about the ‘clumsiness of our postal servants’ on page 13, and how Blessing nearly lost her virginity to Musa, an officer at the exam office in exchange for an admission letter. The decay is everywhere including the academic environment where academics are expected to live above board. A typical case is that of lack of electricity and water on the campus due to the neglect and corruption on the part of the school authority.
“Wake-up Delta girls! We are tired of reading with candle lights! We are tired of carrying buckets on our heads in search of water! We are tired of bathing with water from stagnant pools. We cannot write any exams under this condition. The University Authority must do something about this or else…” (page 61). This is the battle cry of one of the students as they go on rampage. And in response to the protest, the problem is resolved without further delay! This is a true reflection of the Nigerian situation where government would, for instance, not do the right thing unless workers go on strike or threaten to strike. This style, which is generally referred to as ‘fire-brigade approach’ is the bane of our nation, and as implied in this moving, topical story, the situation will continue unabated as long as the leadership remains insensitive to the plight of the masses.
The problem of cultism in the campus as portrayed in Chapter Eight is also a sad comment on the prevailing situation in the country. Ebere is so intimidated by an unknown member of a campus cult that she had to drop out of school. Everyone was afraid of accusing anyone, because it was in the era of campus cultism, an era of anyhow behaviour, and no one was sure of who was who, or who could do what. It was an era in which everyone was afraid of anyone who talked anyhow or behaved anyhow. Ebere did not report any of these threats to anyone or the University officials, probably because she was not sure of who was who or who did what. She rather chose to drop out of school… (page 96 – 97).
The spiritual undercurrent in the story has greatly heightened the philosophical perspective of the narration. There are so many instances where God is mentioned in relation to man’s destiny. When, for instance, Blessing escaped from being raped by Musa, she said, …I came to the understanding that God had really intervened in my favour. (page 27). In another incident where she narrowly escaped a lecturer’s threat to fail her if she didn’t succumb to his amorous moves, she again attributed it to God’s favour: I went through the list carefully and saw that all the courses were correctly entered, including Dr. Asha’s courses, I made the sign of the cross and exclaimed: “God, I thank you!” (page 136).
What makes the author’s statements convincing and appealing is the fact that they are expertly crafted in compelling literary devices like imagery, allusion, irony, humour and appropriate characterization. The behaviour of Blessing, the main character, is so human that one cannot but believe in the reality of her situation. She is portrayed as a well brought up girl, God-fearing and determined to succeed. In spite of her strength of character, however, she nearly fell prey to the machinations of a lecturer, Tony, who promised to marry her. This goes to show how human she is, thus, enhacing the credibility of the story.
Glaring samples of the use of literary techniques include the allusion to the ‘pound of flesh’ (pages 5-6) in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, and imagery of ‘deflated balloon’ page (8). All these helped to reinforce her appealing style of telling serious tales in a humorous manner.
Being a children’s story writer, the author uses simple and comprehensible language laced with both familiar and new words that would add to the readers’ vocabulary. She also used pidgin English to give the story some local colour.
Indeed, The Survivor would have been perfect but for some few typos like vane efforts instead of ‘vain efforts’ (page 9), and ‘executing is threats’ instead of ‘executing his threats’ (page 137). There are also cases of missing punctuation marks especially on page 25: “Let’s go” he said… instead of ‘“Let’s go,” he said…’, “Here we are” he said… instead of ‘“Here we are,” he said…’
On the whole, The Survivor is a worthy addition to Dr. Chinyere Agabi’s numerous children’s story books. A holder of Bachelor’s degree in English Education, a Master’s degree and a PhD in Economics of Education from the University of Port Harcourt, the author has brought her wealth of knowledge and experience to bear on this work. Even though the story is meant for students, the general readers will gain from this rich literary harvest.

Reviewed by Sumaila Umaisha.

Nigerian Literature is fascinating and dynamic - Jare Ajayi

2011-09-14T12:15:00.000+01:00

Jare Ajayi, a veteran journalist and writer is one of those aspiring to become the General Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) at the elections coming up during the association’s Convention in November. The convention, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the body’s establishment, will hold in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. In this chat, Jare Ajayi spoke with Sumaila Umaisha on challenges and triumphs of literature in this clime as well as his vision for ANA if he is elected as its Secretary General.

Tell us briefly about yourself.

Jare Ajayi: I was born at Igbeti, Oyo State, Nigeria at the threshold of Nigerian independence. I am a journalist.

I started my journalism career with an Ibadan based weekly newspaper, Sunday Glory. I later moved to the Daily Times. While in Times, I was basically with the Sunday Times but was writing for virtually all Daily Times titles then in print. Among them were Times International, Evening Times, Daily Times, Lagos Weekend and of course the Business Times. I was a correspondent for the London based West Africa magazine too.

In 1990, I became the Arts, Reviews and Culture Editor of Tribune titles. In 1992, I revived the paper’s Labour Page that had been rested since 1986 as a result of a labour crisis in the publishing house. In 1993, I started a Tourism Page for the paper. It is my joy today that the two new pages – Labour and Tourism – still feature prominently in the Tribune along with the Reviews & Culture Page that I started with.
I left Tribune in 1995 to run a private business. The business consists of arts promotion, management consultancy, publishing and training. I did not leave writing and journalism as I write for Inter Press Services (IPS), an online international media network. I reported for the Network from such places as Canada, USA among others. Presently, I run a bilingual newspaper – and maintain a weekly column with the Compass newspaper.
Concerning writing and ANA; I had the privilege of starting the very first state chapter of the association in this country - that is the Oyo State Chapter – with the cooperation of many in the State and encouragement from Mr Odia Ofeimun who was then the national scribe. I started it as the Co-ordinator and later served as its Secretary.
I have also served as an ex-officio member and as Assistant General Secretary of the body at the national level. As Assistant to the then General Secretary, Mr Nnimmo Bassey, I held the forte when he was forced to go underground during the Abacha era.
When I was running the affairs of the Oyo State Chapter, we started annual programme during which literary prizes were given not only for works in English language but also for works in our local language. This was in the early 1990s - ever before the national body initiated action on honouring writers in indigenous languages. We also took Literature awareness campaigns to schools through our Outreach Programme.
It is a matter of joy to note that the said chapter (Oyo) that we started served as an inspiration for more Chapters to come on board. We recall also that Oyo State Chapter assisted in mid-wifing Ogun and Osun States Chapters - the latter after the creation of Osun State.
My first novel, Bile In The Dish was the first runner-up in the ANA Prose Competition of 1990 while I have also won literary prizes both at home and abroad in addition to being published locally and internationally. For instance, I am a holder of the International Poet of Merit Award conferred on me at Hilton Hotel, Washington DC, (USA) in 1994, among others.
As a literary journalist, I have, in my own modest way, used the opportunity I have in many media outfits to showcase Nigerian Literature and authors locally and internationally
My first collection of poems, Arise & Other Poems came out in 1988 while my novel, Bile In The Dish mentioned earlier came out in 1990. In 1994, I was bestowed with the International Poet of Merit Award in Washington D.C. United States of America (USA) – there are other awards. To the glory of God, I have authored many other books since then. The biographical work I did on the first African novelist to be published in English language, Amos Tutuola, remains the most authoritative work on the man till today.
What is your assessment of the Nigerian literary scene?The literary scene in Nigeria is a very interesting, very vibrant one. It is an environment that one has a longing and pride to be part of. Longing because of its fascinating dynamism and its capacity to titillate and challenge. Pride, because of the image it has cast for itself locally and internationally. When African literature is mentioned, Nigeria literature looms large within it. One is proud to be part of the tapestry called Nigerian literature, its organistic semblance and its undoubtedly rich future.
What would you say are the main problems bedeviling literature, writers and literary associations in Nigeria?
There is the need for definition in answering this question. The question seems to encapsulate problems bedeviling literature in Nigeria, problems bedeviling writers and problems bedeviling literary associations in Nigeria. Do I get you right?
Right.Ok. I’ll take them one by one. Although the problems bedeviling one may dovetail into the other, they are not necessarily the same.
Literature in Nigeria; The major problems or challenges that literature in Nigeria faces is that of exposition. I mentioned earlier that one is proud to be associated with Nigerian literature because of its universal acknowledgement. It is however a fact that its present image and popularity can be enhanced much further. Indeed, should be enhanced much further. For instance, how many of Nigerian literary works are translated into many world languages? Outside of Achebe, Soyinka, Tutuola, Ekwensi, Okri, Abubakar Imam, Osundare and a few others, not many Nigerian writers are available in other languages . Translations into world languages happen mostly to works that are known.
Nigerian Writers; The challenges faced by Nigerian writers begin with limited avenue for the publication of their works. The number of publishers are not enough to cope with the number of works being churned out by writers. Some otherwise promising outfits in publishing have gone under for a variety of reasons while many still thrive mainly by relying on recommended texts, getting printing contracts from such organizations like NERDC, NCCE, JAMB, NECO, etc as well as by publishing high profile biographies which would be launched with funfare. Few, if any, are publishing companies that are thriving mainly on selling books they publish – especially creative books.
The question to ask is why is this so? Could it be that publishing, by its very nature, is not a business that can stand on its own? The answer, definitely, is No. publishing can be a very thriving business as is the case in many other climes outside Nigeria and as used to be the case in the early days of publishing even here in Nigeria. By that, I mean in 1960s through 1980s.
The problem came with the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) with its attendant devaluation of the naira and other components of the programme as introduced by Ibrahim Babangida administration. Disposable incomes of an average Nigerian dwindled while costs of production rose. Few people were (and still are) able to buy books because publishers are forced to sell books at relatively high prices due to high cost of production.
Publishing companies that traditionally accept manuscripts - and publish after assessment - resort to publishing such works only if the writer can finance the publication. This, in part, led to the birth of self publishing as well as, in a way, drop in quality, especially in terms of production.
The root cause of this particular problem is the fact that Nigeria still has to rely on importing materials for its publishing industry decades after independence. This means high cost which in turn will naturally lead to high cover prices.
Besides the above, the neglect of the education sector by the government which in turn led to a serious fall in literary skill of many Nigerians, including writers, meant that the quality of what is written is adversely affected. Thus, to have works by many Nigerian writers come out in good standard; editors today have to do more works than their colleagues who worked around the 1980s and before.
So here, the writing capacity of Nigerian writers need to be greatly improved upon.
Literary Associations; Concerning problems confronting literary associations in Nigeria. An organization, as you know, consists of people who form that organization. Literary bodies are formed or are supposed to be formed by literary people/writers. Writers in Nigeria today are not fulfilled in terms of the attitude of the government and the society to their trade. This lack of fulfillment often reflects in their attitude.
It is carried into organizations meant to advance their cause. Meanwhile, an organization needs money for its operations. Writers’ organizations that are supposed to advance writers’ cause cannot be adequately funded by writers who themselves are lacking in monetary terms. So the organization cannot satisfactorily perform its expected duties due to lack of resources. This often induces irritability and restlessness, if not frustration, in writers – against their organization. In many other climes, writers’ organizations are assisted in kind and in cash by governments and others. Here, such a thing is rare. That is one big problem for literary organization in Nigeria, including ANA.
In addition to the above, writers by their nature are independent minded who are given to trading words. So, they often see a lot of lapses in their organization. Thus, they hardly spare even their own organization from criticisms. The same way they don’t spare the larger society. Often, issues are expanded upon in the media and discussions because of the passion attached to them by writers/discussants. Such often gave the impression of ‘serious crises in a writers’ association even when it is just a matter that can be administratively sorted out.
It is also important to mention that the critical nature of writers, coupled with the inclement environment in which they operate often make them to be very touchy on matters that concern their association. But this is not to say that those who run such organsaistion are all the time blameless.
I can summarize what I’ve been saying this way: Literary organizations have problems – like many other human organizations. These problems are exacerbated by lack of resources with which to operate. In spite of this lack of resources, members don’t spare their organizations. The way out is to strengthen the organization structurally and financially while members should show more understanding.
Are you contesting for the post of the Secretary of ANA so as to tackle these problems?
Yes, I’m motivated to present myself for the position of General Secretary with a view to tackling these challenges.
How do you intend ot tackle the problems?First, as the saying goes, proper diagnosis of a problem or disease is a good indicator of how the problem can be solved. As stated in my Plan of Action (or Manifesto), my mission if elected as General Secretary is to find a way of meeting these challenges and ensuring that mechanisms are in place to be able to appropriately respond to emerging ones. This will be done by well coordinated series of actions. It is important to state beforehand that manifesto is only a précis of what is to be done as it would be too unwieldy if details of what to be done and the general modality for doing them are included. But it does give an insight into the direction we are to face.
Having said that, my manifesto can be summed up as follows:
1. Ensuring that a functional secretariat is opened for ANA in Abuja with a proper liaison office in Lagos.
2. Computerization of the Association’s activities. By being more ICT-compliant, ANA members and their works would be more widely known and patronized.
3. Making the association more visible both in concrete terms and in the national discourse.
4. Availability of libraries is important for books. ANA, under my General Secretaryship, will work with governments at national, state and local government levels to establish libraries. Governments will be persuaded to bulk purchase every title published in their areas and stock them in these libraries.
5. Closer relationship will be fostered between the National Executive and States’ Chapters through a regular meeting that will involve the NEC and States’ Chairmen and their Secretaries.
6. The Federal Government and its appropriate agencies would be engaged with a view to ensuring that materials for book production are available at affordable prices. Besides soliciting for the liberalization of material availability, we will also encourage the production of some of these materials locally. (Indeed, it would be a matter of re-activating the production as we used to have some of these things produced in this country before).
7. It is observed that acrimonies often characterize discourses on or about ANA. A perusal of the situation suggests that this often happens due to lack of necessary information. We shall ensure that information about the association is more widely available and at the earliest possible time. (This is without prejudice to the fact that some seem to derive fun in ‘kicking’ the association even when they possess information). In like manner, dispute resolution mechanism will be put in place with a view to having misunderstandings cleared as quickly as possible.
8. Efforts will be made to streamline and increase literary prizes in the country.
9. ANA has to literally go cap in hand whenever a programme is to be held due to lack of fund. If elected, efforts would be made to ensure that the association has credit balances in its accounts and be able to pursue its programmes with relative ease.
10. Young authors will be given more encouragement and more outlets to bring their work to the public will be explored and created.
11. Workshops for budding and established authors will be organized regularly. Content of these workshops will include the latest in the world of writing and publishing.
12. The Writers’ Village in Abuja will become a reality while a prototype – on a smaller scale – will be encouraged at states’ level.
13. Efforts would be made to ensure that the much vaunted National Endowment for Literature (aside the $200,000 Endowment announced last year for the Arts generally) come into fruition and that writers can really access and benefit from the fund.
14. If elected as General Secretary, our executive council will foster greater and mutually beneficial relationship with relevant organizations locally and internationally – for grants, fellowships, endowments, exchanges, sales outlets etc. In this wise, opportunities will be created to have funds for writers to take time off from their normal schedule to go and write and at the same time create more rooms for their works to be available to the public.
15. Many older writers – especially of the first and second generations – do not take active part in ANA programmes. Under my General Secretaryship, they will be encouraged to identify more with ANA and participate in its programmes.
Do you think that ANA members will give you a chance, considering others who are equally gunning for the position?I believe ANA members will vote for me for a number of reasons; chief of which is competence. As stated interalia, I stared the very first ANA Chapter anywhere in Nigeria. That is the Oyo State Chapter of the Association. For a lont time, it was a model. The 1990 ANA Convention continues to be a reference point till today. Members of our branch whom we nurture have won several prizes locally and nationally – even internationally.

Also, those who know me will testify to my penchant for building bridges. With a sense of humility, I like to say that I have friends in virtually all parts of the country. Many of these as a result of the little I was able to do to advance their writing through my journalistic literary activities. I’m sure you’ll agree that experience is something that can be of tremendous benefit to ANA.

How prepared are you towards winning the election?

I am very much prepared. We are reaching out to members in different parts of the country. We will have the opportunity of meeting physically and as a group during the convention. Feedbacks we are getting from our members are that ANA needs the kind of experience, vision and temperament God endows me with. So, I’m emboldened by the assurances of support being given by ANA members. By the grace of God I will be the next General Secretary of ANA as majority of members will vote for me.

I’m launching my books to mark a milestone in my life — Denja

2011-09-02T10:21:00.002+01:00

Malam Denja Abdullahi, Deputy Director, Performing Arts, National Council for Arts and Culture, Abuja, and former General Secretary of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, speaks to Sumaila Umaisha on the launching of his two poetry works.

Tell us about yourself.
Denja Abdullahi: I was born around the confluence of the Niger and the Benue in the late 60s. I am basically a poet, literary essayist and culture technocrat. I have been writing poetry for over 25 years since my days as a student of English and literature at the University of Jos, Nigeria .I also hold a Masters degree in Literature-in –English from the University of Ilorin and I am presently researching for a third degree in the same field. I have taught English and Literature for five years at Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic, Birnin-Kebbi, where I left as a Senior Lecturer in 1998 for my present appointment at the National Council for Arts and Culture Abuja, where I am now a Deputy Director, Performing Arts.
My poems and other literary pieces have appeared in several anthologies, newspapers, journals and magazines. My first published poetic volume Mairogo: A Buffoon’s Poetic Journey Around Northern Nigeria (2001) received honourable mention for the prestigious ANA/CADBURY 2001 Poetry Prize. I have two other published poetry volumes, The Talking Drum and Abuja Nunyi, both published in 2008 and which were popularly received by the reading public as examples of poetry with purpose and mass appeal.
I have a passion for arts administration and have held several Executive Council positions in the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). I was the National General Secretary from 2005-2009.Iam also a playwright and theatre director.
How would you describe the Nigerian literary scene?
The Nigerian literary scene is as vibrant and diverse as Nigeria which means you can find all sorts of writings coming out of Nigeria done by people across all ages. You do not find such in any other place in Africa and maybe even in the world. I can say that Nigerian literature has seen it all and we should expect more vibrancy from Nigerian writers at home and abroad.
You recently published two poetry books, The Talking Drum and A Thousand Years of Thirst; what are they all about? The Talking Drum is a collection of poems written to fit the pedagogical imperative of indoctrinating, if I am allowed to put it that way, features of our cultural heritage into our children and youths. I wrote the book to fill a void I noticed in the kind of upbringing and education we give our children. I work in the culture sector and like all other persons, I noticed that we do not consciously impart our history, culture or heritage into our children, neither did our parents did so with us. I decided to do something about it by writing a book that will beautifully introduce our culture to our children by focusing on the spectacular and thoughtful aspects of our culture and presented in living colours to the children.
The second book A Thousand years of Thirst should actually have been my first published work because it contains most of the poems I wrote as a very young poet, as an undergraduate and as a young graduate coming to grasp with life. The collection was ready to go to press since 1999 as I actually submitted it to a publisher then who confirmed it worthy of publication. The manuscript later met with a lot of accidents and constraints; I lost it about two times and it suffered other forms of delay. I later had the chance to review it after salvaging many of the lost poems from scraps here and there and from memory, added many new pieces and there you have it today under a new title. The work itself signposts my journey through life as a poet and if you read it you will be able to decipher my poetic footprints and ingrained concern as a poet in terms of content and style.
Why writing on such themes at this point in time?
Poetry is eternal and boundless. The themes of both work in question will remain relevant as long as you have a country called Nigeria or beings called human.
How are they faring, in terms of criticism and sales?
The Talking Drum was actually released in 2008,it sold well among school children and teachers but it suffered from being overshadowed by another work of mine, Abuja Nunyi (This is Abuja) which I released about the same time. Abuja Nunyi took all the available critical and media space leaving TheTalking Drum sulking in a corner like a forgotten beard. Iam therefore bringing the book back to reckoning by formally presenting it to the public. With regards to A Thousand Years of Thirst, it is brand new, not yet in circulation but a few of the poems contained in it have appeared in some other previously published anthologies. The collection as whole, with many new poems of mine that have been published before, with all the poems intricately linked with a common motif, is sure to delight the readers and I hope the critics too, who should by now be familiar with Denja Abdullahi’s poetry.
You are planning to launch them; tell us about it.
The launching is billed to take place on the 15th of September,2011 at the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, Maitama, Abuja, to commence at 10:30am.It is going to a tight event with lots of entertainment, performances and renditions, all packaged with the eyes of a poet and informed by my experiences over the years on literary events organization.
Why do you deem it necessary to launch them?
My other two earlier works were not formally launched and they did quite well with readers and critics alike and they have endured since then. I am launching this set of works to further promote my writings and to mark a milestone in my life. My wish was to have launched these works at my 40th birthday which was celebrated about two years ago but it was not to be. So let’s say what should have taken place then is about to take place soon. I particularly do not see launching as a mere platform of raising money for the author but if money is raised, the author could do a lot with that and in fact people should really rally round any author who has a worthwhile book to launch. I have in the past helped many authors to launch their works, practically organizing such occasions as a consultant and helping them to navigate and bridge the gap between the expectation and reality of a launching.
What are your expectations from the launch?
I expect my numerous friends, admirers, colleagues at work and in the writing family and all those who my works have touched in the past and now to come share the joy of the day with me. I expect a successful launch in the real sense of it.
Are we expecting more poetry works from you soon or you will try your hands on other genres?
I said in an interview published in another newspaper which was published online that with this my latest poetry collection, A Thousand Years of Thirst, I would have paid my debt to poetry. Niyi Osundare, a prolific and very iconic poet of the alternative tradition, who I wrote my first degree thesis on way back at the University of Jos and who has been a literary mentor of sort, read the interview and wrote me a private email where he said to me, “How dare you!” Niyi Osundare with those words was saying I can never finish paying the debt I owe poetry and that poetry will always find a way of holding me hostage. I agree, I cannot run away from being a poet but before the next poetry collection, I am planning to write my next work, a play, on a pre-colonial historical figure with a lot of drama to his life and whose eventual fate resonates on issues that affect our citizenry today. The research work for the play is long completed and I will be delighted if it comes out as my next work. I have already a few unpublished plays that have been performed here and there which I will subsequently fine tune for further performances and possible publication. I may try my hands on short stories and possibly a full length novel in the future. The possibility of going back to my roots, poetry, so to say, is very likely; but know that I am always one who likes writing a different kind of poetry. There are too many poets around or many masquerading as poets that for a poet to stand out today as a true poet, you must set yourself apart in terms of craft and great subject matter.

(c) Interviewed by Sumaila Umaisha.

I have a blueprint for ANA renaissance - Professor Umelo Ojinmah

2011-08-21T13:06:00.003+01:00

Professor Umelo Ojinmah, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, speaks with Sumaila Umaisha on his ambition to lead the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, saying he has prepapared a blueprint for the a renaissance in the association.

May we have your brief biography.
Professor Umelo Ojinmah: I’m a graduate of English and Literary Studies, Class of 1980, University of Calabar. I obtained my PhD in English and Comparative Literature from University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1988. If you check Daily Times of Nigeria, BBC and VOA of December, 10 and 11, 1988, you will see the headline of “A Nigerian makes fastest PhD in New Zealand”. I made the fastest PhD in a university that was more than 100 years old. I have lectured in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa; Federal University of Technology, Owerri, and Nasarawa State University, Keffi, rising from the ranks to Professor of English and Literary Studies.
What is your assessment of the Nigerian literary scene?
Nigerian literary scene is vibrant but we need to energize it more by encouraging the established publishing companies to invest in younger authors. Today, they are more interested in publishing primary school books for high volume sales. We also need to encourage young authors through organising more creative writing ops and writers’ fellowships.
What would you say are the major challenges being faced by the Nigerian writer?
One of the most pressing challenges is the creation of a writers’ village and avenues of assisting budding writers until they can find their feet. Unlike Europe and America where writers make living from their works, it takes time for writers in Nigeria to get to the point of depending on their writing for daily living. We must make efforts to change the climate to enable talented writers take their writing seriously.
Are you vying for the presidency of the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, in order to solve these problems?
Yes. But more importantly, to give purposeful leadership to ANA. ANA is made up of intellectuals and we should be at the forefront of proffering solutions to the myriad of problems confronting the Nigerian nation. The committee system has been effective in harnessing people to achieve much and I intend to involve more ANA members to solving these problems through establishing committees with specific mandates and targets.
There several other candidates also contesting; do you think you have a chance?
ANA members are discerning and I believe that if they are convinced that what I bring to the table will benefit ANA members more than the other contestants, they will. After all, we all clamour for good governance.
How prepared are you?
I have prepared a blue print for a renaissance in ANA. The rest is left for us collectively.

(c) Published in the New nigerian edition of 21st august, 2011.

Hoodlums: A Template of Pain

2011-08-21T12:58:00.002+01:00

Review of Sumaila Umaisha’s Hoodlums written and presented by Dr. Emman Usman Shehu, Director, International Institute of Journalism and President of Abuja Writers Forum, at the public presentation of the book in Abuja on 21st July, 2011.

Sumaila Isah Umaisha has been the literary editor of the New Nigerian Newspapers for some years and has won a couple of accolades. He also does media consultancy and as a creative writer, he writes short fiction and poetry. Some of his stories and poems have been published in journals, online magazines and anthologies. With such a growing body of material, it is not a surprise that Umaisha has taken the next logical step in his creative writing career by putting together a collection of short stories, published by Hybun Publications Limited.
Titled Hoodlums, this debut collection of 17 short stories is rather unusual because of the seemingly large number of stories which goes against the conventional approach. Short story collections normally do not have this number of stories since the standard average length of a short story is 2, 500 words and publishers want enough pages to justify the publication, knowing that novels tend to have better patronage. Yet, as shall be explained later, Umaisha is able use this large number of stories to his advantage partly because there is a thematic centrality.
The stories provide a platform for him to explore a variety of themes including political violence, thuggery, assassinations, militancy, witchcraft, astral projection, prostitution, drug addiction and insanity. Thus most of the stories are topical giving the collection a strong contemporary relevance, more so given that the background is Nigeria. The aptly named collection
This contemporaneous tone is struck from the very first story called “Militants”. Six-year-old Tene, who should be having an exciting childhood with her friends, is caught in the violent skirmishes enveloping her community, where a group of militants called the Niger Delta Liberation Movement is having a fierce confrontation with the soldiers deployed to the area. During one of such clashes which erupts catching the populace off-guard, Tene is part of the melee scampering to safety. Instinctively , rather than joining the crowd heading to the outskirts of the town, she heads for home where she had left her parents earlier to spend some time at the playground. But just as she overcomes some odds and gets home, the mother who rushes out to take her to safety is felled by an explosive.
This three-page story, as short as it is, provides a template for the rest of the collection, especially the way it ends on a painful and tragic note. This template which includes an admixture of unnerving moments is underscored by the title of the collection. In his defence of the short story format, to counter the various arguments raised to explain its limitations and seemingly declining popularity as a narrative form, Patrick Gates states that: “Since the short story as a form demands that things be left out, left unspoken, it is particularly well suited to narratives that unsettle, that replicate on the page those moments in life where a hurt that was not meant to be overheard or a glance that was not meant to be intercepted have devastating emotional effect.”
It is difficult to think that a reader would go through these stories without being unsettled by the overall commentary. Almost every story is a painful reminder of the sorry state of our country. It is a controlled lamentation. A wailing that sears through our consciousness as we watch the self-serving behavior of politicians who, instead of working to ensure the progress of the country prefer to mindlessly oversee its underdevelopment through lawless behavior such as rigging elections, meting violence on opponents, endorsing assassinations, manipulating election tribunals, refusing to embark on projects that would improve the lives of the citizentry or even destroying those that have been undertaken by a few reasonable ones. The culture of impunity is consciously cultivated by political godfathers.
The society becomes increasingly unstable breeding thugs, rioters and militants who without hesitation take the laws into their hands by unleashing mayhem at every opportunity, thereby further retarding the progress of the society as evident in stories like “ Hoodlums”, “The Godfather”, “The Riot” and “Do or Die”. The police too become accomplices sometimes working in cahoots with rioters.
It is no surprise that more people find ways of manipulating the chaos for their own profit including journalists who exaggerate every crisis, and businessmen who look at all angles that such situations can benefit them including being the ones from whom relief materials are bought for victims in refugee camps. The good values of the society are steadily upturned, to be replaced by vices such as drug addiction, prostitution and armed robbery.
But there are mo
ments of redemp
tion such as in “The Soul Mate”, when Lilian the prostitute ends up marrying Bulus, the Medical Doctor, who had initially reached out to her at a critical moment in her life. So too in “The Godfather” when the new god son, after becoming the Mayor of Gold City, comes to a realization that the right thing ought to be done and damns the consequences. He is assassinated at the end but there is the inference that he has put down structures that could begin to bring some succor to the society.
The redemptive moments may appear insignificant when compared with the larger picture of oppression, exploitation and pain. However, their importance is underscored by being the very opposite of the negativity that suffuses the society. That a prostitute’s past can be overlooked so that she gets a new lease of life, points to the fact that all is not lost. This ray of hope could possibly become a beam of greater restoration.
In “The Last Hiding Place”, the marriage of Amelia and Professor Deen is threatened by addictive habits both have hidden from each other. They have secrets that threaten to undo the union. Sincerity leads to shocking revelations and an awakening that ushers in a new and promising chapter in their matrimony.
Umaisha is at home with the use of irony especially in the manner he sometimes ends the stories with unexpected but refreshing twists. In “Do or Die”, Senator Abu Dambo contracts Saleh to kill a political rival, Alhaji Aliyu Hamza but at the end it is the employer who is killed by the same hired assassin. Alhaji Ibrahim who is gleeful about the riots, looking forward to making gains, has his wife killed. Tene runs home for safety only to be deprived of what symbolizes safety for her.
The closing sequence of “Hoodlums” has this unexpectedness that heightens the horrible situation. Both journalists become victims of the riot they had inadvertently fuelled through their exaggerated reportage. But the bigger irony is that the Police who should be working to quell the riot move around the various gangs providing them with victims, a collusion that accentuates the collapse of security and serves as an indictment, showing that the rioters and law enforcement agents are really no different.
What should have been a major drawback in the collection, the high number of stories, becomes a strength because they not only have a thematic variety, but they are not all of the same length. There are some that a very brief, just about three pages long, giving the impression that the author is experimenting with minimalism. The truth is that given that some of the stories had to be published initially in the literary section of the New Nigerian Newspaper, he may have been forced to work with space constraints.
Fortunately Umaisha manages to use the situation to his advantage because these very short pieces are sometimes the most artistically compelling narratives. Examples include “Militants”, “After the Riot”, “Roadblock” , “The Riot” and “The President’s Portrait” where the painting itself becomes a damning symbol of a leader and this is achieved by detailing the painting process in three pages.
Contrast these short pieces with “Hoodlums” which is weakened by the seeming initial uncertainty of who to focus on in the initial sequence. One gets the impression that the story may have been conceived initially as a novel and then it was abridged to a short story. There is so much background detail about Ben and Mairo which slows down the pace of the narration and would have been better suited for a longer narrative, where all those details would have been fleshed out to strengthen the story. In fact, there is a larger story demanding to be told because the materials are there for Umaisha’s taking, with several characters and situations tugging for amplification because the platform on which they are currently placed is somewhat constrictive.
The elegance of the short story is being able to work within a narrow space, with the writer putting in place just enough essentials. But that space will not be adequate in handling a complex issue as is evident in “Hoodlums” and “The Godfather”. Marisa Silver makes an observation that is pertinent to the present context : “I’m often asked whether I want to turn a particular story into a novel. It’s a flattering question, because it is usually asked by a reader who is captivated by a set of characters. But the truth is, I never do want to do this. An idea appears to me as a short story, or it appears to me as a novel. I suppose that some ideas just feel that they need to be contained, that their power and effect will be most forceful if I express them using the tools of the short story. Other narrative notions have resonances that are like tentacles that reach out, ideas that lead to other ideas. These extenuating ideas circle around the central notion, but the central notion will not be complete, and will not reach its full potential, unless I take the time and space to explore all that richness that surrounds it in words.”
Sometimes the author’s favoured sandwich technique becomes predictable, just as his pre-occupation with telling rather than showing occasionally stifles the immediacy of the stories. There are hardly any typos and the print size is reader-friendly but the binding does not suggest durability and pages may fall apart eventually.
Overall this is a very encouraging debut showing that Umaisha not only has a keen sense of observation, a virtue which every creative writer ought to have, but that he is willing to experiment as in, “The King Himself”, “Seat of Power”, “The Magic” and “The Black Cat”.

NLNG Prize: I’m elated to be on the list!

2011-08-21T12:50:00.002+01:00

Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike, a graduate of Government and Public Administration from Abia State University, is a poet, a short story writer and a committed writer of children’s literature. and his commitment is already paying off as his children’s story book, The Run Away Hero, is one of the shortlisted works for this year’s NLNG Prize for Literature, the most prestigeous literary prize in Nigeria. He speaks with Sumaila umaisha about it all.

Let’s begin with your brief biography.
I am Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike, married with two children, live in Owerri, Imo State, a graduate of Government and Public Administration from Abia State University, and occasionally I do write – occasionally, as in when PHCN attempts a two- or three-hour flash, so I can charge my laptop and type away; occasionally, when the kids are away and the home is a cocoon of tranquility; occasionally, when I am not too sapped from the day’s work and I can coax myself to do some writing. Now, I’m social, not too social, as I just can’t afford to be. I like travelling, and I like idling with a book in hand; that is, if I am not watching a good film.
Can you remember exactly when you started writing?
I have been writing since my teenage years, the usual nonsense and scribble, but I guess you are referring to serious, sensible writing, which is something I decided to take much more seriously in 2001, after seeing my poem being published in Champion newspaper. But before then I had become fascinated with literature in general and was reading poems, prose, plays with such avidity, probably because I didn’t study it in my secondary school back then. To me, it was like just discovering a pleasure, which you’d ignored all the time.
You seem to specialize in children’s literature; why?
Haba, specialise indeed! I don’t really specialise in children’s literature, it is just that I sometimes like to write fiction for children and whenever I think of children of these days, in this mindless age, I feel so saddened that they don’t have much access to books (most of the libraries in the country are in stark disrepair, you already know that) and I feel I could in some way contribute to the adequacy of children’s books, which is why I have done a lot of children’s fiction of late.
Your new children’s story book is titled The Run Away Hero; why did you choose this title?
I chose the title because the 9-year-old protagonist is not really a hero in the strictest sense of the word. He is what you might refer to as an ‘accidental hero.’ However, he did something heroic and the title thus naturally ensued.
Tell us about your publisher, Jalaa Writers’ Collective?
JWC is not a publisher in the traditional sense of the word, it is more of a collective of writers who feel they can bring their resources together and better their lot, regardless of the prevailing economic disincentive nationwide. Jalaa doesn’t intend to fill the vacuum of any mainstream publisher; rather, it is complementary. For now, we are not accepting manuscripts from non-members, but we hope we shall take this up in the near future once we consolidate on what we set out to do.
How did you receive the news of the book being among the 2011 NLNG Prize shortlist?
Oga Sumaila, how did you feel when you got the news that you were among the last three finalists for the ANA/Anyiam-Osigwe award for best journalist some years back? I bet you were elated, even before you actually won the prize. It feels heart-warming and truth be told I’m elated to be on the list; more so, because I love children’s literature a lot, and wish the government can do more for children’s literature in Nigeria, rather than this glaring indifference and rhetoric we are confronted with almost on a daily basis.
What do you think were the qualities that made the judges select the work?
I wish I knew, but I don’t. In fact, I really don’t know what judges look out for in works of fiction and poetry, except that the work must conform to certain standards, as set out by the prize-giving body, and probably such a work should, as a matter of literary necessity, make for a pleasurable reading.
Of course, you are hopeful that you will make it; what gives you this hope?
I don’t know about that, but let me answer you this way. This is this film The Shawshank Redemption, it was originally a short story by Stephen King; and in this film there is a scene in which Tim Robbins tells Morgan Freeman that, ‘hope is a beautiful thing.’ So let’s keep hope alive and burning, of course, how many people live without hope? That’s virtually impossible, even the beggar is hopeful that his luck might just turn the next moment.
How do you visualize your life after winning the prize?
Ah, Sumaila. Let’s put this question aside and ask the eventual winner, say, sometime in October.
What do you expect of the present government in terms of arts and enhancement of literature in Nigeria?
I like to hope a lot, but it’s difficult to sustain hope in Nigeria. And so I expect so little from every government that comes into power. I keep wondering why it is much easier for our dear government to spend millions of dollars to put a satellite in space, and yet it can’t revamp our national libraries? I keep asking why each state government cannot refurbish its state library and why the council chairman is not interested in uplifting education at the grassroots? And yet, every one of them has mansions in various parts of the country which termites and vermin live in most of the time, line their garages with fleets of luxurious cars even Bill Gates is appalled to keep. Why is our Nigerian government this way? So you see why I have no expectations from any government, no matter how mellifluous he or she sounds – because if we can’t salvage our educational system how then can we empower people economically?

Umaisha’s Harvest of Crises

2011-08-21T12:46:00.002+01:00

Title: Hoodlums
Author: Sumaila Umaisha
Publisher: Hybun Publication International
Year of Publication: 2010
No. of pages: 110
ISBN: 978-49181-2-1
Reviewer: Usho Smith Adawa

The spectrum of criminality in Nigeria cut across all facets of life. Violent crimes have become a brand in virtually every aspect of life, incited and perpetuated by hoodlums. Hoodlums, a collection of short stories, focuses on various spheres of existence and how it is desecrated by hoodlums. The hoodlums under the guise of ‘freedom fighters’, the hoodlums in security uniform, the hoodlums in the name of Godfathers, the hoodlums in government offices, the hoodlums that feast on the spoils of the society – contractors, the hoodlums at check points and the hoodlums in politics. These are strata through which violent crimes are inflicted on innocent members of the Nigerian society.
The collection is written against the background of certain violent incidents in Nigeria’s immediate past. The collection is a panoramic survey of crises between 2000 to date.
Thematically, Hoodlums deals with: Criminality, Philosophy, Illusions, Love, Deceit and Faith. A reading of the collection would automatically group the stories according to the following order: Criminality; “Militants”, “The Godfather”, “The Riot”, “Roadblock”, and “Do or Die”. Philosophy; “After the Riot”, “The King Himself”, “The Forbidden Path”, and “Seat of Power”. Illusions; “The Black Cat” and “The President’s Portrait”. Love; “The Last Hiding Place”, “The Outcast” and “Soul-mate”. Deceit; “The Honourable Minister”. Faith; “The Magic”. “Hoodlums”, the title story, combines the theme of love, philosophy and criminality.
From these arrays of themes, the collection inferred perfect images of hoodlums, comic relief provided by love, deep cogitation and absolute trust in divine guidance.
A random synoptic analysis would show that “Militants” and “After the Riot” deals with wanton destruction of lives and permanent psychological debasement of the survivors of the gory experiences. “Hoodlums” dwells on individual determination and love, the inflammatory tendencies of negative journalism, subtle advocacy for religious tolerance and extra-judicial killings. “The King Himself” is an examination of the irony called sanity or insanity. In this story, a presumed insane character is imbued with a superior mental state lacking in the assumed sane people. The multi-millionaire politician, businessman cum bureaucrat has a mental imbalance which ranks him lower than the insane king.
“The Seat of Power” is a departure from the central flow, it is a hallucinatory debunking of a “millennium bug” which was rumoured as having the capacity to bring the world and existence to a standstill. Technology in this story became an invading threat to cosmic balance as a result of its usurpation of divinity and act of worship to the supreme deity. The story ended on a victorious note, the divine’s defeat of technological menace.
“The Godfather” is reflective of the degenerative effect of godfatherism and its truncation of service delivery to the electorates to whom the political class owe their allegiance. In like vein, “The Honourable Minister” is a story that satirizes the political hypocrisy in Nigeria. It publicly showcases the failed but applauded projects and policies embarked upon by the power that be, which bears no correlation with the yearning and plight of the masses. The most outstanding idea in this story is the terroristic delight of public office holders in Nigeria. An excerpt from the story sums it up:
“Who says to be a Minister is a small thing?”
“What is a masquerade without the mask?”
“Without thunder and lightning, how can the mortals appreciate what goes into rainmaking?” (pg 88).
Another vital part of the story is the evasion of reality and a fake projection of the business of governance:
“Sir, this lingering crisis between the academic union of Universities and …”
“The issue has been addressed,” snapped the permanent secretary.
“The National Electric Power Authority…”
“What about it?” The Minister was visibly running out of patience. (pg. 90).
This question and answer session stemming from the Minister’s address, ended with a practical demonstration of what the reality of the day was:
“… NEPA is no longer NEPA, but Power Holding Company of Nigeria PHCN! And it is now repositioned to….”
The entire hall went blank—solid darkness. (pg. 91).
Here we have a critical positioning of fact; Power Holding Company of Nigeria is repositioned to ensure total and absolute darkness in Nigeria. It is also positioned to serve as a conduit pipe through which national resources will be ‘legitimately’ looted.
Amidst these tensed existence, the collection provide relief through the medium of love as can be seen in the relationship of Ben and Mairo, Prof. Ameh Den and Amelia, Bulus and Lilian and the relationship between Ilema and her mother.
As a collection of short stories, Hoodlums has succeeded in engaging implicit use of words to narrate series of events and incidents involving individual’s mental and physical activities. The immediacy achieved between the reader and the subject portrayed cannot be equaled to the immediacy found in other genre of fictional prose writing. Hoodlums is in complete compliance with Sir Hugh Walpole’s prescription that: “a short story should be a story: a record of things happening, full of incidents and accidents, swift movement, unexpected development, leading through suspense to a climax and a satisfying denouement.” No single story in this collection fall short of Walpole’s extrapolations. Another credit of the collection is its brevity and straightforwardness.
In a nutshell, the collection attempts to portray the several dimensions of violence and crime in modern time Nigeria. The author however, was unconsciously impaired by absence of intense use of symbols and imagery in the process of composing the collection. This limitation may be assumed to be intentionally contrived in order to call the attention of the readers to the ugly realities of Nigerians. Hoodlums is a sure delight to short story enthusiasts and an immense contribution to the commonwealth of the short story as a sub-genre of prose fiction.
Usho, currently doing his Masters Degree programme in Literature at ABU, Zaria, is a member of Kaduna State chapter of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA.

Bound to Violence

2011-08-21T12:43:00.002+01:00

Reviewed by Denja Abdullahi

Hoodlums, a collection of 17 short stories of varying length, is a much awaited work from the author, Sumaila Umaisha. For well over a decade, his stories have been read on the literary pages of major Nigerian newspapers, online magazines and one cannot forget his appearance in that seminal collection of short stories published by the Association of Nigerian Authors in 1999 entitled Cramped Rooms and Open Spaces. Followers of Sumaila Umaisha’s writing know he has an unpretentious knack for telling stories seething with the extra-ordinary richness of emotions of the ordinary man and woman. Umaisha tells believable stories set in familiar environment which call attention to the nobility of the human soul or the depravity that can assail it if negative extraneous impulses are not curtailed.
Many who have read his pieces here and there have wondered when he would bring out a book and the coming of Hoodlums seems to have laid to rest this concern. Readers of Umaisha’s stories before now are unanimous in their understanding of his predilection for x-raying the intentions and actions of characters in the midst of crisis, mostly violent. Going beyond the text, the author has lived most of his adult life in Kaduna, the hotbed of recurrent ethno-religious crisis in Nigeria, and it seems this fact has taken a hold of his writings, which often focus on chronicling the human-angle ends to the faceless crisis that have been bedeviling that city. Therefore, the title of Umaisha’s debut collection of short stories, Hoodlums, immediately betrays the social realism inherent in his creativity.
Four stories in the collection engage the controlling narrative construct of a writer immersed in witnessing and chronicling humans in crisis situation. “Militants” is a very topical story told in the flash fiction manner on the bombing spree of the Niger Delta militants and their effects on the family particularly the young caught up in that environment. “After the Riot” takes the reader through the hallucinating mind of a man who had suffered grievous loss in a riot in which he was not even a party to the contending sides. “The Riot” tells the satiric tale of an Alhaji Ibrahim who plays Empero Nero as he watches with a binocular while the city burns, taking pleasure in exploring the sight and sounds of the unfolding carnage, only to be surprised in the end when the corpse of dear one was brought home. The title story “Hoodlums” focuses on the experience of a sensational journalist whose reports feast on and sometimes inflame riots. The journalist, Ben, one of the most memorable characters in the book, who has a penchant for sometimes filing in “reports in advance of the events” (p17), together with a colleague, get a dose of their own medicine from a very unlikely source in an uncanny manner of retributive justice.
The author in this collection dwells on the many dour faces of politics in stories such as ‘Do or Die”, “The Godfather” and “Seat of Power”. Other stories such as “The Last Hiding Place”, “The King Himself”, “The Honourable Minister”, “The Outcast”, and “Soul Mate” explore one human angle story or the other in varying depths. Some other stories in the collection are distinguished not by their subject matter but by their form as they seem to end abruptly before they get started. This form is what short stories critics call short short story or flash fiction. Writing in the flash fiction form in the hands of a writer who is not adept at it gives the reader a feeling of incompleteness or shallow attempt at story telling particularly in the eyes of a reader at home with the expansive world of the novel or the long short story. As such stories in the collection such as “The Black Cat”, “The President’s Portrait”, “The Magic”, “Roadblock” and some of the earlier aforementioned stories, that are in the flash fiction form leave the reader with a queasy feeling of unease suggestive that the author is merely experimenting with form, sometimes not too successfully.
The short story form is one in need of encouragement in our clime and is equally one in which to have a collection of all very successful stories is nearly impossible. Readers of even the most accomplished short stories collection coming from the stable of a renowned short story writer often come away with the feeling that some stories should not have been in the collection. In Umaisha’s Hoodlums there are definitely stories that should not have made the collection due to their thematic misalignment or should have been further worked upon for a future collection. That does not take away the many instances of brilliance in some of the featured stories, particularly those stories that are decipherable as emanating from the author’s social realist concern about living in an urban environment fraught with recurrent disharmony.
Sumaila Umaisha’s Hoodlums has come at a very auspicious time when we have seen recent happenings in real life mirroring the world of some of the most striking stories in the collection. Correlating some of the stories in the book to recent happenings in our socio-political sphere foregrounds the fact that we are moving in circles and may not have learnt anything from the past nor have we made any effort in overcoming most of our societal problems. Literature is a medium for reflection and re-appraisal and the many tales told in Hoodlums offer us again this opportunity.

Denja is former National Secretary of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA.

Gripping Tales of Violence

2011-08-21T12:38:00.002+01:00

Title: Hoodlums
Reviewer: Uchechukwu Agodom
Publisher: Hybun Publications International;
Pages: 110 pages.

A loud explosion desecrates the peaceful atmosphere of the six-year old Tene and her friends as they are going to a playground. Everybody runs for cover including their teachers. It is a rumour that becomes a reality. The rumour was that the militants would attack. The attack was “a protest against the heavy military presence in the Niger Delta area.” (p.9) Tene risks being trampled upon “by the moving forest of adult feet” (p.10) as she races toward home, with the hope of finding peace and orderly world once she sees her parents, to the extent that her “daddy would command the sound to stop scaring her and it would stop instantly.” (p.10). As she gets home there is another explosion. She sees her mother also running for cover, but another explosion lifted her (mother) high and smashed on the ground.
This opening story “Millitants” of Sumaila Umaisha’s engaging collection of short stories is a powerful reflection of an aspect of the gory situation in the Niger Delta. The story ends abruptly, leaving the reader to figure out the end of the story, maybe; some readers may think it is a finished business, but some may think otherwise, but for the writer it is a finished business.
The second story, “After the Riot” also comes with a great style. There is an echo of death. There is humour too. Zabi runs to catch up with a woman he thinks is “very much like his missing wife.” (p.12). Missing because he has not seen her six days after the riot. He imagines his wife would ask him questions like, why he did not look for her after the riot. Zabi, on forming what he would give her as answers, tells a story of a tragic part of the riot he witnessed, including how he dressed like a madman to evade death. But when he gets to the woman he realises that the person is, after all, a man.
In the powerful story “Seat of Power,” there is a kingdom in a thought-controlled era where technology has no need for the use of wire. To communicate to a person, one only needs to think about the person and the intended message would automatically go to the person. It is an ambitious science fiction which revolves around Saeed, the king of a tremendously advanced civilization, Huza’u Kingdom. Saeed is to rule for a staggering 3000 years. But his friend, Shamna, claims God sent him to save him; that he should abdicate the throne. The story journeys back to the reality that Saeed is actually in a state of drowsiness in a lift, and all the event of thousands of years took place just within seconds; between the ground floor and the tenth floor. The writer succeeds in dramatically infusing science fiction in the story.
“The Godfather” displays godfather antics. Chief (Dr.) Odaudu Okpetu, the Godfather, who does not want a second term for his godson, Gangi, the mayor of Gold City, is angry. He is angry because the Gangi, whom he earlier bankrolled into the office, awards contracts to his opponents. Though the mayor has paid back the loans he gave him, because of his lack of loyalty to him, he decides that Obata, the manager of his farm, Odaudu Farms, will be the next mayor though Obata says he is politically inexperienced. The election comes with all its bloody strings and the godfather’s new godson wins. Obata never knew there would be bloodshed, as his godfather never told him. The bloodshed disturbs him and he decides to atone for the sins against the dead by improving the lives of the people. But Godfather is not happy with such action, especially as he is not consulted. Mayor Obata decides to go on in the face of blackmail from godfather. And this leads to the mayor’s mysterious assassination.
The story “Magic” from page 77 to 79 is about Bologi who is desperate to know if the power of his desecrated charm for wealth has gone. In the story, “Soul Mate,” Lilian is in a condition of “lingering grief and loneliness” (p.83) due to the death of her parents during an ethno-religious conflict in the city. She finally finds love with Bulus, after a long tortuous walk.
“The Honourable Minister,” a story that is stunningly creative, spinning a drama in a short story, giving a short story the badge of drama, humorously dramatizes how a minister runs his duties, exposing the foibles, vanity and failings of a state. Children perform before a real minister, displaying huge element of mockery and criticism of government performance. “The Black Cat” is a powerfully told story about an old woman who visits her youthful days when she enjoyed life, life of prostitution, rejected men who wanted to marry her, messed up her wealth, and when old and rejected lives with a cat, becomes prayerful, and recognizes the transformative power of the cat. She is lifted from her plane to other planes, by her new state of life, and by From page 96 to 98 is a hilarious story titled “The President’s Portrait”. Artist Amedu keeps reworking his painting of the president to get the best piece of the art which he intends to present to the president during his inauguration. At first he paints a beautiful picture, but as news on the extent of rigging that took place during the presidential election comes in, he keeps repainting the work to reflect the real president whose profile continues to change from innocence to ugliness.
The title story, “Hoodlums”, is an outstanding story that deals with violence, criticism against journalists, and the hazards of the profession. There is a tragic clash between Christians and Muslims in a religiously charged city (Kaduna). A police inspector accuses the journalists of causing the riot through their sensational and dubious reporting. A security team of policemen and soldiers dumps the two arrested journalists in the two hottest spots of the riot; they drop the Muslim journalist in the Christian-controlled area and the Christian journalist in the Muslim-controlled area – where they will most certainly face death. In “Hoodlums”, the writer balances his story to show his awareness of religious sensitivity and to appeal for religious balance in a multifarious country like Nigeria. There is an excellent use of flashbacks to develop the story “Hoodlums.”
“The Forbidden Path” is a moving story, powerfully told, and poetically rendered. It is about the suicidal journey of Onkwo, the woman who “had overstayed her days and had seen the forbidden masquerades.” (p.54). The superbly told story is greatly worth reading several times, over and over again.
There is a wide range of themes: corruption, greed, power, violence and drug abuse. Some of the stories carry the crushing weight of reporting. And there is good use of suspense. For instance, in the story “The Last Hiding Place” The reader is gripped from the beginning of the story. The writer uses the power of thought to drive some of the stories. Also irony plays a good role in bringing out the beauty of some of the stories. Other stories are packed with humour like “Hoodlums” and “After the Riot.” In fact, “After the Riot” is loaded with good style. It is one of the best stories.
Though Hoodlums is good for everybody, I strongly recommend it to politicians, religious, political, traditional, and economic leaders. They should read and experience the grim and horrific effects of riots, injustice, do-or-die mentalities and other societal dysfunctions in some of the stories. I recommend the book to the citizens of countries like Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Mexico, Uganda and Columbia where there are recurrent waves of violence, greed and corruption. With Hoodlums, Umaisha has succeeded in creatively showing to the world the complex situations that characterize, in varying degrees, some hotspots in Nigeria.
Uchechukwu Agodom, is a writer, poet, columnist and social commentator. ucheagodom@yahoo.com. +2347064881550.

Rhythm of Fear and Violence in Umaisha’s Hoodlums

2011-08-21T12:32:00.002+01:00

Reviewed by Isaac Attah Ogezi
In the late 1980s, Achebe, in his timeless classic, The Trouble with Nigeria, classified Nigeria as one of the most unsafe places to live in the world today. Daily events in the country have made this assertion truer in our times than in the late 1980s. Only last year when the nation was in a euphoric mood of celebrating her fiftieth anniversary, a gift of bomb blasts at her seemingly impregnable Eagle Square was handed to her. If the army barracks and the Police Force Headquarters in our federal capital could have their share of bomb blasts, where lies our security? Indeed, the perennial ethno-religious crises in Kaduna, Jos, Bauchi and most parts of the north appear to have come to live with us like the Isreali-Palistinian crisis. The Niger Delta militancy in the south-south, the emergence of the extremist Islamic sect called Boko Haram in the north and the obvious disaffection and disunity among the citizenry have made fear the commonest denominator
in Nigeria today, the all-pervasive kind of fear that preceded the Civil War in the late sixties which prompted Okigbo in his poem ‘Come Thunder’, to lament: ‘… a great fearful thing already tugs at the cables of /the open air.’ It is this fear, which is more often than not trailed by violence and debauchery, that has become a recurring decimal in our chequered history as a people and forms the fulcrum of Umaisha’s collection of seventeen short stories, Hoodlums.
In Hoodlums, Umaisha explores several themes, ranging from fear and violence in our polity, feminism and the plight of children during crises, politics of bitterness and godfatherism and love, to metafiction and dystopian literature. In the stories, ‘Militant’, ‘After the Riot’ and ‘Hoodlums’, we see the gory pictures of the activities of the Niger Delta militants and the ceaseless ethno-religious violence in the country. In a season of anomie such as Nigeria’s, hoodlums are daily birthed; whose targets are the sane, ‘those who still had a future’ (p. 13). Umaisha unravels further the moronic psychology of hoodlums on the same page 13 when he wrote: ‘When the hoodlums sighted someone, they would rush and beat him repeatedly till he fell. Then they would slaughter him. The more a victim pleaded with them the more brutal they became. After slaughtering such a victim they would set the body ablaze.’ Hoodlums are therefore
psychopaths who revel in bloodletting. They are monsters and bloodhounds. Like J. P. Clark’s all-embracing definition of casualties in the Nigerian Civil War in his famous poem ‘Casualties’, Umaisha sees hoodlums as not only those who physically unleash violence but include even the educated elite who fan the embers of disunity such as the journalists who incite crises by sensational reporting. On page 27, Umaisha made a Police Inspector speak his mind, thus:
‘“Do you see those hoodlums out there?” He pointed at some fleeing matchete-wiedling youths. “You and your editor and all the other journalists who help to escalate this crisis by sensational reporting are no better than them. They are all hoodlums and they will be treated as such.”’
In reply to this accusation, Ben, a journalist character in the title story unwittingly drops his guard when he pleads: ‘I don’t think it is too late, sir. One editorial is enough to do the magic. The fighting will stop. Even the reprisal attacks in other parts of the country will stop … ‘(p. 29). The activities of hoodlums on rampage will always result in mayhem as graphically painted on page 26:
‘The number of policemen and soldiers on the streets was obviously too small to cope with the situation. Dead bodies were everywhere, the driver barely avoided running over them. The sight was so horrible that grave silence pervaded the van.’
In ‘The Outcast’ and
‘The Forbidden Path’,
Umaisha shows his disenchantment with our patriarchal society for its preference for men over women. In ‘The Outcast’, Ilema was discarded in a rubbish dump by her mother when she was an infant on account of her being a female child (p. 40). Umaisha paints the picture of a callous society that does not forgive a woman’s childlessness as he aptly put it in the mouth of his character Mummy on page 43: ‘“I am an outcast”, she continued. “I was rejected by my people. I was branded a witch and rejected because of my inability to bear a child. Even though in my desperate quest for a child, I moved from one husband to another like a harlot, they still failed to understand my plight. They said I couldn’t give birth because I ate my babies in the womb.” Because of the sexist society that she lives in, Mummy dreams that Ilema will ‘grow into a woman of substance, into a man’ (p.
45). Similarly, in ‘The Forbidden Path’, Onkwo, the oldest person in Irebu village is branded a witch and ‘… from that day, children never went near her again’ (p. 55) because apart from having one of her sons ‘lost to the city’ (p. 55), the rest of her other ten children are dead including her husband!
Stories like ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Do or Die!’ poke fun at our unsophisticated politics of bitterness and godfatherism. ‘The Last Hiding Place’ and ‘The President’s Portrait’ depict metafictive processes of creativity and the enigmatic nature of artistes generally, while ‘Seat of Power’ describes a dystopian world reminiscent of Orwell’s masterwork, 1984. It is worthy to note that despite Umaisha’s dark world marked with violence and savagery, the victimization of women and children, politics of ‘do-or-die’, somehow love survives. In ‘Soul Mate’ and even the doomsday title story, ‘Hoodlums’, love flourishes even in a time of war. The love between Ben and Mairo in Kaduna cuts across the religious divide. It is pure, unadulterated love that is religion-blind. This is a bold, no-holds-barred story that shows that Nigeria needs writers like Umaisha who are detribalized and de-religionized. Writers who, when possessed by the creative muse, will utilize the social function of literature to unite rather than to preach sectionalism and religious intolerance.
Unarguably, Umaisha’s Hoodlums is a celebration of the blissful marriage of topical themes and aesthetics. As a poet, Umaisha has been able to transfer the subtlety that poetry is renowned for to his short stories, thereby placing some high demands on the readers to read between the lines to be able to fathom some unsaid things. Umaisha employed great economy of language like Hemingway in Hoodlums. This kind of cryptic use of language is evident in ‘The Forbidden Path’ when the writer used just two versified lines on page 57 to tell the entire story of Onkwo, why she is labelled a witch. This is a skill which reinforces the short story’s unique singularity of effect apart from the fact that it can be read at one sitting, with no single word wasted. Edgar Allan Poe, in the first real analysis of the short story, posited that: ‘In the whole composition, there should be no word written, of which the tendency, direct or indirect is not to the one pre-established design. And by such means, with such care and skill, a picture is at length painted which leaves in the mind of him who contemplates it with a kindred art, a sense of the fullest satisfaction.’
Perhaps, the apparent weakness in Umaisha’s Hoodlums is the lack of experimentation in narrative styles. All the stories conform to the traditional form of storytelling in the mould of folktales evident in the works of the early masters of the short story form such as Poe and Melville. In the entire seventeen stories, none of them is Chekhovian nor experimental like Hemingway’s.
There is no doubt that the short story is more similar to poetry than the longer prose form of the novel, and just like poetry, form is as important to the short story, if not more important than the subject. Also, in one or two instances, Umaisha’s characters are flat, cowardly and not invested with heroism like Iyayi’s Heroes. The character of Ben, the journalist in the title story, is that of a despicable coward on page 30, as follows: ‘He got down on his knees and began to pray – something he had not done in a very long time … No one looked back except Ben. And what he saw was beyond words. He slumped.’ In ‘The Outcast’, Ilema’s character is portrayed to be weak when, upon the revelation of the circumstances surrounding her birth, ‘she suddenly lurched forward and slumped to the floor’ (p. 45). Melodrama in fiction is always accompanied with weak character portrayal. Ironically, the effect of melodrama in literature is always the opposite and negative, for instead of striking the reader hard in the face, it falls off flat on the ground because of its lack of verisimilitude. On page 11, Umaisha wrote:
‘Mummy was running fast. She spread out her arms when she saw Tene. The little girl also spread out her arms, running towards her as fast as she could. But just before she got to Mummy, another explosion went off close by and something she could not see lifted Mummy high and smashed her on the ground. Mummy struggled to her feet but fell back.’
The same can be said of Ben’s ‘hazy image of Mairo, weeping and stretching out her hands, inviting him to come over’ on page 29. Well-packaged and edited, Hoodlums is almost error-free save for a few lapses such as ‘contentious difference’ (p. 14), ‘And as he presently focused on a mob” (p. 99) and ‘His heart skipped a bit” (p. 102).
Be that as it may, Umaisha’s Hoodlums announces the arrival of an accomplished short story writer in Nigeria, who, in the succeeding years, will continue to give us more snapshots of the human condition and nature in a manner not amenable to the novel form. Even the great masters of the short story genre such as Melville, Turgenev, Chekhov, Hemingway and Katherine Mansfield could not boast of an accomplished first collection like Umaisha’s Hoodlums. It is indeed a must-read for all those aspiring to excel in short story writing and for those on the lookout for real entertainment.

Umaisha unleashes his Hoodlums on the public

2011-08-21T12:15:00.003+01:00

Hoodlums, a collection of short stories by Sumaila Isah Umaisha, an Associate Editor with the New Nigerian Newspapers, and Chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, was presented to the public in Abuja, Thursday.
Held under the chairmanship of the Honourable Minister of Information and Communications, Mr. Labaran Maku, at the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, the event was attended by dignitaries from all walks of life.
The event began with opening remarks by the chairman, who described the publication of the book as timely in view of the prevailing security situation in the country. According to the minister, who was represented by Mr. Olufela Oshunbiyi, Deputy Director in the Ministry of Information and Communications, Umaisha’s collection of short stories, which centres mainly on the causes and effects of violent crises in Nigeria, is quite topical and deserves the attention of every Nigerian.
Presenting his paper titled ‘Understanding Crises and Conflict Resolution in Nigeria’, the Guest Speaker, Dr. Joseph Golwa, who is the Director-General, National Institute for Peace And Conflict Resolution, re-echoed the timeliness of the book and the need for Nigerians to learn the bitter lessons contained in it. Violent crises as being currently witnessed across the country, he said, were not only inimical to national development, but a serious dent on the image of the country. He called on all and sundry to imbibe the culture of tolerance, justice and peace, which the book preaches.
The Chief Presenter, Engr. Kailani Mohammed, publisher of Liberator newspaper, and the Chief Host, Dr. Jerry Agada, President, Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, also expressed concerns over the security situation in the country, hoping that copies of the book would be widely circulated to inculcate in the reading public the need for peaceful co-existence.
According the Book Reviewer, Dr. Emman Usman Shehu, Director, International Institute of Journalism, the book provided the author the platform to explore a variety of themes including political violence, thuggery, assassinations, militancy, witchcraft, astral projection, prostitution, drug addiction and insanity. “Thus, most of the stories are topical giving the collection a strong contemporary relevance,” he stressed.
The Special Guest of Honour, Nasarawa State Governor, Alhaji Tanko Umaru Al-Makura, did not only extol the effort of the author in producing such a timely book, but purchased a large number of copies for schools in Nasarawa State. The governor, who was represented by Malam Shehu Othman, also called for peace as, according to him, no meaning development could take place in a state of chaos.
Also, Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Modibbo, the Director and Chief Executive of the Universal Basic Education Commission, who was represented at the occasion, pledged to purchase and distribute copies of the book to public schools across the country.
The event was punctuated with an entertaining interlude; a thrilling performance of one of the short stories, ‘After the Riot’ by Odoh Diego Okenyodo, Managing Director, Isu Media.
The public presentation was followed by a reading session organized by the Abuja chapter of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA. The event, which took place on Saturday (two days after the public presentation) at the French Cultural Centre, Wuse II, attracted many Abuja-based writers, including Professor Umelo Ojinmah, Dean of Faculty of Arts, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, and Chinyere Obi-Abasi, who is on the shortlist of this year’s NLNG Prize for Literature.
It was an exciting moment as the Guest Writer, Sumaila Umaisha, read from his Hoodlums, while the audience critiqued the stories. At the end of the reading Professor Ojinmah announced his intention to recommend the book for his Literature students.

Published in many Nigerian newspapers.

I have the ability to change ANA - Dzukogi

2011-08-21T12:08:00.002+01:00

Malam BM Dzukogi, a poet, short story writer, essayist and former Financial Secretary of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, is contesting for the post of National Secretary of the association in the next convention. In this interview with Sumaila Umaisha, he says he is sure of victory because he has all it takes to change ANA for the better.

For some time now there have been talks about you trying to contest for the position of National Secretary of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA. What is the motivating factor?
B.M. Dzukogi: Let me start by saying it is not just talks about it, it is real and we have announced our intention. The motivating factor is simple. I have reached a stage where I have to take my service forward. So the motivation, largely, is to establish at the national level things we have done here in Niger State. It is a service, burdensome, but it is beautiful.
What are the things you have done in Niger State that you want to replicate at the national level?
It depends at what point one was. Hilltop Model School, you are aware of the little we have contributed to that environment, establishing teen authorship, establishing arts centre there and many other things. In Niger State, of course, apart from the fact that my presence is a motivating factor for the younger ones, which is also a contribution to service, because it is like bringing them forward. There are some other things we introduced during my time as the secretary of the state chapter of ANA from 1994 to 2000. And the one that will readily come to mind is the issue of Annual Schools Carnival of Arts and Festival of Songs (ASCAFS). Apart from the anthologies we pioneered, there are other programmes like visitation to schools, trying to found literature library.
There is still an EXCO in place, only winding up their first term. Given the tradition of ANA where EXCO members are often given automatic second term, how are you going to dislodge the EXCO?
Giving automatic ticket to people should be discouraged because this EXCO has totally remained redundant. And that’s where the trouble is. When we encourage automatic second term we are indirectly encouraging third term. Second term should be left in the hands of the people, the electorate. If they want you based on what you have done, they will vote you in again for the second time. For instance, if we are able to secure our first term and we fail to perform, the people should throw us out. That is the beauty of democracy. In any case, once the first term elapses, then a fresh environment has been created for any other person to aspire for any position.
When you said the present EXCO is redundant what do you mean?
What have they done? They have not done anything. Truly, there is nothing I can hold on to now as something they have achieved. During Okediran’s era everywhere was active, we were part of that EXCO and we know how much activism he brought into the leadership and everybody had no choice than to follow – many things; colloquiums, inauguration of branches, workshops here and there. Okediran was doing all of those things, he was seen; we were everywhere. In the present regime, no activities; the only thing they have organized so far is the colloquium for JP Clark. And if I’m to narrate what happened there it will be too bad. They have actually not measured up to half of what Okediran did. This is redundancy. What they should have aspired to do is to do as much as he has done or do more. If you can’t do more than that then you must retain the frequency of what he did. But nothing – some much quiet.
And you think if you come there you will change the situation?
With all sense of modesty, I think I have the ability to change the situation. I have the ability to change ANA. The office is not the thing, but the occupier of that office; it is the leader who makes the office. You will see an office that is seemingly insignificant, but if you have a creative person there he brings his creativity to bear on the office.
So how is ANA going to look like under you?
It will be largely based on our antecedent. For example, if we were able to successfully do series of anthologies in ANA Niger, which we did not have to wait for conventions before we release them, I should be able to do that at the national level. If we could introduce ASCAFS in Niger State, we should be able to do that nationally. In doing these things, you need to connect with organizations and individuals of influence for them to give you the necessary support. They don’t need to give us the funds; they only need to give us the administrative funds – funds for organizing the events. Securing a secretariat in Abuja, even if it is temporary, shouldn’t be a problem for us, because we have people there that we will talk to, to be able to release offices for us to use. Even the Niger State governor will be too willing to do that for us there at the liaison office. I should also be able to carry the teen authorship further, going into universities now, which is a little step above what we do in secondary schools here. For example, you bring in the Nigerian universities’ literary clubs into the fold of ANA. Now, you are not just engaging them, you are establishing a structure for an aspiring author. For example, a child from secondary school who had experienced teen authorship gets to the university and after university he moves straight to the association. So that building of structure is something we should be able to do. Then the colloquium thing; we should be able to celebrate on a larger scale icons of Nigerian literature. We will bring them together to announce to the society their works and worth. And once the younger ones watch this thing unfolding at the national scene, they will naturally aspire to be them. In that way, you are re-organising their thought. There are many things we want to do, which I will publish in my manifesto. What made Okediran succeed was that though he was higher than us he brought down himself to our level, interacted very well and carried everyone along. He goes to the naming and marriage ceremonies of members. Okediran will fly from Abuja to Maiduguri just to attend those things. If the leader is performing, nothing will prevent those under him from performing.
In your statement you’ve been saying ‘our’…
You know, I’m working in concert with Remi Raji. And it is a long time of muting of this quest. Truly, my concept of leadership is the one that is driving me forward. Although today leadership in our society translates to wealth, such that if you are vying for a position people will think you are not serious, you are just pretending, when you get there you will do a different thing. But such thing happens when you have not developed a strong philosophy in life. I know very well that the name I have secured is greater than the instant wealth one would get. In any case, if you do something very well, you will also get people’s goodwill, and that is better than wealth. Life should be about being contented with what you have and the influence you exert on people positively.
On a final note, what is your level of preparation, and from the reactions you are getting so far, what do you think are your chances?
Truly, the Nigerian literary environment knows Dzukogi, and if I say I have no confidence in them to accept my aspiration, I must be lying. I’m just too convinced that they know what I’m capable of, know the kind of person I am and are willing to accept me. In any case, I’ve spoken to a lot. I started speaking to people from December, 2010. I text Prof. Olu Obafemi, I text Zaynab Alkali, Odia and many others. And their responses were all positive. Someone even said ‘you have my one hundred and one per cent support’.

Interviewed by Sumaila Umaisha and published in the New Nigerian.

NLNG Prize Shortlist: I feel ecstatic! - Obi-Obasi

2011-08-21T11:33:00.002+01:00

The fact that Chinyere Obi-Obasi, a graduate of English Language/Literature and Law, is a writer of no mean repute has just been confirmed by her book, The Great Fall, being shortlisted for the 2011 Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas, NLNG, Prize for Literature. She speaks to Sumaila Umaisha about it.

Let’s begin with your brief biography.
I am a graduate of English Language/Literature and Law. Was called to the Nigerian bar in 1993. Practised law for seven years before joining the bank. I spent the last five years of the practice with Tayo Oyetibo & Co. I currently work with UnityBank Plc and is married with 5 children; four girls and one boy.
How did your writing career begin?
I read a lot from childhood. I did some writing in secondary school, did more in my first degree while reading English Language then I did a lot more while reading Law which saw me finish a manuscript and send it off to a publisher. It was neither acknowledged nor published. I did not do any writing in Law School or during law practice. I started again when I began to work in the bank.
You seem to specialize in children’s literature; why?
Not exactly, having five children, I am at home with kids and can relate to their needs. I have done a lot of short stories. I recall my short stories can be found in these anthologies; Camouflage and Eko O nibaje. I have published short stories in ThisDay newspaper and read my stories at many literary fora. I am currently working on an adult book I titled ‘The Birth Mark’. I am also writing a talent management book and a motivational book.
How did you receive the news of your being among the 2011 NLNG Prize shortlist?
I got a call from Mr. Ahmed Maiwada about 7.30pm on Friday 22nd July, 2011.
How does it feel?
I feel ecstatic, humbled and grateful to the Almighty God who saw the many lonely nights I had to work long and hard and crowned my efforts with success.
What do you think were the qualities that made the judges select the work?
The judges mentioned certain criteria that guided them. I guess they believed my book met all those criteria. I particularly agree with the editing part and the fact that everyone can enjoy it. I am grateful to Ejah Sule, Maiwada, Ben Ubiri, Spencer Okoroafor, Dr Rex and my publishers who at one time or the other made very useful suggestions.
Of course, you are hopeful that you will make it; what gives you this hope?
The prize is open because if you say six books from 126 then each of the books is a potential winner. My hope is built on God and nothing else.
How do you visualize your life after winning the prize?
I see a more vibrant writer who will intensify effort having set this kind of standard.
What is your writing schedule like?
Because I have a large family of one husband and five children and work in the bank, I spend all my time trying to balance correctly so that none will suffer. I write mostly from 2am till dawn.

(c) Interviewed by Sumaila Umaisha and published in the New nigerian of 14th August, 2011.

Biafran war was unnecessary but inevitable

2011-08-12T11:06:00.006+01:00

Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, a professor of English at the University of Lagos, has written over 34 books across genres – novels, short stories, poetry, plays and children’s literature – and academic books and articles published locally and internationally. Her latest work, a novel titled Roses and Bullets, highlights the Nigerian civil war from a fresh angle that portrays the war as unnecessary but inevitable. In this interview with SUMAILA UMAISHA, she speaks about the book.

Let’s begin with your short biography.
My name is Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, a professor of English at the University of Lagos and a three-time head of the English Department. I was born in the south east but have lived in various parts of Nigeria – east, west and north. I have a doctorate degree from the University of Ibadan and B.A. and Masters Degrees from the University of Lagos. I was appointed a professor at the University of Lagos in 1999. I have written over 34 books across genres – novels, short stories, poetry, plays and children’s literature – and academic books and articles published locally and internationally I have travelled extensively in Africa, Europe, North America and Asia.
Why did you entitle your new novel Roses and Bullets?
The title is symbolic. Roses symbolize youths who perished in the Nigerian Civil War which is also referred to as the Biafran War. The youth fought the war and died in thousands, just like the young children who died of starvation. As Herbert Hoover said, “Older men declare war, but it is the youth that must fight and die.” So the youth are the flowers of the land that were bighted too soon; they sacrificed their lives. As a matter of fact this also applied to the Federal side. Bullets represent violence and death. There was so much violence and so many deaths in the war. There could be other interpretations, but these will suffice.
There is something unique, something philosophical about the relationship between your major characters, Ginika and Eloka; what statement are you trying to make here in relation to the Nigerian civil war?
The love shared by Ginika and Eloka is the type of love that is strong, genuine, ennobling and beautiful. Under normal circumstances such love should last a lifetime and bring out the best in the individuals concerned. But war is abnormal; the civil war destroyed this love. One of the statements the novel makes is that the Nigerian Civil War destroyed a lot of good, positive and beautiful things, especially human relationships and lives. It also destroyed property and infrastructure. It shattered dreams and hopes.
Coming from the eastern part of the country some might conclude you wrote the novel from your personal experience. How would you respond to this?
Well, I was a witness to the war – I was a schoolgirl when it was fought. So I write from hindsight and experience. But this is not to say that I was exploring my personal experience; for instance, I am not Ginika, as some people have presumed.
How much of the novel is fiction and how much fact?
A lot of it is fiction, but there are factual events or happenings that have been transmuted into fiction while some are retained as they actually were, for example, the names of some personages and some towns.
Writers like Chukwuemeka Ike, Elechi Amadi and Chimamanda Adichie have written on the civil war with love as a major theme and one might think these authors have exhausted the subject-matter. What fresh angle do you think you have introduced into the novel to make it stand out?
Love is a great theme any writer can explore in fiction; this has always been the case. Consider, for instance Dryden’s All for Love or Shakespeare’s Anthony and Cleopatra (both on the same subject) or even Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. These are great works that explore the theme of love. I believe my treatment of this great theme is different from those of the Nigerian writers you mentioned. Mine focuses on the experience of the youth, exploring the true meaning of passion, human frailties accentuated by war and the notions of morality and self-sacrifice.
From the tone of the novel, you seem to be saying the war was unnecessary. Can you expatiate on this?
Yes, the war was totally unnecessary – so many crises in Nigeria were and still are unnecessary – but it was inevitable.
There is something didactic about the novel; what lesson are you trying to impart?
I wonder if one should be talking about lessons, as I assume each reader should form his or her opinion in this regard. However, one thing I can say is that war is evil. It has always been so and will always be so: it hardly solves anything. Roses and Bullets exposes the horrors of war. Nigeria fought a civil war between 1967 and 1970, but did it solve anything? The issues are still there and people are acting as if a war was never fought! In her powerful novel, Song of Solomon, the distinguished African American writer, Toni Morrison, shows us that human beings do not learn from past mistakes – a phenomenon that Wole Soyinka refers to as the stupidities of human action and history. What else can one say after reflecting on the works of these famous masters? Literature is life; good literature makes profound statements about life. I believe Roses and Bullets has done this.
From the feelers so far, in terms of sales and criticism, how is the novel being received?
The novel came out in March, 2011. The sales are okay but not fantastic yet – only few Nigerians invest in books or bother to read anyway. But I can tell you that the novel is well received: strange enough, even people who haven’t read it are excited about it perhaps because of the subject matter. I receive a lot of calls, emails and commendations for writing the book.
You are into all the genres of literature; which of the genres would you say you find it easier to write in?
I can’t say really. However, I am comfortable with all of them. It is amazing that one genre captures my imagination at a given time and I immediately obey. For example, when I was ready to start writing Roses and Bullets, poetry hijacked me and I bowed, wrote poems until fiction reestablished dominance and stole me away. Again I obeyed and wrote Roses and Bullets. So it depends on my mood or state of mind. For example, in June 2011, an idea for a short story came and I immediately wrote one and sent it abroad. I don’t know if it will be accepted for publication. I wait for news.
Don’t you think it would have been more effective in terms of communicating your ideas, if you had written a play on the civil war rather than a novel?
No. I don’t think so. Roses and Bullets could only be realized as a novel – an extended fictitious narrative – by virtue of the complexity of its plot and its rigorous delineation of character and exploration of motives.
The novel is 518 pages; as a lecturer and a housewife, how did you find time to put this together?
If you are passionate about what you do, you will find time. I am passionate about writing and I try to find time to write in spite of all that I do as a wife, mother, grandmother and university teacher and researcher.
Are we expecting any work of this nature from you again or you have exhausted the subject?
Well, only time will tell!

(c) Interviewed by Sumaila Umaisha and published in the 7th August, 2011, of New Nigerian newspaper.

Gamji Memorial Club celebrates Abubakar Imam

2011-08-11T10:55:00.003+01:00

14TH July, 2011 could be described as a very special date for the students of Niger State Polytechnic, Zungeru, particularly members of the school’s chapter of Gamji Memorial Club, as they organized a memorial lecture to commemorate the literary icon, Abubakar Imam. The event, which marked the 8th Annual Gamji Week, 2011, took place at the Resource Centre of the polytechnic, with distinguished dignitaries in attendance, including Malam Tukur Abdulrahman, Managing Director, New Nigerian Newspapers, and Professor Zaynab Alkali, former Deputy Vice Chancellor of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, in attendance.
The event, under the theme, “Late Abubakar Imam: Examplary Life for Today’s Leaders” began with a welcome address by the President of the chapter, Halima Abdullahi Sarki, in which she highlighted the aims and objectives of the club. According to her, the club is aimed at inculcating in the youth the virtues of Sir Ahmadu Bello, former Premier of the defunct Northern Region and Sardauna of Sokoto. This year’s edition of the annual lecture focused on late Abubakar Imam because, according to her, the renowned writer, journalist and statesman the two lived exemplary lives promoting the same ideology and moral values that enhance the human dignity.
In her opening remarks, the Chairperson of the occasion, Professor Zaynab Alkali, also extolled the virtue of the duo and commended members of the Gamji club for commemorating their monumental legacies. The legacies were further enumerated in a citation on late Abubakar Imam.
Highlight of the event was the lecture, which featured two topic: “New Technologies for an Ancient Profession: Challenges for the Nigerian Writer”, by Professor Remi Raji, Head of English Language Department, University of Ibadan, and “Literature and Development: Talent in Service of Humanity”, by Professor Zaynab Alkali.
In his paper, Professor Raji extolled the literary qualities of Abubakar Imam, examined the challenges being faced by the contemporary writer, especially the Nigerian writer, in the emerging communication technologies and how the writer could surmount the attendant disadvantages and utilize the advantages to achieve literary excellence. According to him, “In order to surmount the challenges of writing in the digital age, the consciousness or sensibility of pre-modern, pre-computer world has to be jettisoned. The catchword in the business of e-writing should be re-orientation of the psychology of the different publics - publishing, author and the larger constituency of the real or virtual reader.”
He observed that with the new technologies, “many Nigerian “authors” appear ready and raw on such social networks as facebook, twitter, youtube and bing, in dire hurry on the road to compulsory fame and quick riches without giving serious attention to the craft but according more interest to personal visibilities and self-ventilations in the public sphere.” And this, according to him, makes writing in
the digital age doubly daunting as badly written works, in terrible, ugly and awkward language are foisted freely on a readership that is few and far between. Hence, “The editor is no longer relevant, in fact the editor is dead, and the author is king, as long as there is a ready listserv or a contrived blog”.
To this end, he concluded by advising that the emerging author must consider the wisdom that writing is first an intimately privatist work which demands years of hard cerebral labour involving observation, imitation, experimentation before that unique milestone of originality. “Everyone who thinks he can write is a writer, just as every rough diamond is a gem; however, in order to achieve refinement, in order to achieve remarkable and genuine recognition, the writer must be engaged in the constant acts of reading, thinking, revision and experimentation,” he concluded.
In her own presentation, Professor Zaynab Alkali observed that literature is aimed at teaching, informing and raising the consciousness of the readers. She, however, observed that in Nigeria, literature is not playing its role fully because of some shortcomings, which include low reading culture. She then called on the federal government to take further steps, in addition to the ‘Bring Back the Book Project, to implement the age long policies with regard to developing and sustaining the reading culture. She called for the preservation of our oral and written literature through the recommended systems, namely, schools language centres, writers’ workshops, book development councils and media, through interactions between young and old writers, international reading festivals organized under writers’ workshops, or book development councils, to foster international relations with foreign sister organizations based on the exchange of ideas. If these suggestions are implemented, according to her, our literature would, among other things, be one of the best sources of wealth creation for the nation, thus positioning the writers as national leaders and torch bearers. She added that “This can only come to pass when Nigerian writers are sincerely ready to speak up, and place their talent in the service of humanity”.
Responding to the presentations as one of the discussants, Malam Tukur Abdulrahman, commended the presenters, stressing that they have so exhaustively discussed the topics that there was hardly anything else to add. He then re-iterated the points made, particularly concerning Abubakar Imam’s journalism career as the first editor of Gaskiya Ta Fi Kwabo newspaper, a subsidiary of the New Nigerian Newspapers. Malam Abdulrahman, who was also editor of the Hausa language paper, asserted that contrary to the belief that this aspect of Imam’s legacy no longer exists, Gaskiya newspaper is still alive and comes out every Monday and Tuesday. On the aspect of writing and the new technology, he advised writers to make the best use of the new information and communication technology to enhance their crafts.
In his goodwill message, the Special Guest of Honour, Governor of Niger State, Dr. Aliyu Mu’azu Babangida, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Muhammed Bawa, described the occasion as a forum for sober reflection on the personalities of Abubakar Imam, Sir Ahmadu Bello and what they stood for, which is good governance, equity and justice. He said in view of the prevailing lack of employment, polytechnic education, which is job-oriented should be truly deployed towards empowering graduants economically. This message was re-echoed by the Mother of the Day, Mrs. Jummai Aliyu Babagida, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Gender Affairs, Hajiya Hauwa Muhammed.
In his remarks, the Chief Host, Alhaji (Chief) Garba K. Muhammed, (Jakadan Kagara), who is the Rector, the Niger State Polytechnic, Zungeru, spoke on the significance of the occasion and the efforts of the polytechnic towards ensuring the graduation of self-reliant students. He also advocated for the teaching of indigenous literature in school, as it was the case in the past, for the effective inculcation of moral values in the Nigerian child.
Special Guest of Honour, Justice Mamman Nasir, National President and Patron of Gamji Club, represented by Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua, explained the aims behind founding the club, stressing that it was free for everyone who shares the same values and philosophies with Sir Ahmadu bello and Abubakar Imam to join.
The event was rounded off with presentation of certificates to paper presenters, discussants, outstanding members of the club and executive council members of the club, and a visit to the Abubakar Imam Memorial Garden, which is stll under construction.
(c) Reported in the New Nigerian edition of 17th July, 2011 by Sumaila Umaisha.

Now that change has come to Nasarawa State...

2011-06-06T11:52:00.004+01:00

IT is no longer news that change has come to Nasarawa State. The only question now is how to justify the change as a positive one. This is the question currently making the rounds within and outside Nasarawa State as the governor-elect, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Almakura, prepares to take over the mantle of leadership from the incumbent governor, Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma, in a few days’ time. The question is being asked by both cynics who are not sure of the administrative ability of the incoming government of the Congress for Progressive Party, CPC, and the optimists who are anxious to see a positive change in the state, a transformation that will justify the termination of the twelve-year-old rule of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
From either perspective, the question points to the fact that though change has come to the state in terms of leadership, the real change depends on the decisions and actions of the new administration in the next four years. Everybody is waiting to see how the only CPC state in Nigeria will accomplish the task of actualizing the people-oriented manifesto of the party. Will those at the helm be able to bring to bear on the state progressive politics and governance that would stimulate socio-economic development and ensure security and economic well-being of the citizenry?
This is the central issue the new leadership has to address. And action has to start as soon as the administration takes off, as the people have waited for too long and expectations are overflowing. The people are anxious to see real change because the state, created from Plateau State fifteen years ago, is yet to realize its full potentials in agriculture, solid mineral and tourism for which it is easily identified on the map of Africa. Situated within the Guinea Savannah region which has the most fertile soils in Nigeria, the state is famous for its agrarian nature, with a large percentage of its populace engaged in farming and agro-allied activities. In terms of availability of commercially viable mineral resources, it is also one of the most endowed states, with each of the 13 local government areas richly blessed with various forms of solid mineral deposit that can be sold in both local and international markets. In the area of tourism, different kinds of tourist attractions are all over the state. They include the Akiri Warm Spring in Awe Local Government Area, which is remarkable for its warmness all year round, the renowned Farin Ruwa Waterfalls in Wamba Local Government Area, and the scenic River Bank Resort in Umaisha, Toto Local Government Area.
All these need to be developed through the provision of vital infrastructure like roads, electricity, water supply, agro-industries, accompanied with investment in human resources development for the much needed manpower. In this regard, educational institutions need to be enhanced, from primary school to tertiary institutions, especially the four institutions located in the state: College of Education, Akwanga; College of Agriculture, Lafia; College of Arts, Science and Technology, Keffi, and the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa.
Genuine focus on these aspects of development will not only transform the perspective and prospects of governance in the state in line with the philosophy of CPC, but also improve on the capacity of the state to stimulate growth and development that would bring dividends of democracy to the poor masses.
It is indeed a daunting task. But with the right team and the political will, it is a task that could be done. Those who are familiar with the governor-elect are optimistic that he could do it, given his wealth of knowledge and experience as a veteran teacher, journalist, businessman and politician. The Bachelor of Education Degree holder, who taught at the Government College, Markudi, and later worked as a journalist after his graduation as an Assistant Producer, News and Current Affairs, at the then Broadcasting Corporation of Northern Nigeria (now part of NTA Kaduna), is well-grounded in business as he is in politics. His company, Almakura Nigeria Limited, is a household name in civil and building engineering in Nigeria and beyond. He is also into real estate and property development as chairman of his company, Ta’al Nigeria Limited. He is a grass roots politician who began his political career from secondary school. In 1980, at the age of 26, he emerged as the youth leader of the then National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in Plateau State, and automatically became a member of the National Executive Committee of the party. Eight years later he was elected into the Constituent Assembly to represent Lafia-Obi Federal Constituency of Nasarawa State. At the inception of the present political dispensation in 1999, he was a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. But unable to actualize his dream for the state within the framework of the party, he opted for CPC, through which he believes he could establish the progressive politics initiated by the party’s founder, General Muhammadu Buhari, aimed at bringing democracy dividends to the downtrodden masses.
The governor-elect said he abandoned PDP because “when it comes to issues of performance, when it comes to issues of delivering, when it comes to issues of giving my people the dividends of democracy, I will not compromise…” He feels the kind of change needed is a multi-dimensional one, a generational change, a paradigm shift that would radically impact on the polity and overall development of the state. And this was the driving force that led to his success at the polls. It is the same spirit that made him set up a transition task force soon after he was declared winner to examine the current structure of government, study the financial position of the state and recommend an appropriate structure and development blueprint.
From all indications, the determination of the governor-elect to effect the desired change is not in doubt. It is only hoped that the committee members would demonstrate the same zeal and come up with recommendations that would be all-embracing, taking into account the hope and aspirations of the people. It is also hoped that the recommendations would be executed with all the seriousness they deserve so that by 2015 the CPC slogan of CHANGE would be so substantiated that changing the party’s administration in the state would be rendered unnecessary.

(c) Written by SUMAILA UMAISHA and published in the 22nd May, 2011 of New Nigerian newspaper.

Bumpy ride to true democratic governance

2011-06-06T11:35:00.003+01:00

Today marks another milestone in Nigeria’s bumpy democratic journey as Goodluck Jonathan is being inaugurated at the Eagle Square, Abuja, as the country’s president for the next four years. The occasion is one of the grandest celebrations in recent times with about 40 heads of state and government in attendance. The activities organized for the event, which include traditional dances, callisthenic displays, arts exhibition and lectures are said to have cost a whopping sum of N500 million.
One of the lectures, with the theme, “Consolidating Democracy for National Transformation,” aptly captures the spirit of the time. The event is indeed more than just a celebration of Jonathan’s beginning of a four-year tenure. It is a celebration of democracy, a commemoration of a people’s hope for a better tomorrow. It is also a time to reflect on the gains and pains of the past 50 years of nationhood.
It would be recalled that in 1960 when Nigeria gained her independence from the British colonial rule, it was the third most populous English speaking democratic nation in the world – after India and the United States. She was also regarded globally as one of the most viable African states, and a hope for democracy on the African continent. But, unfortunately, the first steps of the journey were characterised by ethnic and regional acrimony, which culminated into perennial conflicts. Consequently, the military struck on January 15, 1966, thereby halting the nascent democracy. This was followed by the unfortunate civil war that claimed nearly two million lives. Another democratic exercise, which began in 1979, was in the same vein killed by a military coup on 31st December, 1983. Then, on May 29, 1999, the military again handed over power to a democratically elected government.
If one considers the fact that during the 33-year period from 1966 until the fourth republic came into being in 1999, civilians governed for only four years, one cannot but agree that the journey this time around is not too bad. Of course, the past epileptic democratic experience has created enormous challenges to institutionalizing real democracy in this fourth republic, but the gains we’ve recorded so far are undeniable. There has been relative improvement in the human rights situation, such as freedom of the press and civil society advocates. The National Assembly and the judiciary are also beginning to play more active roles and becoming more effective in asserting their constitutional prerogatives. This could be seen in the way the Supreme Court and the Federal Courts of Appeal courageously ruled against some incumbent governors who rigged themselves into office and restored the seats to the rightful winners of the elections. The May 2006 defeat by the National Assembly of the third term initiative of former President Olusegun Obasajo was equally a strong statement on the growing boldness of the legislative arm to exert its power.
On the economic scene, the country’s international financial reputation has significantly improved as a result of its agreement with the Paris Club. In exchange for a payment of $12.4 billion, the Paris Club countries agreed to forgive the $18 million remainder of the $30 billion debt owed by Nigeria. And upon completion of its payment in April 2006, the country became completely free from the notorious Paris Club debt. The country still owes about $5 billion to other lenders, including the World Bank and the private sector, but the clearing of the Paris Club debt has resulted in her being taken off the international credit blacklist and is able to borrow on favourable terms again.
Another notable democratic gain we’ve had since 1999 include the introduction of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2003. Though widely accused of being used by Obasanjo to settle political scores, the first chairman of the commission, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, did move the anti-corruption agenda forward, forcing dormant agencies like the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau to reform in order to be relevant. The arrest of personalities like the Inspector General of Police and the impeached governor of Bayelsa State in 2005, and the recovery of over $5 billion and conviction of 82 persons over a period of just two years gave the commission some level of credibility in spite of the allegations of selective justice. The commission, now under the leadership of Mrs. Farida Waziri, is still trying its best to rid the country of corruption.
In view of these and other achievements, one could say Nigeria has made some important strides. However, some of the prevailing realities also point to the fact that these strides could be hampered or even reversed if appropriate actions are not taken. The ugly realities include the persistent ethnic and religious grievances largely fired by elite manipulation, poverty amid massive oil revenues, corruption and growing public frustration over the lack of democracy dividends like employment, health care, power, water and education.
According to political analysts, authoritarian rule by an institutionalized oligarchy constitutes the main structural obstacle to deepening democratic rule in Nigeria. This exclusive rule by a few is said to be founded on two reinforcing structural factors: total economic dependence on the redistribution of petroleum and gas revenues, and the centralization of financial and political power in the office of the president. In other words, the formal and informal powers converge on the office of the president who largely monopolizes oil revenues to reward and cement his political networks. Like the president, the state governors also utilize their influence in directing the flow of federal resources, with most of them running their states like private fiefdoms.
At times the system is worse than oligarchy because it is not only a rule by a few individuals, but the few who are always struggling to perpetuate themselves in power without regard to due democratic process, thereby undermining popular democracy, the rule of law, federalism, devolution of powers, and good governance. The need to hold or have access to the presidency becomes a do or die affair in which all forms of manipulation are deployed to meet the selfish end.
Related to this is the wanton abuse of power by the so-called democratic leaders. A glaring example is Obasanjo’s response to complaints that his personal control of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources as the president was undemocratic and illegal. Hear him: “It is therefore within my constitutional powers to choose not to establish the office of the Minister of Petroleum Resources and directly exercise executive control over petroleum matters. It is immaterial that the office of Minister of Petroleum Resources is provided for in the Petroleum Act as the provisions of the Constitution take precedence over that of an existing law in the event of a conflict.”
Everyone knew that the conflict he was referring to existed only in his imagination, a mere pretext to cover the actual selfish intent. President Jonathan also exhibited the same tendency as soon as he became Acting President following the ill-health of late Umaru Musa Ya’Adua. He directed the Ministry of Finance to transfer N19 billion intervention funds for the dredging of the River Niger to the Ministry of Niger Delta for shoreline protection and land reclamation. And in response to questions by the press, his media aide simply said, “These areas have to be well protected and land adequately reclaimed, then we can now go into the area of dredging...”
Why was such measure not suggested to Yar’Adua when the decision on the dredging of the river was being taken?
It all boils down to the fact that there’s too much power at the disposal of the presidency and every president tends to use it excessively. According to political observers, such arbitrary and undemocratic actions, including insensitivity to the plight of the masses, have created a yawning gap between the rulers and the ruled, leading to a general dissatisfaction and cynicism regarding governance.
As manifested in the recent post-election violence in some parts of the North, there are also growing sentiments of injustice fueled by attempts by the political class to manipulate themselves into political positions or capitalize on ethno-religious rivalries to achieve their goals. This has become a very serious problem in our quest for democracy. Stressing this point, the Executive Director of the Centre for Peace Building and Socio-Economic Resources Development, Ayokunle Fagbemi, who said some 10,000 people had died in Nigeria since the return of democratic rule in 1999, observed that “These acts of violence clearly and adversely affect the image of our nation and also undermine its corporate existence as well as the consolidation of our emergent democracy.”
Added to these political problems arising from undemocratic behaviours of the ruling clique is corruption, which has become the order of the day in spite of efforts by ant-corruption agencies like the EFCC and ICPC. In fact, the endemic corruption is said to be rooted in the nature of our politics, where political elites misappropriate considerable amount of public funds for their personal gain with impunity, while the masses wallow in abject poverty.
If the wealth of the nation were equitably distributed Nigerians would have been fairly comfortable and the World Bank wouldn’t have ranked us among the world’s poorest countries, with the vast majority of the population living on less than $2 per day. This is because, according to records, as at 2006, Nigeria had taken in over $400 billion in oil revenues since the early 1970s, with an estimated $45 billion in oil export receipts for 2005 alone. Today, the country’s crude oil reserves is the tenth largest in the world, with oil and natural gas revenues alone accounting for 95 percent of state revenue, over 40 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and 96 percent of the value of exports.
Unfortunately, this huge wealth end up in the pockets of a select few at the corridors power, who become extraordinarily rich while about three-quarters of the Nigerian population go hungry for the basic necessities of life. According to statistics, poverty has increased since the late 1990s. Over 70 per cent of Nigerians are classified as poor, and 35 per cent of them live in absolute poverty. The poverty is said to be especially severe in rural areas, where up to 80 per cent of the population live below the poverty line and social services and infrastructure are limited.
It is sad to note that some of the corrupt practices are institutionalized and given legal backing; such as the jumbo pay of the National Assembly members where a member earns an average of one million naira a day in salary and allowances. Another glaring instance of a legally backed wasteful spending is the celebration of the 50th independence anniversary with a whopping sum of N10 billion. A breakdown of the N10 billion include N950 million for the anniversary parade involving march past, fleet review and aerial display, N350 million naira on national unity torch and tour, N40 million on a presidential banquet, N50 million for calisthenics performance, N310m for cultural, historical and military exhibitions while N40 million went for what the government called ‘Food Week.’ Another N450 million naira was used to finance the production of branded souvenir, gift items for foreign heads of state and personalities and the placing of a large coat of arms on Aso Rock.
As a result of this financial recklessness, the country’s excess crude account which stood at $20 billion in January 2009 has as at 2010 been depleted to a paltry $3.2 billion, representing a rate of withdrawal of some $1.12 billion per month.
Meanwhile the allocation of resources to the local governments where the masses actually reside is carried out in a way that only a small amount actually get to the rightful destination. Due to the fact that the main source of revenue for local governments comes from the Federation Account, with state government contributing an additional 10 percent, the governors control the local governments through their discretion over the flow of funding. Instead of disbursing the quarter of the Federation Account revenues usually earmarked for the 774 local governments nationwide through the governors’ office, some governors often withhold these funds or deducted them for dubious development projects. And when the remaining meager amount finally arrives at the local government councils, some chairmen and their council members and local bureaucrats, misappropriate them to their selfish end, leaving very little for the business of local governance.
Certainly, these undemocratic acts, which borders on criminality, do not urgur well for democracy, especially in a populous and diverse society like ours. Nigeria is said to be the most populous African state, the world’s fifth largest federation, and one of the world’s most ethnically diverse nation, being made up of over 250 ethno-linguistic groups. For democracy to achieve its true meaning, therefore, the formal democratic system and the rule of law must be allowed to gain supremacy over the current unruly state of affairs. In this regards, conscious efforts must be made by politicians to play according to the rules. Efforts that would strengthen the relative power of the legislative and judicial branches against the executive branches are also essential. In fact, as a political expert observed, strengthening formal institutional arrangements that encourage and force political elites to view the public interest as a personal political priority, particularly through credible elections, transparency, and accountability mechanisms, will go a long way in smoothening our democratic journey. Of great importance also is the development of viable political opposition. Those in power always view the opposition as antagonists. But the fact remains that political opposition provides elites with necessary alternatives to pursue their ambitions. And, at times, the opposition is more interested in providing the public with responsive policy alternatives, especially when the ruling party has lost its initiatives.
So, the opposition must be given a fair chance, as fairness and justice is a veritable pillar in democratic governance. The public needs to feel that those at the helm are people that can guarantee fairness and justice; they should be made to have faith in the system so much that they could easily have recourse to democratic institutions to express their demands or resolve their grievances. Since people in the rural areas constitute the larger percentage of the population, providing more financial autonomy to local governments by having them receive their funding directly from the Federation Account rather than routing it through the states will minimize the extent to which the funds are tampered with.
In view of the challenges faced in the efforts to transform the array of competing ethnic, regional and religious groups into stakeholders, the issue of zoning must be taken seriously. For, even though the arrangement, which is defined as a mechanism of sequentially rotating offices across Nigeria’s six geographical areas, is not in the Nigerian constitution, it has proven historically to be a legitimate solution to the monopolization of power by a particular zone or group and the resultant complaints of maginalisation.
Indeed, politics in a diverse society such as ours can only thrive on concession and sacrifices in which everyone is carried along. This fact must not be thrown away if we really want to get to the Promise Land as a one united entity. It is a bumpy ride, but with the right attitude and action, we will definitely get there.

Written by SUMAILA UMAISHA and published in the 29th May, 2011 edition of New Nigerian newspaper.

Nigeria: A good-looking jalopy? (Travelogue)

2011-04-17T16:35:00.004+01:00

At times one can hardly resist the temptation to draw an analogy between the Nigerian situation and the workings of a good-looking jalopy. The recent postponement of the National Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission brought back memories of my several encounters with brand new jalopies. The other day, when I boarded a commercial bus from Kaduna to Zaria, it had to be pushed several times. When at the end of the journey we asked the driver why the seemingly new bus put us through such hardship in addition to the exorbitant fare we paid, he simply laughed and said; “That is Nigeria for you!”
“What do you mean?” I retorted, fire in my eyes.
But he simply drove off, leaving the question lingering in my mind.
Not long after that, I got enmeshed in a similar situation and by the time I was through, the answer to my question fell into place.
It happened in the course of my trip to Lagos last year to cover a colloquium on JP Clark, one of Nigeria’s foremost writers. I made an advance booking with a ‘famous’ transport company along Junction Road, Kaduna, on the eve of the journey. The booking officer received me well and assured that the trip was going to be blissful. In his effort to convince me further, he showed me one of the luxury buses. It was posh and sparkling.
“It is new and equipped with everything you need: toilet, TV, best service,” he said. “Come as early as 6 am. We leave at 7 am sharp and arrive Lagos at 5 pm sharp. Everything here na sharp-sharp!”
Having been thus assured, I set my phone alarm to wake me up at 5 am. And by 6 I was at the bus station.
However, contrary to the assurance, we did not leave Kaduna till about 8.30. Of course, I didn’t expect the bus to depart at 7 on the dot, as the staff were no handset alarms but humans, and Africans for that matter. But I didn’t anticipate a more than one hour delay.
Well, like the other passengers, I took it as one of those punishments one had to endure for being a Nigerian. We were somewhat consoled by the comfort of the bus. It reminded me of my earlier journey to Yola by air. Not much difference; the bus attendant announced the departure in the same manner an air hostess would. With her looks, immaculate, blue uniform, gracious manners and the Queen’s English, she was a real hostess. She served us snacks and drinks – and charming smiles. And the TV was there; a Nigerian movie was on. The air-conditioner too was on… It was a smooth ride.
But the story changed as we neared Abuja. The ‘luxurious’ bus began to cough. Soon the cough degenerated into a hiccup. And we only managed to crawl to Abuja through the combined efforts of the driver, the hostess and us the passengers. Both of them would check the engine, hammer it several times and then ask us to help them push it. We pushed and pushed.
At the company’s station in Abuja we were asked to disembark – as if we needed to be told.
“The bus no go fit reach Lagos,” the driver announced on behalf of the hostess who had lost her charm and was now looking more like a tired mechanic. “Una go enter another one.”
We waited for over an hour before another one came. We heaved a sigh of relief and rushed in. And as we set off, someone said, “Let us pray”. The prayer was loud, long and passionate; and so was the accompanying “amen!” The man was an expert in prayer. He handed over every aspect of the journey to God and dared the devil to try us once more and see what would become of his wretched life.
While the prayer was raging on, I was thinking: If anyone of us had thought of invoking the divine power before leaving Kaduna, the problem would probably have been averted. The mechanical fault that should have been rectified by the maintenance department of the company would have miraculously corrected itself or suspended action till we reached Lagos.
May God forgive us our previous sinful omission and grant us journey mercy was my own secret prayer.
The prayer barely ended when the bus started to cough. Again! Silence fell over the bus; silence and question mark on the face of everyone. “Again?” And our dear hostess was no longer there to answer unasked questions. We had left her and the other driver in Abuja and this one had no hostess. This one had nothing; no air-conditioner, no toilet, no TV. Snacks? Even if there were snacks, I wonder if we would have accepted such gesture from them anymore. We were all pissed off!
The cough was, however, not as recurrent as it was in the other bus; it came once in several miles. Not a serious catarrh, we felt. The driver too seemed to think nothing of it, as he drove on without caring to take a look at the engine. He was fast on the lane and swift in negotiating dangerous bends. By 3 pm we were in Lokoja.
And that was where the real problem began. We parked by a restaurant and as soon as we got out to have our lunch, the driver zoomed off. He didn’t tell anyone where he was going to and no one asked. Maybe it was because we were all tired and hungry. But after we had refreshed and come to our senses we began to ask each other questions we should have asked the driver. Where has he gone to? Where could he have gone to? What is wrong with this man? Maybe he has gone to repair the vehicle, some speculated. Or maybe he has run away…
After waiting for two hours in vain, our suppressed state of panic began to spill over. Some of us phoned the head office of the company threatening fire and brimstone. They responded that we should be patient, they would address the situation as soon as possible. 4 pm… 5 pm… the situation was yet to be addressed.
Then around 5.15 a bus with the company’s logo drove in.
“Where are those going to Lagos?” the driver asked. We all rushed to him. “Sorry, your bus still dey with mechanic; I brought this one from Abuja so as not to waste your time.”
Instantly, everybody shouted at him, insulting him and his father, including the company and its entire thieving managers. But at the end of it all, we got into the bus and the journey resumed once again.
This time around, the bus did not cough. But, of course, we got to Lagos at a very ungodly hour; some of us had to sleep at the station, exposed to the unwholesome air of Lagos night.
That is Nigeria for you! That is the analogy of my dear country, the ‘giant’ of Africa.
With the unfolding events as the election progresses, it is hoped that, like this journey, the cough and hiccups would still lead us to the Promised Land, no matter how late we may get there.

(c) Reporter's Diary by Sumaila Umaisha, published in the column, WritersVillage, in New Nigerian newspapers.

ANA celebrates one of Nigeria’s finest writers

2011-04-06T11:49:00.005+01:00

Late Ken Saro Wiwa, who was an author, television producer, environmental activist, and winner of the Right Livelihood Award and the Goldman Environmental Prize before his execution by the Abacha regime in November 10, 1995, will be celebrated by the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA. According to the National Secretary of ANA, Mr. Hyancinth Obunseh, in an interview with SUMAILA UMAISHA, the colloquium, holding in Port Harcourt from 10th to 14th August, 2011, is aimed at interogating his contribution to literature.

What is the colloquium on the late writer, Ken Saro Wiwa, which will be taking place at the University of Port Harcourt from Wednesday, 10th to Sunday, 14th August 2011, all about?
The colloquium in Port Hacourt is about celebrating one of Nigeria and Niger Delta’s finest writers. His works, his life, his environment. He was chairman of the Rivers State branch of the Association of Nigerian, ANA, and rose to become its National President. He was extra-judicially murdered by the Federal Government of Nigeria. He is worthy of celebration because his writings and works in his lifetime attracted international attention. So, when the ANA National EXCO met in January to decide on who to celebrate this year amongst our literary icons, his name came up and got unanimous support.
What are the objectives of the event?
The main objective of the event is to interogate his contributions to literature. He may be gone, but in the time he was around and writing, how much did he affect African literary discourse? What has been his impact? Does he have followers?
Give us an insight into the activities that will take place at the event.
This time around, it will not be the usual four-day affair. It will be five. On arrival, there will be cocktail for everyone, and then we retire for the night. The following day we will have the opening ceremony and the first plenary session. After this, we will have a play on Ken Saro Wiwa in the evening. On the third day we will have two more plenary sessions and then go sight-seeing. On the fourth day, we will go to his home in Ogoni land and have literary party, then in the evening, in the course of the closing ceremony/dinner, winners of the adaptation of his works will be announced and the winning play staged. Then on the fifth day, we all depart for our various homes.
This involves a lot of money; how is ANA going to get sponsorship for it?
Sponsorship has, you may well know, been sore tomb in our affairs as an association. This time around, we are hoping to get some support from the federal government, ministries, Rivers and Bayelsa state governments, NDDC etc. We are optimistic on this.
Some may wonder why it has taken ANA this long to celebrate Saro Wiwa
There is no time for anything! I mean, whatever we have to do, we have to do. To paraphrase Achebe, whenever a man wakes up is his morning! Yes, we should have celebrated him long before now, but we did not. We are doing so now, and in style!
The JP Clark colloquium nearly failed due to the handling of the event. What are you doing to ensure the success of this one?
There were very many factors that almost marred our celebration of J P Clark, including funding, several change of dates, University of Lagos examinations (at the time we finally got our acts together), non-payment of staff salaries in some universities where paper prese nters were to come from, last minute cancellations by ANA branch delegates and so on. This time around, the committee set up by the EXCO are determined to work around the clock to plug these and other loop holes. We have started early and have the full support of the EXCO and President to do our work. We are working to see that we have a great colloquium, as never before!
What is the level of preparation so far?
At this time, we have inaugurated an LOC in Port Harcourt who are to liaise with the University of Port Harcourt authorities; reached out to paper presenters, called for entries for the competition on adaptation of his works, apart from his plays. We are on course.
After the colloquium, what next, in terms of ANA activities?
Oh, we are planning several workshops around the country and also the 2011 annual international convention.

(c) Published in 'WritersVillage', New Nigerian On Sunday, April 3, 2011.

I wrote my first novel at 16

2011-03-21T18:15:00.005+01:00

Adelakun Adunni Abimbola, winner of the 2010 edition of the Literary Journalist of the Year, awarded by the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, is a graduate of the University of Ibadan, with B.A and M.A from the Department of Communication and Language Arts. Though she is on the Politics Desk of Punch Newspaper and holds a regular opinion column in which she comments on topical issues, she is more inclined to the literary world as testified by the literary journalism award and her well acclaimed novels, Under the Brown Rusted Roofs and The Sun Will Shine on Everything You Do. Bimbola is a multi-talented person; prior to working in the print media, she has been a teacher, a librarian and worked in an advertising agency as intern account manager. In this interview with SUMAILA UMAISHA, she speaks about her writings and other related issues.

Let’s have your brief biography.
Adelakun Adunni Abimbola: I was born in Ibadan. I grew up in the city and had all my formal education in the place. After secondary school, I took up a job as a primary school teacher and later as a librarian. Then I went to the University of Ibadan to study Communication and Language Art. I didn’t quit my job. I continued till I graduated. Afterwards, I took up a teaching job, worked briefly as a brand manager in an advertising firm and then taught again, did a bit research assistant and then got a job as a journalist. I was born in a large nuclear/polygamous family - larger than the normal size but not large enough to raise eyebrows. I am the second child and second daughter. My parents were both teachers even though one is deceased and the other is retired. I live in Lagos now but I have a strong connection to my roots in Ibadan. Even though I work as a journalist, that word does not accurately describe me. I love writing and I want to be known as a writer; a very good one. That is all I strive to be.
When and how did you start writing?
I think writing started for me when I started scribbling nonsense on my school notes to stave off boredom. I read a lot as a child and I must say I owe a lot to the books that I read. Books have had a tremendous influence on me and for a long time, I could not differentiate between what I read and what is true. I love books that much and I believe in them so much. Reading helps me write.Well, my first finished full length novel was concluded when I was 16 and had just left secondary school and I had a lot of time on my hands and I didn’t have a boyfriend. It was quite easy too because I was trying to get into the university and I was not yet admitted so I bought ‘Big Note’ and did everything by hand. The book was titled ‘The Sand Hour Glass’ and it is a religious novel. I wrote it then because I had this idea of writing a Christian book that is not too preachy and highly entertaining! Unfortunately, it cannot be published because it is more than 10 years since I wrote it and my religious views are now opposite to what I used to believe when I wrote that book. I wrote five others or so of the same genre before I got to the university and since then I’ve not written much religious stuff for the same reason. When I got to the university, I stopped writing because I was busy with work. Also, my religious views changed after graduation and since then I have not touched those pieces. They are rotting away somewhere and I hope one day I will pick them up and extract ideas from them.
What motivated you to write the novel, Under the Brown Rusted Roofs?
It was in my final year and Professor Femi was giving a tripartite Faculty Lecture titled ‘The city as Muse: Ibadan and the Efflorescence of Literature.” He spoke on how Ibadan gave birth to literature and how Ibadan had declined over the years. He said Ibadan people don’t even have a writer and nobody was setting a novel in the city. He spoke of great writers that had passed through Ibadan and how the city had fallen. I thought he was right and for a proud Ibadan girl like me, I was not just pricked, I said I would do something about it. I made up my mind I was going to write a book about Ibadan one day. I was to redeem the image of Ibadan. I didn’t start with Under the Brown Rusted Roofs in mind. I just wanted to write a book. Again, I was working in an advertising agency and I had a computer to myself. So I started playing around on the computer and from time to time, would pen words. It started growing and before I knew it, it was 30 pages or so! So, I felt good enough to continue. When I went to Abia State to serve, I continued. Then I found that what I was writing was without cultural character and I thought of what to do. It occurred to me that since I knew about the cultural character of Ibadan, why didn’t I use that? That was how I found the story. That kind of helped shaped my thoughts. Once I got the title, every other thing fell into place.
You have a B.A and M.A in Communication and Language Arts. Would you say this educational qualification is instrumental to your literary endeavour?
One way or the other, it sure helped. I took Creative Writing courses and wrote a novel for my BA (which might never be published either!). What I can attribute the greatest help to is my teacher and mentor, Dr. Hyginus Ekwuazi. He taught me to read and write. If not for him, I would not have actively pursued it as I did. I always thought writing was a special thing done by people with two heads until he told me I could do it.
You were a teacher, a librarian, and now a journalist; in what way have these professions contributed to your world view vis-a-vis your writing career?
I started teaching at 16 so let me say it made me grow rather too fast. It matured me and gave me a sphere of experience I would not have acquired if I had not gone through those experiences. I became a librarian in a major secondary school at 18 and mingled with older people. In fact, let me confess that their worldview and experience of agboole and their life under the brown rusted roofs helped me a lot. I worked side by side with local/traditional folks and I learnt an awful lot. It really influenced my writings. I learnt about a lot of adult issues very quickly. Now that I am a journalist, frankly, it is another experience altogether. Writing as a journalist is different from creative writing. One has borders, the other doesn’t. Creative writing gives me a kind of freedom to be ‘god’. I create characters and I kill them. As a journalist, I am stuck with facts. However, the discipline of journalistic writing has been invaluable.
Protest writing on themes like corruption, political crises are said to have been over flogged. What’s your view on this?
It is not the themes that are over flogged. It is how it is written that is over flogged. Frankly, when I, or anyone for that matter, pick up a book, what we want is to be entertained. We want to laugh; we want our adrenalin to rise; we want suspense; we want a different world view; we want our beliefs challenged and not just somebody pushing down familiar issues down our throat in the same old manner since The Man of The People. I hate it when a book is full of lessons or sermons of issues that I can read in newspapers. We must recognize that there are no new stories anywhere. All stories in the world have been told in one way or the other. What we want is freshness and not just a rehash of the same old stuff. People should not be so fixated about their writings changing the world. They should focus on entertaining and good writing and let the society find its way. People are not daft. If they can find more meaning in the Holy Books more than the writers intended, then they can find political philosophy in writing full of sex [laughs].
Most African women writers tend to write from the feminist perspective. Why?
I am tempted to say they want to be like white women but it is not so simple. Yes, some try too hard to be like western women when they write about feministic issues without being objective or without trying to probe issues within their own cultural world view. I believe any woman who can read and write and can assert herself is a feminist already [laughs] but people should not get fanatical without a strong purpose. It’s not just enough to go about shouting ‘I’m a woman!’ for the fun of it. Then, the society we live in makes you a feminist, naturally. It is both tougher and challenging to be a woman because of the many challenges involved. We still live in a male dominated society but women are making great strides. They should keep up with it and pour all their energies in it rather than pitching themselves against the men.

(c) Interviewed by Sumaila Umaisha and published in the 20th March, 2011 edition of WritersVillage, a literary column in New Nigerian newspaper.

NLNG Prize controversy: It was the judges’ decision not ours

2011-03-17T11:46:00.003+01:00

Professor Ben Elugbe of the Department of Linguistic and African Languages, University of Ibadan, who is the president of Nigerian Academy of Letters, NAL, and West African Linguistic Society, WALS, speaks to SUMAILA UMAISHA on the 2009 NLNG Prize controversy and other related issues. Excerpts:

What is the structure and function of Nigeria Academy of letters, NAL?
NAL is the apex of academic organisation for the Humanities in Nigeria. It is fairly young; it effectively took off in 1997. We have an executive, which is elected every two years. We have regular publications under a general editor whose term in office runs for four years. We also have annual convocation at the University of Lagos. And during the convocation, we have what we call the scientific session; that is where a certain theme of the convocation is addressed by specialist papers. We have a think-tank of the academy called the Ibadan Working Group, IWG, which holds its meetings on Wednesdays in this university (University of Ibadan). It is not every Wednesday, but if it is necessary they do meet every Wednesday.
NAL became known to many Nigerians only when the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, began to operate through it in administering its literary prize. How did the relationship between the two bodies come about?
Initially, NLNG had a relationship with the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, in regard to the literature prize. It was when they started having problem that it was suggested to NLNG that since they are also having contact with the Academy of Science for the science prize, they could use NAL also to manage the literature prize. Another reason why we were brought in is that we have the resources. The great writers that Nigeria has are fellows of the academy. Professors Wole Soyinka, JP Clark, Chinua Achebe and so on, are all fellows of the academy.
ANA must be envious, given the publicity this annual prize attracts for NAL...
I don’t think so; I think we should invite ANA to properly become a society under NAL, because, we have learned societies under us. For example, we have the English Studies Association, the Linguistic Association of Nigeria, and the Religious Studies Association under us. So I don’t see any reason why ANA shouldn’t affiliate with us.
Has ANA agreed to affiliate?
We haven’t asked them. And presumably, they may not have known exactly what NAL is all about before now. But, mind you, people like professor Osofisan, who I think ANA knows very well, is a fellow of NAL. You see, you have to be a professor for five years to be even a member, and you have to be a professor for ten years before you can be a fellow. And even then it is not automatic; you have to submit your CV to an academic panel that will assess you before you can become a fellow.
ANA has been handling many prizes without controversy, but NAL which is handling only one, the NLNG Prize, has been enmeshed in controversy. Why?
What controversy?
Nine writers were shortlisted in the 2009 NLNG literary competition, but none was deemed qualified for the prize. And people are wondering why none of the shortlisted entries could emerge as the overall winner...
Are you aware that the same thing happened to the science prize exactly the same year? It is very sad that it was the creative writers whom we normally associate with certain integrity, certain feature that you would associate with a mature mind were the ones who made a lot of noise. In respect of the science prize nobody made any noise. I don’t know why that happened. But I’m willing to look at it and say anyway, it is not scientists who normally fight bad governance and things like that, so maybe it is not unusual if writers complain about something. But the manner of it was terrible. So let me say that actually there has not been any such decision from NAL, because at that time NAL had not begun to function as administrator of the prize fully, though the people who were doing the job were our people.
So the judgment didn’t come from NAL but from the judges: NAL only upheld the decision?
Precisely, NAL didn’t have a way of saying do it this way or that way. The judges were the experts and most them are fellows.
It is really sad that out of nine shortlisted entries none could clinch the prize...
I will try not to be involved in the controversy...
Yes... but, you upheld the judgment...
You see, NLNG had a problem; the judges that functioning under them have said this prize cannot be awarded. That is not NAL’s decision; I’ve told you that. They were the ones who now decided what to do with the prize money. Since it also happened in science, they took the same decision on the two bodies; they gave both bodies their individual prize money. And we used part of the money to organise a workshop for writers, to improve their skills.
Finally, what is the future of NAL?
We prayer is that we should rise and continue to rise. We will continue to contribute to the society and make sure our impact is felt not just in the area of literature, but in the area of history. For instance, we’ve been pushing the historical society members to say history is important; don’t let government treat history as if it is not relevant. We’ve galvanised them and we know they are working towards that. Last time we made a statement about the so-call scrapping of the National Institute for Nigerian Languages, which will have adverse effect on Nigerian languages and against Nigerian cultures. We issued a communiqué calling on the minister to do something. So we will continue to be more relevant in the society.

(c) Interviewed by Sumaila Umaisha and published in the New Nigerian.

Want to participate in Farafina Trust Creative Writing Workshop?

2011-03-03T10:51:00.006+01:00

Binyavanga and Chimamanda with participants at the 2010 edition

Farafina Trust will be holding a creative writing workshop in Lagos, organized
by award-winning writer and creative director of Farafina Trust, Chimamanda
Adichie, from June 23 to July 2 2011. The workshop is sponsored by Nigerian
Breweries Plc. Guest writers, including the Caine Prize Winning Kenyan writer
Binyavanga Wainaina, will co-teach the workshop alongside Adichie.
The workshop will take the form of a class. Participants will be assigned a wide
range of reading exercises, as well as daily writing exercises. The aim of the
workshop is to improve the craft of Nigerian writers and to encourage published
and unpublished writers by bringing different perspectives to the art of
storytelling. Participation is limited only to those who apply and are accepted.

All material must be pasted or written in the body of the e-mail. Please Do NOT
include any attachments in your e-mail. Applications with attachments will be
automatically disqualified. Deadline for submissions is April 27 2011. Only
those accepted to the workshop will be notified by June 15 2011. Accommodation
in Lagos will be provided for all accepted applicants who are able to attend for
the ten-day duration of the workshop. A literary evening of readings, open to
the public, will be held at the end of the workshop on July 2, 2011.
To apply, send an e-mail to Udonandu2011@gmail.com
Your e-mail subject should read ‘Workshop Application.’
The body of the e-mail should contain the following:
1. Your Name
2. Your address
3. A few sentences about yourself
4. A writing sample of between 200 and 800 words. The sample must be either
fiction or non-fiction.

Reading and writing as alternative to idleness

2011-02-21T10:33:00.003+01:00

Adaobi Ekwedigwe Nwoye is an indegene of Uzo Uwani Local Government area of Enugu State, but born and raised in Port Harcourt. She attended the University of Port Harcourt Demonstration Primary and Secondary schools, respectively. She obtained both her Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Education from the University of Port Harcourt and currently teaches Economics at the Department of Part Time Studies, Enugu State College of Education, Technical. In this interview with SUMAILA UMAISHA, she speaks about her writings and literary project.

NNW: You’ve been writing for quite sometime now; what works have you produced so far?
Adaobi Ekwedigwe Nwoye: So far I have produced four books - three novels, Destiny (2003); published by the University of Port Harcourt Press; Shadows (2002), also published by the University of Port Harcourt Press and reproduced by Paragraphics in 2007; Ugiri (2007) published by Paragraphics and a collection of short stories – A woman’s Cross and Other Stories (2009) published by Paragraphics. Apart from these books some of my works have been published on Write From Wrong magazine, Drumtide magazine, Nigerian Fiction, Half Tribe, Authors’ Den, among other online magazines and websites. I am rounding off my fourth novel which I hope to publish before the year runs out.
What informed your choice of the themes, such as joy and pain?
My environment. Sociey in general. My works stem from every day life’s issues, like joy and pain, as you rightly pointed out. I also write on themes such money, love, betrayal, greed, etc.
You have a literary-based NGO, what is it all about?
It is a community based organization, if you like. The Coal City Literary Forum was set up to revive the reading culture especially among young people in Enugu and as well help young and aspiring writers sharpen their writing skills and actualize their dreams of becoming published. In fact, the aim is basically to promote the reading culture among young people and by so doing keep them away from idleness. The overall effect will be a more informed and productive society and reduction in vices and criminal activities which these young people might otherwise engage in.
When and how was it set up?
It was set up in November 2009. I conceived the idea and talked with a few friends who are also writers and we started by having readings and critiquing each other’s works. Since then we have been organanizing other literary events like poetry evenings, workshops for young writers, etc.
What are you doing to achieve the aims for which it was set up?
We are trying to organize more frequent events. We are also going into schools to set up literary clubs so that we create a more vibrant reading society.
What are the major problems you encounter in your effort to fulfill these aims?
Funding and constraints of time.
How is it funded?
For now we fund the activities. Sometimes we receive assistance from a few corporate bodies who believe in what we are doing. We also get media support from Enugu State Broadcasting Service. Our last workshop was funded by Winpal Nigeria Limited 7UP and the Ministry of Information.
How would you describe the success of the recent workshop you held?
It was very successful. It was our maiden workshop on environmental writing. We got participants from almost all the higher institutions in Enugu. The aim of the workshop was to train writers to incorporate environmental issues into their works so that there would be an increased awareness of the present environmental challenges the world is faced with, such as climate change, global warming, desertification, etc. There is a lot of pressure on our environment which if left unchecked will result in total catastrophe. A lot of young people will not go out of their way to listen to the news or read environmental journals so we had to find a way to expose participants to these ever present issues so that they can weave their beautiful stories around them. That way we promote sustainable environmental development such that people make use of our abundant environmental resources without compromising the need for future generations to tap from the same resource base. The reader is educated at the same time he is being entertained. It was very fulfilling and the participants testified that it was the best encounter they had had in that regard lately. It was indeed an eye opener and they went to work immediately. We had dedicated and brilliant facilitators, Ifeanyi Ajaegbo, Uche Umez and Eghosa Imasuen. They gave our participants a thorough drill and Prof Damian Opata delivered a brilliant keynote on the writer and his environment. We are currently collecting manuscripts for a collection of short stories on environmental issues. I am still overwhelmed by the success of that workshop.
Considering the motarlity rate of similar NGOs, what is the future of this organization?
We are working very hard to ensure consistency and sustainability. Right now we are getting a lot of interest from corporate bodies and individuals and we are entering paternaships with some of them in our crusade to revive the reading culture in Enugu State. One of such paternerships is the one we recently entered with Becoming Vega magazine. We are very positive that in no time reading and writing will take centre stage in the lives of our youths whose present preoccupation is cyber crime and aimless loitering.

(c) Published in the 19/2/2011 edition of New Nigerian newspaper.

NAL, NLNG in quest for literary excellence

2011-02-01T10:16:00.011+01:00

L — R: Prof. Ayo Bamgbose, Miss Siene Allwell-Brown, Prof. Ben Elugbe, Mrs. Mabel Segun, Prof. Ayo Banjo and Malam Denja Abdullahi at the opening ceremony

Why does a book considered by the author as a masterpiece at times fail to make it in literary contests and in terms of readership? Why do some manuscripts hitherto rejected by publishers eventually gain acceptance and even later become famous? How can a writer realise his dream of being read and celebrated?
These are some of the usual questions on the minds of many writers. And they were the questions discussed recently in a workshop organised by the Nigerian Academy of Letters, NAL, in association with the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, in the quest for literary excellence among Nigerian writers.
Tagged Creative Writing Empowerment Workshop, the event took place at the University of Ibadan, Monday 17th to Friday 21st January, 2011. It began with an opening ceremony at the Conference Centre of the university, with writers, members of NAL and officials of NLNG in attendance.
In his opening remarks, the president of NAL, Professor Ben Elugbe, said the workshop was necessitated by the need to develop the writing skills of Nigerian writers. According to him, NAL and NLNG were not happy about the low standard of some of the entries received for the NLNG literary competition, which resulted in the no-winner-verdict on the 2009 edition. He said it was in view of this that the two bodies decided to use part of the prize money for that year to organise the workshop. “We hope to raise the standards through this workshop,” he said. He then expressed gratitude to NLNG for the sponsorship and enjoined the participants to take full advantage of the exercise.
The General Manager (External Relations) of NLNG, Siene Allwell-Brown, recounted the controversy over the 2009 verdict and stressed that in spite of the criticisms, NLNG is proud of the judges for their decision. “We are immensely proud of the judges for their integrity, their honesty, their steadfastness. It takes a lot of courage to hold up a mirror to the ugly face of a nation; to point the way to a people going astray”.
She asserted that “the literary landscape is bare and except for a few token figures, almost bereft of high achievers and heavy hitters,” and expressed NLNG’s determination to change what she called the general mediocrity, which the 2009 NLNG prize verdict underscored.
The chairman, Planning Committee, of the workshop, Professor Dan Ezevbaye, also expressed NAL’s determination to continue to promote Nigerian literature.
While thanking NAL and NLNG for the initiative, Dr. Jerry Agada, president of the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, observed that the workshop would go a long way in advancing the cause of literary development in Nigeria. The president, who was represented by Malam Denja Abdullahi, former Secretary of the association, urged writers to cooperate with all literary-minded bodies seeking to promote literature.
Highlight of the ceremony was the keynote address by the award-winning writer, Mrs. Mabel Segun. The octogenarian spoke extensively on the need for writers to sharpen their skills through avenues like workshops. She said workshop was a most effective tool because of the interactions with resource persons and fellow participants. She also admonished writers to read widely in order to equip themselves with ideas and language.
She praised the Bring Back the Book programme of the federal government, but cautioned that it should not be used as a mere political gimmick. “Government has to show its sincerity by addressing the real problems such as lack of relevant books”, she said, adding that “books must be made available because people cannot read when books are not there.”
The ceremony was rounded off with a dazzling poetry performance by Ify Omalicha, a postgraduate student of Theatre Arts, University of Ibadan, who was also a participant at the workshop, and Hannah Chima, a 300 level Theatre Arts student of the university.

Ify and Hannah performing

The workshop commenced at the Lecture Theatre of the Institute of African Studies shortly after the ceremony, and continued throughout the week from 9 am to 5.30 pm daily. 26 participants were in attendance, out of the 30 candidates invited from the 240 applications received by the organisers. 12 participants came from Lagos. According to Professor Ezevbaye, participants were selected for the workshop based on the works they submitted, which were assessed for eligibility.
The workshop was run by award-winning writers, language and publishing experts; Professors Akachi Ezeigbo, Ahmed Yerima, Festus Adesanoye, Munzali Jibril, Dr. Hyginius Ekwuazi and Malam Denja Abdullahi. The subjects taught included Language, Publishing, Poetry, Drama and Prose.
Participants interviewed said they found Publishing one of the most interesting subjects, not just for the humorous and lively manner it was handled by Professor Adesanoye, but because of the fascinating revelations of what manuscripts go through before they are eventually published. For instance, the professor revealed that a manuscript could be rejected not only on the grounds that it is badly written, but for several reasons. One of such reasons, he said, could be that the publishing house has preference for genres other than the one submitted by the writer or its budget cannot accommodate the manuscript. And this is why, according to him, manuscripts earlier rejected by publishers based on these reasons eventually get published by another publishing outfit.
He, however, stressed that 80 per cent of unsolicited manuscripts do not make it mainly because of the quality of the language, adding that writers must endeavour to perfect their medium of expression if they want to succeed.
In his presentation, titled, The Writer in the Society: Influences, Associations and Affiliations, Malam Denja outlined the history, aims and activities of ANA, and urged the participants to register with the association and other relevant bodies to widen their interactive scope with fellow writers.
Professor Akachi, who handled two topics; Prose Writing and Children’s Literature lectured extensively on important components in children’s literature and how to handle elements of prose writing such as plot and characterisation.
Nigerian English, according to Professor Munzali, is the bane of Nigerian writers. He traced the origin of Nigerian English and how it has become difficult for Nigerian writers to differentiate between it and the Standard English. According to him, words like ‘ghost worker’, ‘chewing stick’, ‘arrangee’ ‘decampee’ and ‘send-forth’ are freely used by writers thereby damaging their works. To avoid this problem, he said, writers should avail themselves of writing aids like dictionary and thesaurus.
While taking the participants through their respective subjects, other resources persons equally laid emphasis on the need for writers to mind their language, and repeatedly advised participants to develop the habit of reading so as to improve their skills.

Participants being lectured by Professor Akachi

The last day of the workshop, Friday, 21st, featured Writers’ Forum, an interactive session between the participants and the organisers. During the question and answer segment, participants expressed profound appreciation of the lessons learnt, but wished the period was longer. According to Chima Iwunze, “We have gained a lot, but we would have gained more if there was enough time. Two weeks would have been ideal. Some of the topics were rushed due to time constraint.”
Responding, the chairman of the Planning Committee admitted that the time was indeed short, but stressed that they couldn’t have done otherwise, given the resources available and time factor. “It involves a lot of expenses, and also I don’t think many of the participants themselves and the resource persons have that time to devote to something which is not part of what they normally do,” he said.
He promised that the organisers would ensure that handbooks from the workshop are widely distributed so that even those who did not have the opportunity to attend the workshop would gain from it.
In his address, Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo, former pro-chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and member of the 2009 NLNG Literature Committee, advised the participants to read widely as no one could be a good artist unless he masters his medium of communication.
He urged writers to be their own critic so that they would not be unduly touchy when criticised. According to him, the characteristic phobia for criticism among some Nigerian writers was carried to the extreme when in 2009 the NLNG prize judges passed a verdict of no-winner. “If they had been severe on themselves, they would have seen what the judges saw,” he said.
He also acknowledged Professor Femi Osofisan’s role in initiating the workshop, saying it was he who sent the first proposal on the workshop to the Ibadan Working Group, IWG. He expressed gratitude to Osofisan and all those who made the event possible.
Certificates of attendance were issued to the participants and the memorable event came to an end with another performance by Omalicha, based on Oswald Mtshali’s play, Amagadouka at Glencoe Station.

(c) Reported by Sumaila Umaisha and published in the New Nigerian newspaper edition of 29th January, 2011.

Violence inspired writer shouldn’t write for children

2011-01-05T12:20:00.002+01:00

Dr Chinyere Agabi is a lecturer in the department of Education Foundations and Management at the Rivers State University of Education, and the author of numerous children's literary books. In this interview, she speaks about her books and children's literature generally. Excerpts:

Your books are directed at teaching moral lessons. Does this imply that every children’s literature must have this didactic aspect to qualify as children’s literature?
Dr. Chinyere Agabi: Children’s literature should be designed to first capture the interest of a child and in sustaining that interest, carefully lead the child to learn one or more lessons. The child should be entertained in the course of learning. Every good literature for children must have these two aspects. The entertainment aspect must be within the lesson content; and the lessons may be moral, academic or purely social.
Your characters are quite striking, full of determination. This is not a general view about children, who are often seen as helpless individuals that should be closely guided or they go astray. What are you implying by this characterisation?
A child who is old enough to read a story book or to listen to a story, ask questions based on the story and correctly decode the message in the story is a complete human being with a well developed mind. Guidance only facilitates the consistent manifestation of desirable or socially acceptable behaviour on one hand, and the suppression of unacceptable behaviour on the other. A child of about five years (and above) already has a mind that can think and draw conclusions from issues and events around him or her. This is why some parents spend time and money educating a child in such fields as Medicine, Law or Engineering and the child upon graduation becomes not a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer, but a musician, a fashion designer or cobbler and so on. Listening ears and watchful eyes are the basic requirements in understanding the strength in every child. It is only by understanding their strength that we can guide them aright.
Your usage of language is so well controlled that the diction is quite appropriate to the target readers. Does this moderation in language require special training or skill?
The appropriate use of language is very important in children’s literature since it is a medium that can be used in formal and informal settings to entertain and educate children, especially on the use of appropriate words. In studying English at the university, one is exposed to all kinds of literature, some of which teach the use of language while others teach the techniques in different types of writing. Yet, not everything is taught in the classroom; but whatever is not taught in the classroom may be acquired from research and practice. I learn a lot from watching children when they are playing and when they are at a task. Sometimes I deliberately expose my manuscript to my first child who is within the target age. I make her read aloud and I note the words that she had problem pronouncing. Sometimes I change such words and sometimes I include them in the list of difficult words. Basically, writing for children requires sharing their world by listening to their stories, playing with them, allowing them to play around you and by sharing in their joys and sorrows. In doing this, you can learn more about children than you can ever learn in the classroom.
Is it every writer that can write children’s stories?
Any writer that draws inspiration from violence or from the use of obscenities cannot and should not write for children. I feel strongly, though it may not always be the case, that the source of inspiration often determines the type of story and language in which it is written. Violence will beget violence, and obscenity will beget obscenity, even in the use of language. These are social vices that should not be encouraged in any form, especially in children’s literature.
What’s your assessment of Nigeria’s literary scene as regards children’s literature?
It is still in a developing stage, but it is not doing badly considering the variety of home-made and interesting story books available in bookshops all over the country; considering also that the storybook writer has to compete with foreign authors whose works flood our bookshops. Last year, at Abuja, I walked into a bookshop to get some storybooks for my children and I had a big problem deciding what books to take. First, I was surprised by the vast array of Nigerian authors in the children’s section of the bookshop. In my growing-up years, we had very few storybooks by Nigerian authors. The contemporary Nigerian child has a great variety of very good books by Nigerian authors in particular and African authors in general. I have also come across a couple of children’s books written in very bad language. Sometimes, such books find their way into the curriculum of some States. Parents and all stake holders in children’s education should never choose children’s literature in a hurry or on sentiments. Generally, the literary scene can be described as encouraging.
Nigerian parents seem to prefer foreign reading materials for their children, why?
I guess it is different strokes for different folks. I assume that by foreign reading material, you are referring to books from the UK and the US. When I was growing up I read a lot of foreign books probably because my father didn’t have easy access to storybooks by Nigerian authors. Parents who insist on maintaining a foreign literature base for their children often say that they are more colourful and have better paper quality; this is not always true. There is also the general belief that books from the UK and the US are written in flawless English. This is also not always true. What about content in terms of lessons to be learnt? What about relevance to the child’s environment? What about relevance to the education curriculum. These should all be considered in the choice of literature for any child. It is not wrong to expose children to a variety of reading materials from any part of the world but parents must choose wisely.
Is children’s literature being given the required attention in Nigeria?
I don’t think so. Although the planners of education in Nigeria prescribe themes for children’s literature to enable it fit into the education curriculum, publishers would only invest on books that have been approved for school curriculum and therefore have a big and ready market. The rising cost of production may also be discouraging many good writers from venturing into children’s literature. Something has to be done about the rising cost of paper, non-toxic ink, and other vital printing materials. Other wise, the price of books will continue to rise and authors and publishers will continue to scramble for government approval as the only way to reach a greater number of the target audience. Meanwhile, parents should regularly visit bookshops for supplementary literature to enhance the development of good reading habits in their children.
Why do you prefer writing children’s literature?
Hmm! This is one question I have had to answer at virtually every social event at which someone identifies me as the author of The golden pack, or Nwamba, or any of my storybooks that he or she has read. My answer remains the same. I prefer writing for children because it helps me relax. There is peace and relaxation in the world of children. Writing for children is also a very good and pleasant way through which I contribute to the social development of the Nigerian child. This is in addition to carrying out my responsibility as a classroom teacher which I also enjoy very much. Through my stories, I reach out to children who may not have access to me as a teacher, a mother, or a friend.
How are you being rewarded for your efforts in contributing to children’s literature?
My greatest reward comes from the joy I see on the faces of children who have read my books, and from parents and teachers who keep requesting for more stories. The excitement with which children and adults greet me when I’m recognized in public also gives me a great sense of fulfillment. But if you’re talking about money, I am presently spending much more than I’m getting from the books.
What is the future of Nigeria’s literature vis-à-vis children’s literature?
The future is bright because we have more people who are interested in writing for children and who are doing very good works in that direction, but the cost of production is getting higher every year; and publishers keep complaining about the rising cost of paper and other printing materials. This situation is rather discouraging. The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, NERDC, encourages Nigerian authors to write books, especially in core subjects like Mathematics, English and the sciences. This encouragement will facilitate the production of children’s literature if books in this area are published at NERDC subsidized rates.
Should we expect any works from you soon?
Yes, two novels designed for young adults. One of them, The survivor, is ready for the press. The other, The care taker, is on the verge of completion. I’m not going to talk about them now. You’ll need to read them to know who’s surviving what, and who‘s taking care of who or what. There is also a popular demand by teachers and parents, for a collection of the stories in the children’s series in one or two volumes so that children can read just for pleasure. I’m already compiling the collection of works. You’ll definitely get free copies as soon as these books are out.

(c) Interviewed by Sumaila Umaisha and published in New Nigerian.

Pull of Fate: Portrait of a patriot

2011-01-05T12:16:00.002+01:00

Sumaila Umaisha’s review of Pull of Fate, The Autobiography of Magaji Dambatta, published by ABU Press Limited, Zaria, (2010), pages - 362.

Have you ever imagined how interesting it could be to watch in detail the life of an individual from birth to old age? ‘Very interesting’, you would say. And, you might add; ‘but that is impossible!’ Of course, it is hard to believe that one could single out an individual for such a detailed study, until you have read the autobiography of Magaji Dambatta, titled Pull of Fate.
The 362-page book, which reads like an adventure novel, zooms on the life of Alhaji (Dr.) Magaji Dambatta, OFR, in great details that leave no one in doubt about his personality and his successful careers in journalism, civil service, politics and community service. It portrays clearly how dynamic, dignified and dignifying the life of an individual who has chosen the path of honesty and hard work could be.
It could be argued that the detailed view was achieved because the book is an autobiography; the autobiographer enjoys a vantage and intimate position which the biographer does not have the benefit of. As the saying goes; if the goal of biography is to find the man, that of autobiography is to reveal him for the benefit of readers in a way no writer can. This is quite true of Pull of Fate.
But in addition to the fact that autobiography has advantages over biography in terms of revealing the subject matter, there are many other factors that combined to make Pull of Fate stand out from other contemporary autobiographical works. These include, first and foremost, the approach adopted in the planning and execution of the project. Unlike other autobiographers who would simply write about their lives the way they see them and thereby, in most cases, end up with a heavily subjective and controversial book, Dambatta added a third eye for a better vision.
The third eye is in form of a committee comprising writers, researchers and interviewers. Some members of the committee conducted extensive interviews with Dambatta’s friends, co-workers, classmates, political colleagues and other acquaintances. And these people generously volunteered their own side of the story – their reminiscences of events in which they and the subject were involved or of which they were aware. To complement the interviews, jottings and stream of consciousness recordings by the subject were also employed.
Above all, the success of Pull of Fate lies mainly in the fact that the author indeed has a lot of interesting stories to tell and knows how to craft them into fascinating accounts.
The book opens with an introduction, which focuses on the making of the book, followed by the stories of his early life. Chapter Three, ‘Growing Up’, covers his childhood days. He began by laying the background of his birth place thus:
“Dambatta was a quiet town with serene surroundings, and the main preoccupations of the people in our part of the town were farming and attending religious schools for more knowledge on Islam and devotion to the religion. Of course, many of the households kept domestic animals like cattle, sheep and goats which provided them with milk as a regular source of income. Some of the animals were also sold to meet needs as they arose.” (p. 25).
Having set the scene, he then focused the lens on himself, the major character. He narrated the circumstances into which he was born, how lovely and loving his family was, and how he became popularly known by the name Magaji:
“...I was born in 1931, one of the nine children born by my mother, Hajiya Salamatu and my father, Malam Shehu Usman. On the seventh day of my birth I was named Nuhu after my maternal grandfather, Chief Imam Nuhu. It was out of respect, dissimulation and in due reverence to him that my parents, uncles and aunts nicknamed me Magaji (literally, the successor) to avoid calling his name. Consequently, the name Magaji has stuck with me ever since.” (p. 49).
The fourth chapter is on his transition from childhood to adolescence and all it entails to be moulded into a promising young man. Titled ‘Stepping Out’, the chapter covers pages 69 to 79.
According to the author, at the time he went to school, education in the north was primarily for producing teachers and clerks to man the lower and middle cadres of the nascent public service of colonial administration. Hence, by the time he left school, a job was already waiting for him: “At the end of the two-year course at the school for Arabic Studies I was drafted to a newly opened fest infestation control unit of the Nigeria Produce Inspection Department, which was located in Bompai, Kano.” (p. 70).
Subsequently, on furthering is education he took to other careers, like journalism where he was at his best in terms of personal growth and contribution to the national development.
On how he got into journalism in the 1950s, he says: “The editor of the Daily Comet at the time, Mr. Chukwuma Anueyiagu, a very dynamic and hard working professional, took me under his wings and taught me the basics of journalism. Before joining the Comet I used to read Gaskiya Ta Fi Kwabo, a Hausa weekly newspaper being published in Zaria. I also had the chance of reading some English newspapers from abroad whenever I visited the British Council library in Kano city.” (p. 88).
From the Daily Comet, he joined the Nigerian Citizen, a bi-weekly newspaper published by Gaskiya Corporation in Zaria, in 1954. This, according to him, “began with me as one of its avid readers and as a regular contributor of articles much of which were about NEPU’s activities or in defence of its policies.” (p. 117).
He later joined the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation and after just about a year as Regional News Editor he moved to the Northern Government service as Senior Information Officer.
In between his journalism practice, he also played active role in the development of political parties such as the Northern Elements Progressive Union, NEPU, and National Party of Nigeria, NPN. Though his political activities could be found in virtually all the chapters of the book, Chapter Five, ‘Beginning of Political Activism’, focuses more on this aspect of his life. According to him, it all began in 1947 when a group of Northerners with pan-Nigerian inclinations established in Kano city an association called the Northern Elements Progressive Association (NEPA); which eventually culminated in the founding of NEPU.
Explaining the reasons behind founding the party by Aminu Kano and others he advanced several objectives, among which is; “To raise the level of consciousness of the Talakawa to recognise their worth and fight for their human dignity and insist on their right to freedom of speech, of association, of movement, of assembly and of action within the law of which all citizens were entitled.” (p. 94).
Reading Dambatta’s story is like reading the story of Nigeria as a nation defying all odds to emerge as a true independent country. This fact becomes more apparent as one reads from Chapter Eight ‘End of an Era’ to the last chapter. He was practically involved in the major developments of the country, such as the first coup that toppled the first civilian government and the subsequent upheaval that invariably led to the bloody civil war.
Narrating the role he played especially during the civil war, he says: “As chief information officer during those turbulent days, it was my duty to utilise government information machinery in the sensitisation exercise for the enlistment of recruits into the Nigerian army at the initial stage of the crisis, as well as for boosting the morale of those already enlisted.” (p. 198).
And after the war, which he described as “the most tragic event in the history of Nigeria” (p. 187), he found himself among those who were involved in tidying up the mess of the war, just as he was at the initial stage engaged in moblilising some of those who prosecuted and shaped its course. “It became my duty to focus on and publicise government’s policy on healing the wounds.” (p. 230).
Indeed, after reading Pull of Fate, one cannot but conclude that though Dambatta is not a partisan politician in the real sense of the word, (he never occupied elective position), he could be regarded as a political activist, whose contribution to the development of Nigeria will remain conspicuous not just in this autobiography, but in the history books.
This book is a must-read for everyone who is interested in the history of Nigeria vis-a-vis Dambatta’s roles in shaping its development.

Reviewed by Sumaila Umaisha and published in the New Nigerian.

Celebrating Clark’s 50 years of literary excellence

2011-01-05T12:13:00.000+01:00

Professor John Pepper Clark Bekederemo, popularly known as JP Clark, is not a new name on the Nigerian literary scene. Literature students who passed through Nigerian secondary schools and universities from the 1960s to date would testify to the quality of his works, especially his plays and poems. He is easily remembered for his poems, ‘Night Rain’ and ‘The Casualties’, and his play, Ozidi, which, like most of his other works, vividly depict the Nigerian situation. Having spent fifty years on the beat, one could refer to him as an icon of Nigerian literature. And this is why the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, decided to celebrate him by organizing a two-day colloquium to highlight his works.
The event, tagged 50 Years of the Writings of J P Clark, took place in Lagos from 13th to 14th August, 2010, under the theme, “Casualties, Innovations, Perspectives”, with writers and literary scholars within and outside Nigeria in attendance.
The opening ceremony was held at Afe Babalola Auditorium, University of Lagos, under the chairmanship of Captain Elechi Amadi. In his opening remarks, the chairman eulogized the celebrant, saying he wrote freely because he began writing when there were few literary prizes available to Nigerian writers.
He spoke on the current craze for foreign literary prizes by Nigerian writers, observing that foreign prizes come with a price. He said such prizes can and do inf1uence our writing in a subtle way because “the donor of a prize cannot appreciate you fully unless you wholly or in part share his mindset, worldview, sensibilities and worse, his prejudices about Africa and Africans”. He added that many of the prize-winning books either abuse our government and its people or depict black protagonists who are stupid, instinct-driven and crude, even when they are supposed to be educated.
He then called on the new generation of writers to learn from the likes of JP Clark in order to protect the Nigerian literature from neo-colonialism.
The President of ANA, Dr. Jerry Agada, who is the Chief Host of the event, began his speech by apologising for the poor turn-out at the event. He said the shortcoming was as a result of some administrative lapses and promised to rectify them in future.
The event was indeed poorly organised; the attendance was very scanty, and not even a banner to indicate the venue of the event.
Speaking on the aim of organising the event, the President said it was an expression of a permanent commitment to Nigerian writers, especially the forebears in the writing business. “It is our way of saying that we recognise what they have done in promoting the role of the writer in national and global development.”
He further pointed out that the colloquium was a consolidation of a tradition his predecessors started some years ago, when similar colloquiums were held in honour of Prof. Wole Soyinka in celebration of his Nobel achievement, Prof. Chinua Achebe in celebration of fifty years of the monumental novel Things Fall Apart, Abubakar Imam, for his contributions to the development of literature in indigenous language, specifically Hausa literature, and Adebayo Faleti for his role in shaping creative discourse about Yoruba culture.
He said celebrating JP Clark became necessary in view of the fact that his contributions to the development of African oral literature through his dramatic and poetic writing nay the literature of the world speaks for itself. “His critical writings have shaped and also broadened the scope of global understanding of Africa and her rich cultural heritage,” he stressed.
Speaking in the same vein, Governor Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan of Delta State, home state of the celebrant, described JP Clark as an excellent writer whose fame is a source of pride to the people of the state.
The governor, who was represented by one of his advisers, Mr. G.G. Dara, said it was in recognistion of JP Clark’s literary contribution that the state donated the sum of 10 million naira towards organising the colloquium. He expressed gratitude to ANA for taking the initiative, saying this will encourage the upcoming writers to put in their best.
The governor’s speech was followed by the keynote address presented by Prof. Atukwei Okai of the Department of Applied Linguistics, University of Education, Winneba. In the 25-page paper, titled ‘Historical Chameleonisation and Anti-palanquinity; Human Beings As Casualties of the Womb and Writers as Murderers of the Gods - the Creational Marathon of J.P. Clark Bekederemo’, he highlighted the writings of JP Clark.
Prof. Okai, who is the Secretary-General of Pan African Writers’ Association (PAWA), observed that “JP Clark is a writer whose literary career is a creational marathon whose origin was tap rooted in the spirit and times of the foundation layers of Nigerian literature, thanks to the University of Ibadan and the Mbari Club”.
Responding, JP Clark commented on the shortcomings of the event but thanked ANA and all those who contributed towards making it a reality.
The opening ceremony was followed by the first plenary session, under the chairmanship of Prof. Sam Okala. Presenters at the plenary included Dr. Joseph Ushie and Dr. Sunny Awhefeada, who discussed the management of linguistic taboos in Clark’s Song of a Goat, and analysis of Ozidi in the light of contemporary Nigerian experience, respectively.
The second and last session of the plenary took place the following morning at the university’s Faculty of Arts Boardroom. Chaired by Dr. Joseph Ushie, the session had five presenters, including Mrs. Maria Ajima who discussed the recurring motif of the poetry of Clark, and Dr. Idris Okpanachi, who analyzed the construction of conflict in Clark’s The Wives Revolt.
The event come concludsion later in the day with a cocktail at the university’s Senior Staff Club.

c) Reported by Sumaila Umaisha in the New Nigerian newspapers.

AWF: A commitment to literary service

2011-01-05T11:59:00.004+01:00

DR. EMMAN USMAN SHEHU, founding President of Abuja Writers Forum (AWF), and Director of the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ), Abuja, hails from Maradun in Zamfara State. The holder of doctorate in African Literature in English has published two collections of poetry, Questions For Big Brother and Open Sesame. A third collection, Icarus Rising will soon be available. He is also working on a collection of short stories. Shehu is a veteran journalist, having worked in both broadcast and print media. He has also had a stint as a university lecturer. He is currently nurturing the fledgling Topaz Publishing House which has recently published Ozioma Izuora’s Dreams Deffered (Fiction) and Iyorwuese Hagher’s Once Upon An Eagle (Poetry). In this interview with SUMAILA UMAISHA, he speaks about the AWF; its objectives, activities, problems and prospects. Excerpts:

When was the Abuja Writers Forum founded and what is the main aim of establishing it?
Dr. Emman Usman Shehu: It started in June 2008. Basically, our concern is to provide interventions that will uplift Nigeria’s literature, because we believe that our literature, especially in English, has the capability of being a world class literature. If we are sounding like a mission statement of one of these corporate organisations, this is because that is the only way we can put it across. As you are well aware, even before the talk of re-branding, Nigerian literature has been responsible for giving Nigeria a positive image – even long before independence. So the quality is there, the potentials are there, it remains for us to find ways of ensuring there is consistency in the production of Nigerian literature, especially in English.
From its beginning to date, how would you describe your development?
It is been challenging, given the circumstances of our birth. As with any new product, any new brand, the initial challenge is making people recognise and accept you. That was the initial problem we had. But gradually we’ve been able to show through our consistency, the seriousness of our commitment to what we have envisioned for the development of Nigerian literature; the initial difficulties have been overcome. But then there are structural challenges especially in this sector because you discover that not much is being done in terms of providing grants, fellowships and sponsorships in the area of creative writing or literature or book publishing and in the arts generally in this country. Whereas the musicians enjoy millions of naira being invested by the telecommunication companies, for instance, the same cannot be said of literature. So we overcome the initial challenges only to be faced with another set of challenges. But we are soldiering on.
Specifically, what are the activities of AWF?
One, we have the guest writer session which for us is an opportunity to make emerging writers and established writers have access to the public. You know very well that in Nigeria we don’t have a structure that enables people to even know that books have been published. This is a very serious structural problem. Unlike in developed economies where a publisher willingly advertises, creates an environment whereby a forthcoming book is known and by the time the book comes out there is so much publicity and the author therefore is known by the public, we don’t have that here. So the guest writer session intends to address that by providing a forum for the published writers to be publicised. The requirement for you to be a guest writer is that you must be published. It is not for just any writer, you have to be published. We’ve been inundated with requests by people who want to be guest writers, but the number one condition is that you must have a book. Because for us, this is a platform to publicise your book, not a platform to publicise yourself. It is a forum for the public to get to patronise your work, to know what your vision is as a writer. It is also an opportunity for publishers to use the platform as a vehicle to push their books across. That is the number one thing about the guest writer session.
The other thing, as you witnessed yesterday, is that we also, in terms of structuring of the event, want to carry along all our fellow creative artists. In other words, we host musicians, fine artists, performance poets, etc. The idea is to provide a forum where all these aspects of creativity can be appreciated by the audience. Through this, we become more literate and appreciate the various aspects of creativity. That will also enhance the appreciation of what writers are doing because once you stimulate the senses people just don’t sit down and listen to a writer but there is quite a lot that is going on visually and orally; other senses are also being challenged and stimulated and so people become more appreciative, more enlightened. And we have noticed that our audience has become more and more critical as a result of this, as most of the guest writers have noted that they come and face an audience that is very demanding, an audience that is very alert, sensitive and critical. So that is one intervention.
The other intervention is the weekly critique session that we have. The critique session is an intervention that enables members of the forum to have their works looked at by fellow writers. You produce your work and we have a process whereby your work is made available. The session is even more critical because it is for work in progress. As you well know, we don’t have an environment where people showcase their ideas, so this is what this platform provides. Every Sunday, minus the Sunday immediately after the reading session, we meet and tear each other’s works apart. And everybody has the opportunity therefore to have his or her work in progress assessed and have suggestions. We don’t leave it at that; our intention is that through this process we encourage writers by having an avenue to have these works from the critique session published. And that is why recently we launched Dugwe, (i.e. ‘Forum’, in Gbagyi language) a journal of new writing. All the things in the first edition of Dugwe are materials that have been critiqued at the critique session – The writers have gone back to rework them and then we publish them, minus, of course, the contributions by the previous guest writers.
As somebody has noted, people who come to these sessions gradually become confident in their writing and that is basically the intention; to provide an environment whereby we can strengthen the skills of those who are interested in writing. I feel this is necessary since we don’t have an environment where people go to learn creative writing on a regular basis.
This brings us to another intervention we have been doing of recent, which is the monthly creative writing workshop. We usually do that during the guest writer session. Either we get the guest writer to take the sessions or as we have done in the past few months, we run a series and source other resource persons to do the creative writing session. This monthly creative writing session has proved to be quite interesting; we have had people coming all the way from Enugu, Port Harcourt, Onitsha, Makurdi, Jos and Bauchi, just to attend it. We’ve just finished the poetry series and hopefully in January we will start the fiction series.
Then we also have literary competition. We think there are not enough literary contests in the country so our intervention is to provide more avenues for writers to be able to showcase their works, whether published or unpublished. In fact, for us it is very important that the unpublished writer has an opportunity to have his manuscript brought into the public domain. Again, as you are well aware, we don’t have a process in the country whereby the publishing houses are organised in such a way that they get quick responses when writers send in their manuscripts. So this is an opportunity for unpublished writers to bring their manuscripts. And in the maiden edition that we did, several manuscripts actually came ahead of published works in terms of winning, which shows that we have touched on something very vital. Our hope is that from then on the winning manuscript can then be taken to the publishing houses, making it a lot easier for the process of getting books published to be hastened.
What are your future plans?
We want to expand the workshop series and not just make it an Abuja-based thing but also a nation-wide thing. So we are looking at the possibilities of doing it at various levels. We intend also to go into publishing. There have been a lot of pressure on us to go into publishing, but it is not something we want to rush into. We want to create a structure that will stand the test of time, be worthwhile and done with integrity, because most time what happens is that these things are done and you discover that they is so much self-serving nature to it and at the end of the day the purpose is defeated because the quality you are looking for, the standard that you want to establish, you fail to do them.
There are other things we intend to do. We are trying to see if we can regularly get books into the new library that has been built by the Education Resource Centre. It is also one of our interventions; to establish contacts to ensure that books are available. It will be very unfortunate if in these days and age people go to the library in the capital city of Nigeria and they don’t see current books by Nigerian writers. And that is the situation; if you go to the library now there is nothing in the library. We must commend the Education Resource Centre for doing what most people have not done. As you well know, the issue of libraries in this country has become a sore point; government is no longer interested in supporting libraries. But libraries are a very important part of our literature, of our reading culture. Because, if you cannot afford the books you can go to the library and read them. And indeed in developed economies that is what they do; they stock the libraries regularly with new books and encourage you to go and read them. And that is an advantage. For instance, if every library in this country, 36 libraries, if every state has a library, and if they all purchase nothing less than 50 copies of Hoodlums, for instance; what will that do to you?
It will go a long way.
It will indeed go a long way. In the developed economies this is what happens. The library becomes the number one place of supporting writers, because once a book comes out and they are convinced about the quality of the book, libraries make sure they stock them. In these countries there are state libraries, community libraries, city libraries, all kinds of libraries. And that is why the writers are sure that there are avenues for them to be patronised. We don’t have that here. That is why we feel that we must do this intervention of encouraging the city library. Majority of the books we will be buying are books by our own writers, not foreign writers. And that will be a plus for our writers.
So far, how have you been able to sponsor your numerous activities?
Well, you know, when there is passion you will do everything you can to see that your passion is realised. Sponsorship in this area is very difficult, it is hard; Nigerians, especially those who are in a position to provide sponsorship seem to have their values placed somewhere else. You know, the interesting thing is we all shout about poor reading culture, but what are we doing to change the situation? You invite people to come to a book launch, they will not come. And the issue of book launch; normally that is not the way a book should be publicised. But that is the way the structure has been. We have publishing houses where most time it is the author that puts his money into it and he wants to recoup all he has put in. So this is why we have come to a situation of a book launch. This has become part of our culture. But you invite people, how many people do you see? If it is a wedding, or chieftaincy title celebration or political gathering, you see people there. Look at the other day, Peoples’ Democratic Party was launching funds for its secretariat; see the amount of money that was realised. That money could go a long way to turn around book production process in this country, if we could do something like that. But then people don’t do that. So we have to look for creative ways of raising money.
We started first of all by making commitments individually and occasionally we have somebody who will say ‘I like what you are doing, please, how can I support you?’ and then we bring in something. But we hope that gradually this will change as people see that we are serious. Then there is also the issue of integrity, people in the past who have supported such causes have found out that their money were not properly used and could not be accounted for and so people are hesitant to put in their money, because it might go into something else. But I think with what we are doing things are going to change. A couple of people have expressed their willingness to be of assistance to us. The important thing is for us to continue to find a creative means of generating funds and keep the forum going because consistency is the key to what we are doing. If you are not consistent then people will not take you seriously. But I think our consistency is beginning to pay off.

(c) Interviewed by Sumaila Umaisha and published in New Nigerian newspapers.

I feel at the top of the world!

2011-01-05T11:51:00.003+01:00

ISAAC ATTAH OGEZI, legal practitioner, playwright, short story writer and literary essayist, based in Keffi, Nasarawa State, is a consistent literary prizes winner . In addition to his numerous prizes, his play, Waiting for Savon, has just won this year’s edition of Esiaba Irobi Prize. In this interview, he speaks to SUMAILA UMAISHA about the secret behind his phenomenal success.

How do you feel winning the Esiaba Prize?
Isaac Attah Ogezi: I feel, to use a cliché, at the top of the world! I feel so great words cannot express my happiness.
Did you know you were going to win especially after you’ve been shortlisted?
Actually I didn’t know because I happen to know some of the writers on the shortlist personally and I know them as good writers. So it came to me as a surprise.
Now that you have won it, what will this do to your writing career?
A prize of this nature challenges the writer to be more serious. It is a prize that asks the writer to train for excellence, because a prize makes the winner more marketable by bringing him to public notice. And it beholds on the winner not to disappoint his gathering fans and the reading public. So the prize entails more research, more fidelity to details and so many other literary criteria that deserve attention.
What other prizes have you won so far?
Recently, on the 19th day of October I came third in a CHD/Ford Foundation Prize for short story. Also my unpublished play, A Requiem for the Misbegotten came second last year in AWS/Zulu Sofola Award for drama. And in 2006 my adaptation of Wole Soyinka’s novel, The Interpreters, under the title, The Misfit, came third in an adaptation competition organised by ANA. And in 2008 my adaptation of Achebe’s Arrow of God, under the title Ezeulu, came first, in an adaptation competition organised by ANA.
What is the secret behind the success?
The secret behind the success is focus. As a writer, I have great partiality for playwright; I don’t want to be a Jack of all trade master of none. If I go to a bookshop, my first interest is drama. So I’m more focused on drama writing. That is why most of my dramatic works win awards.
Given your own experience, what is your advice to other writers?
I advise for focus. All writers should be focused and again they need patience. As a writer, my training days were at the university and I was privileged to read some of the greatest dramatists in the world like William Shakespeare, some of the best award-winning American and Norwegian dramas. It entails reading the best, the classics. That is the secret.

(c) Interviewed by Sumaila Umaisha and published in New Nigerian newspapers.

Umaisha, Omalicha thrill Abuja writers

2011-01-05T11:42:00.003+01:00

Writers’ brotherhood never had a single event so loaded. That was what happened at the November edition of the Guest Writer Session organized by Abuja Writers’ Forum (AWF). It was a literary outing packed with interesting activities. Writers from various backgrounds had all come out to interact with newspaper editor and short story writer Sumaila Umaisha as well as poetry performer, Ify Omalicha, but they had more than they bargained for. In the end, every participant walked out of the Pen and Pages, Abuja venue, excited. Comments such as “I have never been part of a literary event like this,” with the expression of desires to be more involved in literary activities, were part of what the event provoked. As some of the writers present said, the nation’s literature never had it so good with the more than two-year consistent running of the literary event that featured mini Art Exhibition, musical and poetry performances.
An opening glee by Omalicha was what the Compere, Mike Ekuno, brought to the stage after the introductory remarks. That had the title: The green pasture. The fervour associated with some religious sects and visits to them by miracle seekers featured prominently in the piece. To point out that Omalicha and her fellow performer, Hanah Chima, a 300 level Theatre Arts student, were as electric on stage as they were passionate about their art was an understatement. Their audience was enthralled, laughing, clapping, not just for the believability but for the good grasp of the craft in poetic delivery. Those were top class performers there, Omalicha and her fellow. But it was just the opening glee, a sort of first course. Her main performance of the day was ahead.
Meanwhile, Miss Millicent, an artist came to the stage next. A member of the audience would soon remark that her work was as expressive and bold as she was. A true thing. Millicent’s painting came in bright, gay colours. Her explanation showed why. There was this three-piece work that had a man in-between two ladies. A man’s world, she called the name of the three-in-one piece. Imagine a man’s eyes set on two ladies at the same time and you got the essence of Millicent’s work. Two ladies were dying to have a man, he stayed in between enjoying the show like an unbending Iroko tree at a time wind and flood terrorize every other plant around. The artist said, “We women can’t do without men around us”; under normal circumstances, that is. Yet, see the way the man threats the ladies, “It’s an irony,” of some sort, she concluded about ‘A man’s world.’
Many in the audience pointed out that they liked her work, they were beautiful. Ladies especially saluted the punches the artist threw at men in the course of her explanation, even though the title of her most interesting work would give a different impression. Then came the musical duo. Laolu, who said “I am part time singer and he is a full time,” referring to his fellow, Valerino, would join him to give life music performance. A scintillating thing, that one, comprising of a song titled, ‘Abuja Queen.’ And there was a pidgin English song titled, ‘Anaconda’ performed by Valerino. Anaconda was a girl, as its performer explained. The two songs had told stories of what guys come up against in the timeless effort to conquer.
The big masquerade was what the MC called the first Guest Writer to climb the stage. And so he was. Umaisha, literary editor of the Kaduna-based New Nigerian, is a short story writer, poet and an award winning literary journalist whose stories and poems have appeared in journals, anthologies and online publications. He read ‘Militants’ and ‘After the riots’ from his debut collection of short stories, Hoodlums, a book that has attracted attention in literary circles for its focus on the violence perpetrated in the country in the name of religion, politics and culture. The Guest Writer would be taken on by his audience for his stories that not only painted pictures of violence in its diverse forms but also indicted everyone, including the reader. He would explain that he belonged to the realist school of thought which posited that a writer should use his medium to bring issues across ‘the way they are.’ But all of that were yet for the Question and Answer Time.
Omalicha’s second coming was a full blown performance. She might as well have been performing on the stage of the patriarch of Theater Arts department in the country – the University of Ibadan. This post-graduate Theatre Arts student of the University might have put up for her lecturer, the seamless, entertaining performance of the poem titled, ‘Untitled,’ in an examination and she would have passed. There was that professional, well-rehearsed touch to every move, every line she performed alongside Hannah. Untitled was about apartheid South Africa and the plight of the poor black under the oppressive regime in place at one stage in the life of the people in that part. That was a poem with no identification going by its name; but the first few lines of the poetic rendition showed it for what it was – a poetic exposition of poverty, sufferings, oppression, lack, denials, and values that had been devalued. Omalicha’s work was dissected by her audience: Why did she take to poetry performance? How did she memorize such long lines of poems for her two performances of the day? How did she come up with so much energy and zest that everyone saw her display? Who and what were her motivations? These were some of the questions the audience asked. But that happened during the Question and Answer Session.
“For me words don’t live on paper. When I write a poem, I want people to hear it. I don’t believe it can connect with you as much as it will when I speak or perform it,” was one of her responses. And she had been in theatre for ten years, so it had become part of her – internalizing lines. Even when she performed the works of other poets, she actually internalized them, felt what they felt, a thing that enabled her to interpret the works’ very essence on stage.
“I go through the emotions of the writer and that pushes me to express it; It is not about memorizing”, she explained how she was who she was on stage. Passion for anything one does, she pointed out, is important.
The comments directed at Umaisha were as ponderous and thought-provoking as his work. They were about why and how he focused on themes he treated in Hoodlums. It so happened that he initially wrote many of the stories in the collection for his newspaper audience, and he had had to write one story a week. That raised some issues. One, some of the stories reflected current situation in the country, they were topical. The writer knew of the amnesty granted to militants in the Niger Delta, he wrote angles to it that no government official seemed to have given a thought. He read most news items on violent situations around the country, took note of aspects of it that didn’t make it into the news, the realities of the issues – he caught them in stories. “if you look at some of the stories, you will notice that they are topical,” Umaisha explained. And he felt writers have a duty to tell things as they are. “Bring out all the dirt for everyone to see.” It was why he wrote the way he did.
The event ended with a raffle that had the audience winning books courtesy of AWF. In his remarks, the president of AWF, Dr Emman Usman Shehu, noted that the Forum would continue to engage in intervention programes that would positively change the nation’s poor reading culture. The AWF Guest Writer Session is one of the platforms created to showcase the works of published writers while the Forum has created other opportunities for unpublished writers to become published.

Reported by Ajibade, a Consultant Writer, who lives in Abuja. tunjioa@yahoo.com

Umaisha and Omalicha offer November treat in Abuja

2011-01-05T11:37:00.001+01:00

Two emerging writers, Sumaila Umaisha and Ifeyinwa Omalicha, will feature at the 28th edition of the Abuja Writers’ Forum’s Guest Writer Session, which holds on November 27, according to the Forum’s PRO, Abudullahi Abubakar:

The event, which holds from 4 pm at the Pen and Pages Bookstore, White House Plaza, Plot 79, Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse 2, will be attended by writers from both within and outside the federal capital city.
Sumaila Umaisha, literary editor of the Kaduna-based New Nigerian, is a short story writer and poet. His stories and poems have appeared in several journals, anthologies and online publications. He has also won several awards for literary journalism including the Literary Journalist of the Year Award by the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), which he won in 2004 and 2007.
Umaisha’s debut collection of short stories, Hoodlums, appeared recently and is attracting attention for its focus on the violence perpetrated in the country in the name of religion, politics and culture.
This collection, notes Yahaya Ibrahim in a review, “paints (in seventeen short stories) a graphic picture of physical and psychological violence …(and) focuses on ethno-religious conflicts to militancy and other violent crises... Umaisha unveils scenes of savagery that have become the trademark of the Nigerian nation …. One of the major strengths of Umaisha is his ability to craft harsh realities into simple metaphors. On the surface is the story, but between the lines is the heart of the story itself – story that involves or implicates everyone. In the story even the reader stands accused without knowing it.”
Ms Omalicha is a post-graduate student of Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. She is also a poet and performance artist. She performed at the maiden event of the Nigerian Prize for Literature endowed by NLNG
She has three published collections of poetry: Amidst the Blowing Tempest, They Run Still and Now that Dreams are Born. She was Resident Poet at the ABTI Academy, Yola, where she worked as a teacher and literary consultant.
The popular monthly literary event hosted by the Abuja Writers’ Forum and regarded as the most consistent in the country, will also feature music, performance poetry, a mini visual arts exhibition and a raffle with book prizes at stake.
Umaisha and Omalicha appear in the wake of the October edition which featured the Abuja-based poet, Kabura Zakama. The Guest Writer Session which started in June 2008 has become the inspiration for similar literary interventions in some of the nation’s major cities, a testimony of its success.

I used to steal my father’s books to read

2011-01-05T11:28:00.003+01:00

Gimba Kakanda is a literary critic, novelist and poet. In this interview, he speaks about his just released collection of poems, Safari Pants.

Your new poetry collection is titled Safari Pants; why this title?
Gimba Kakanda: The title, Safari Pants, is born in ambiguity; I realized that when I was collecting the poems into a volume. The first concept of safari used in the book is created in thought of the usual safari expedition, used with the respiratory ‘pants’; so, safari pants are the hard breaths, nay struggles we take on our expedition through life. The second face of the title comes from the safari dress; here the safari pant which some of us wear is used to portray a dress that, accidentally, symbolizes troubled life by a particular experience of mine or simply, safari pant is metaphor of drudgery. Actually, the second side of the title came to me during a demonstration in which a lad dressed in safari pant was chased by a dog and had his pant torn by the beast. This quite pricked a poem in me because the safari pants I was used to weren’t a fashion that goes with haughtiness. Nonetheless, interchangeable images of Safari the expedition and Safari the dress is used in this collection; by this I have to say both sides of the meaning fits in, ambiguously, on occasions that the readers conjure their meanings.
There is a consistent theme of sadness in your poetry. Why?
The world is never a field of continuous feast. We face travails in life, every one of us. The fact that you see folks laughing mirthfully doesn’t portend total happiness. We have inner scars that we can’t just express with desired alacrity which is what poetry does. I inherited the poetry I must’ve encountered in my earlier childhood (I’m still a child, you know). My father was one of those village headmasters that held sway in the postcolonial Nigeria of the late 70’s and early 80’s. I never got to see the best of him because he was sick, and away for medication during my growing up days. So, I used to sneak into his study and steal books to read until my mum caught me one day and thought me some lessons - that meant a moment of love lost. That experience was indeed my initiation into the reading life because I was baffled as to why my mum, whom everyone cautioned for pampering me to a fault, got so annoyed by mere books. She wouldn’t have been thus angry had I stolen her money. Later I mastered a better trick of stealing into the study. Along the line of this thievery, I chanced upon some styled writings which I mistook for song lyrics. But one common trait I observed in those writings, even though I could not perceive the difficult sentences, was angry tone - what I later realized as protest literature of the era. I was to be mocked by time that those writings I took for song lyrics were poems! So, at a time in those years I began to imitate those writings but I think I was more enthusiastic about prose, judged by my obsession with a particular story which I drafted but shamefully tore as I came of age. My first inspiration to write poem was in 2002, when I lost my mother. I was, to say the least, mad! I wrote her a poem simply titled ‘Tribute’ (included in this collection). It was an embarrassing belch until I grew in the art and gave it a true touch of poetry. So, I don’t think an orphan is indeed a completely happy being; sadness wields the greater portion of human life because however you strive to remain in the course of hedonism, it shall find you.
Other prominent themes in the collection are freedom and the quest for happiness. In a plain language what’s your concept of these two?
First, I’m an African, a black African- the most humiliated race in the history of humanity, so the essence of freedom and happiness is quite understood and celebrated by us in our dispersed locations across the universe. In a plain logic, the quest for happiness and freedom is the dominant wish of a sad and physically or emotionally oppressed hence the recurrence of such attempts in the collection. Nigeria is not an idyll for any thinker; we grumble over our thieving government which is not getting better. And also the fact that we have conscience tears us in sympathy for ourselves, grieving family, friends or neighbours. You can never escape sadness one way or the other, that’s why the literatures of happy characters or tonality never last; it doesn’t depict a long-lasting reality.
The collection also speaks about nature and environment; what are the importance of these elements to human existence and creative endeavour in particular?
Nature and environment are two things you can never cease to depend on. We are all borne in them. Nature and its myriad wonders remind us of the unknown Architect that adorns our dwellings, our environments. All the inventions of man were inspired by nature but environment alone defines our grasp of nature and also life. Nature inspires us to build our environment, and environment inspires us to build our life and art. The heterogeneity of our environments accentuates the variation in our creativity and thematic engagements; an African writer is spun to protest; an American narrates crime or love tales;
What does poetry writing really entail?
Poetry, to me, is the magic of the words- an incursion into another world done to feel the rhythms of life. Poetry is a way of escaping ordinariness of the world for a foray into a more definable life, emotionally, spiritually or musically. Nothing has ever given me half the inner bliss derived from beautifully written poems. I never fantasized with the idea of having my poems published until later in life that I understood that the beauty of arts is the sharing of the crafts. So, poetry was to me a private and secret exercise. A kind of yoga, you may say. My place of residence, Minna, being a hub of literary activities challenged me to strive and attain that level of considerable poetic skills even though I was not physically attached to Minna literature in my formative years.
What were your major inspirations in writing this book?
The environment and personal experiences! What else? Environment inspires and defines every good artiste. In writing the poems in this collection, I resolved to record only those circumstances, occurrences and events that truly worth documentation. I believe that any literary piece that fails to introduce the reader into a fresh grasp of the common life is a bad one. So, my target wasn’t to just gather some measured texts and forward to the printers. The modern world is so riddled with too many opinions on the criterion of good poetry, but nobody can deny that any expression without figurative blends isn’t literary, especially in poetry. That’s my problem with those self-contradicted poets that flaunt modernism or postmodernism in severe cases; their obsession with the modern objects obstructs their perception of poetry judged from their laughable attempts to sound more musical than the musicians.
The funniest extent is when they imitate metrically rhymed verses or concrete poetry; that’s when you’re bombarded with watery expressions that beg for a space on the pages of prose, yet mistaken for poems. Many modernists can’t tell song lyrics from poems. I once printed a Celine Dion song lyric for one and he nodded admiringly as he called it a ‘beautiful poem.’
How would you describe your experience in writing and publishing the collection?
A beginner is a sufferer in the realm of art. I think my first relationship with a writer in hope of having these poems published was with the poet Ahmed Maiwada. That’s one fine novelist that history will never forget, for his writings and altruism. Maiwada is one modernist poet whose art are beautiful in an angle; I am not a disciple of his poetry even though I did one of the accessible reviews of his second book, Fossils. When we met in 2008, I reported our encounter in various newspapers just to say, ‘Behold, the modernist wants to corrupt me’. Well, it was a sweet encounter but our relationship wasn’t fruitful in a sense that I wasn’t infected by the bug of modernism. I’m not a big fan of the so-called modernist verses. However, Maiwada pledged to publish me in spite of my stubborn refusal to write good poems, his kind of poems perhaps. But, sadly, the Ibadan-based publisher assigned the publication was an egotist that wouldn’t let a neophyte utter a word of correction without sounding offended. So, when the book came, in 2008, it was so irredeemably flawed I rejected it, only to have the publication sponsored by the novelist Abubakar Gimba this year, 2010.
Apart from being a poet you are also an essayist, literary critic and novelist; which of these genres of writing do you find more challenging and why?
No genuine literary activity is easy but one trend that challenges me is literary criticism; being a critic in the literary realm is same as being a frontline activist in the political terrain. Criticism is a dangerous foray because the number of your haters expands in unimaginable progressions. For instance, when my good friend’s book came out, I was the first to have it reviewed; it cut a cord of our relationship. So, being a critic means being an antagonist; the authors perceive your activities as acts of sadism. When Richard Ali and I took on the Northern Nigerian literature, the region boiled in anger, yet the observations were undeniable facts. Richard attached the dying state of Northern Nigerian writings to what he termed ‘kowtowing’ or Ran-ka-ya-dade stymied writings; by this he meant the critics, reviewers and enthusiasts literarily kowtow in judging the works of familiar, senior or culturally regarded authors. Sadly, I was involved in that selfless display of the literary activism. Another critic, E. E. Sule, is a bigger example of misunderstood critics. Despite being the most active, read and noticed critic in the region, he’s often written off by the affected authors of the region. Well, however they respond, criticism remains the only therapy for resuscitation of the Northern Nigerian literature. Back to the choice based on readership and popularity. Essays come to me, as it would any restless creative writer, with ease. As for being a novelist, I think that tag isn’t for me at the hours because I’m yet to let the world into any bit of my fiction. I’ve never sent my prose works out, not for fear of critics but that belief that I’m yet to attain the level of maturity I wanted to inculcate in my narratives. My writer-friends that had seen my ongoing novel entitled Footfalls of Night praised the scribbles. I wish the world will welcome it. So, readership doesn’t mean superiority of one genre to the other. You see, poetry remains the most superior genre of literature. Poetry is to art what mathematics is to science. A bad student of mathematics rarely makes a good scientist.
In terms of readership, which of these genre would you say is more popular, and why?
If you want me to take essay as a genre, then it is the most popular. The world is forged in longing for the simple and easily digestible creative outputs. I don’t like the noise that people don’t read, especially poems. Truth being the intellectual fort is increasingly becoming a deserted place owing to the wand of capitalism that grips the modern world. Everyone is just after what easily translates into Naira, or easily understood. No one goes after the complex art like poetry chiefly because the world is revolving around capitalism but if we all choose to chase money, who are going to build the art? Good writing is a sacrifice.
What would you say, if I said this book will win a prize?
Prize? Oh no, that’s not going to happen. I know of greater books that never clinch a prize. In Nigeria today, the only way a creative writer is celebrated is having won one of those foreign prizes. Believe me, those that are being applauded in our literary cycles today aren’t the best pack. They are also flawed, some to embarrassing degree. The Diasporan-authors are being acknowledged because of the impartial endorsements by the West. I don’t think that Nigerian critics, especially the scholars, read enough to merit their position in the country; many of them only paraphrase the rambles of foreign press and critics. Read Sefi Atta’s novel entitled Everything Good Will Come which is by actual literary criticism a sociology textbook to Chimamanda Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun that betrays the tool of literature with its overt propagandas, and discover for yourself; much as I believe that Helon Habila possesses amazing linguistic dexterity, you can’t compare him with Biyi Bandele. And nobody is talking about Bandele; this is a masterful storyteller of this decade. Nobody talks about Maik Nwosu as they do his companions because our critics are dormant and failed to research into his writings. Nobody talks about Ahmed Maiwada’s novel as they do Chimamanda’s or that classical junk, Kaine Agary’s Yellow-Yellow, which edged a better Jude Dibia’s away from the NLNG Prize. So, if you say that again, I will say, prize shouldn’t be the yardstick of measuring literary excellence. The almighty critic is time.

(c) Interviewed by Sumaila Umaisha and published in the New Nigerian newspaper.

Zaynab Alkali chats with KASU students

2011-01-05T11:21:00.001+01:00

AS part of the regular interactive sessions for its students, the Department of English and Drama, Faculty of Arts, Kaduna State University, Kaduna, hosted Zaynab Alkali, last week. Zaynab is the first Northern Nigerian woman novelist in English language and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Nasarawa State University. The two-day interactive session took place in the Faculty of Arts Lecture Room from Monday 27th to Tuesday 28th, October, 2010.
Tagged ‘Special Author for Special Topic’, the interactive session was in two parts. The first part, involving only the English and Drama students, focused mainly on Zaynab’s books while the second part, which took place the following day, was a general session involving all interested students. The session featured, in addition to the main guest, Chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of Association of Nigerian authors, ANA, Friday John Abba, literary editor of New Nigerian, Sumaila Umaisha and literary editor of Weekly Trust, Diego Odoh Okenyodo. The three handled the literature-and-media aspect of the discussion.
The programme began with a visit to the Vice Chancellor’s office, where Dr. A.K. Babajo, organiser of the event, introduced Zaynab to the Vice Chancillor, Professor E. M. Abdulrahman. After general discussions on literature and other related issues, Zaynab presented some of her latest works to the Vice Chancellor.
The interactive session started at about 11.30 am with a welcome address by Dr. Babajo, in which he explained the main objective of the exercise. According to him, it was in fulfilment of the requirement of parts of the students’ course, which is aimed at inculcating in them the values of creativity through interaction with writers across the globe. Under this programme, he said, the institution had earlier hosted writers like Abubakar Gimba, author of several literary works and former President of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, and Labo Yari, first Northern Nigerian novelist in English lanuage.
Dr. Babajo further explained that in compliance with the mission and vision of establishing Kaduna State University, the programme is, for now, focusing on Nigerian writers, with emphasis on Northern writers.
After the introductory speech, Zaynab gave a brief biography of herself and went down memory lane, recounting her writing experiences. Born in the early fifties at Garkida, Gombi Local Government Area, Adamawa State to parents of Borno State, she went to Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, Ilorin, Kwara State. She did her B.A. English and M.A. African Literature in English, ABU Zaria, in the 70s and 80s, Ph.D in African Literature, BUK in 1995. Her career is mostly in the University system from the early 80s to date. Between the years 2000 – 2003, she was with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency as an editor of a health magazine. She joined the Nasarawa State University, September, 2003 and she is, apart from being the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, currently a Professor of African Literature and Creative Writing.
Speaking on her two new books, The Descendants and The Initiates, she said they highlight the changing circumstances of women; the major characters at the end of the day are now directors and ministers. According to her, The Initiates is nothing like any of her previous works because, for once, the major characters are men.
The dominant question that came from the students during the question and answer session was on feminism; whether feminism was a correct label for her kind of writings or not. In response to the question she said, “Assigning a label to an artist is not only intimidating, but limiting. I would rather not be labeled a feminist, because I would like to tackle any issue and project any kind of character at any given time. Labeling me a feminist is like putting me in a cage.
She then explained the real meaning of feminism and what the genre generally intends to achieve. According to her, the word feminism derives its root from Women’s Revolutionary Movement which started in the16th century. The movement was fully nurtured on sentiments based on the need for the woman rights to be respected. With time, it assumed a different facet, a kind of radical feminism where some women are advocating for their rights based on ‘what man can do women can do’. She is not for this kind of feminism, she said. “Rather, feminist writing, I believe, intends to engender an understanding between the two genders for peaceful co-existence.”
Her discussion on the second day was generally advice to the students, particularly those who wish to write. “My advice to you is that you should read a lot, if you want to be a writer. And rather than try to be like me, or any other writer, you should try to be yourselves. Every author has his style, his own identity. The secret is to discover oneself, that way; a writer becomes the best of himself, not any body’s copy.”
The event was wrapped up with some advice from Diego, Umaisha and Abba on how the media could be exploited towards making one a better writer.

Reported By Sumaila Umaisha.

How Chris Ngige inspired my new book

2011-01-05T11:12:00.004+01:00

In this interview with Henry Akubuiro, Sumaila Umaisha, literary editor of Nigerian Newspapers and two-time winner of Literary Journalist of the Year, awarded by Association of Nigerian Authors, speaks on his new book, HOODLUMS. Excerpts:

What is your new book, HOODLUMS, all about?
Sumaila Umaisha: It is a collection of 17 short stories on the Nigerian situation; creative interpretations of happenings in Nigeria. Seventy per cent of them are inspired directly by real life occurrences. For instance, the stories, ‘Hoodlums’, ‘The Riot’, and ‘After the Riot’ were inspired by the Kaduna ethno-religious riots of 2000. ‘Militants’ was stimulated by the militancy in the Niger Delta, how the innocent, especially women and children in the area, were bearing the brunt of the armed struggle. ‘The Godfather’ was motivated by the saga of the former Governor of Anambra State, Chris Ngige, whose godfather attempted to forcefully remove him from office. ‘The President’s Portrait’ is a story on an artist’s impression of Obasanjo’s administration vis-à-vis the state of democracy in Nigeria from 1999 to date. ‘Do or Die!’ also depicts the gangster nature of our practice of democracy. In short, as stated on the back of the book; Hoodlums is a reflection of mainly the physical and psychological violence perpetrated in the name of religion, politics, culture and the quest for wealth. The stories highlight the bloodshed, injustice and jungle justice that have become the order of the day in Nigeria.
Are you saying the stories are real in the sense that you told the actual stories as they happened?
Definitely, no! If I did that it would be no longer a work of fiction. That would be a news report. What I did was to create a similar situation from my imagination. In the case of Ngige, he came out of the crisis alive. But in this story, the hero did not survive the godfather’s machinations. I wrote the stories, having in mind topical issues. In fact, I wrote ‘The Godfather’ when the Ngige story was still unfolding.
You seem to concentrate on the negative aspects of the Nigerian situation.
I also write on the positive aspects. Stories such as the ‘The Last Hiding Place’ and ‘The Magic’ are a proof of this fact. But, yes, I must admit that I write more on the negative aspects. This is because one sees more of these than the positive aspects. Just turn on your radio or pick up any Nigerian newspaper; apart from some government or political propaganda, all you will hear or read about is bad news – kidnappings, corruption, endless tales of poverty amidst plenty. No committed writer writing about Nigeria that would not be tempted to write on these things. But, mark you, writing about them does not mean that one wishes for such situation. What one is doing is mirroring the repulsive state of affairs for possible correction. I am a realist; I like to draw attention to the problems rather than papering over the cracks. The idealist writer tries to give hope, which is not a bad idea, but in our own case, what do you do with hope in a hopeless situation? I feel it is better to tell someone the hell he is in than to tell him what heaven he could be in.
Don’t you think that telling these stories in this fashion is like exposing Nigeria’s weaknesses to the rest of the world?
I would rather tell the whole world about my sickness than put on a brave face and die in silence. I don’t see anything wrong with washing one’s dirty linen in public if that would cure him and others of a consuming malady. The thing about image is that it projects itself. And that’s why mere propaganda only amounts to covering your belly while your buttocks are showing! Image laundering should be approached with honesty; tell yourself the truth, then the right way would be sought out.
But it seems you only tell the truth, you don’t seek out the right way.
It is a collective responsibility that should be carried out through division of labour. While the writer sheds the light, those in power should find the way out; that is why they are there in the first place. The wherewithal to find solutions to the problems is at their disposal. The first step towards solving a societal problem is attracting attention to it by analysing it in a way that it would appeal to the consciousness and conscience of those concerned. That is what writers do. Then the leaders, who are the policy makers, are supposed to carry on from there.
With the poor reading culture and the fact that our leaders hardly read, how can this truth get to them?
Some of them do read, and I believe that the few that read can make the difference. Revolution takes only a courageous few to happen. And the book is not addressed to the leaders alone; the led also have a role to play in the moral renaissance. The stories are expected to instil in the general readers certain attitudinal change that would culminate in positive actions and reactions right from the grassroots level to the top. There are so many wrong things we regard as normal because they have been repeated over and over again. For instance, anyone occupying public office is expected to be rich overnight. That psychology needs to be changed across board. I’m not that naive to think the desired changes will come with just the reading of this book. Such changes come gradually, across generations, and through continuous reading. So I do agree that a better reading culture will create a better environment for the truth to get on target.
Why the title, HOODLUMS?
The title reflects the characters in the stories. It is a metaphor for the typical Nigerian – the politician, the police, the journalist, the businessman, etc, – who believes in having his way through crooked means. From the riot scenes in ‘Hoodlums’ to the seat of power in ‘The Honourable Minister’ you could see hoodlums at work. So, the word ‘hoodlums’ here dose not refer to violent gangsters alone, it also refers to leaders like Senator Dambo in ‘Do or Die’ who sent an assassin after his political opponent.
Where can one buy the book?
You can find it in some bookshops in Kaduna and Abuja. They are still being distributed, but soon it will be in many bookshops nationwide. Some of the stories could be read on my blog: http://www.everythinliterature.blogspot.com
Finally, are we expecting any work from you soon?
Yes, I still have a collection of short stories coming up. And there is this collection of my interviews with Nigerian writers; a project I’ve been working on for the past ten years. It comprises of renowned Nigerian writers. It consists of the photographs, brief biographies and views of the featured writers on literary and other issues. There are also excerpts from their works. Prefaced by Helon Habila, the Caine Prize winner, it is the first of its kind and it is meant to serve as a research material for students and scholars of literature. It will be out this year. I’m also working on a play. Yes, expect a lot from me in the coming years, God willing.

(c) Published in National Life newspaper.

Writer's block is excuse for lazy writers

2011-01-05T11:03:00.004+01:00

You recently published a short story collection, Hoodlums, centred on the violence rocking the country. What inspired the theme of the collection?
Sumaila Umaisha: The collection was inspired by, as you put it, the violence rocking the country. I probably would have written on a different theme if I were not living in the 21st century Nigeria where violence seems to be the order of the day, where bomb blasts, kidnappings and wanton corruption are threatening to undermine our nationhood. Specifically, the collection was motivated by the ethno-religious riots in the Northern part of the country, such as the Kaduna and Jos crises, the armed struggle in the Niger Delta, the phenomenon of political Godfatherism, and so on. I have witnessed about three riots since I came to Kaduna in 1993, and even though I’ve not been directly affected, as a journalist and writer, I was in a vantage position to assess the destruction, the deaths, the misery and the damage to the human psyche. It is this pathetic situation that Hoodlums seeks to paint.
In the title story of the collection, you wove a tale of the unusual treatment of two journalists covering the Kaduna crisis by the police. Was this borne out of a true experience?
As I have already implied, the collection is not a memoir or report on actual happenings. It is a creative version of the happenings. In the art of writing there is what is called ‘real imagination’, where the writer directly reproduces his personal or interpersonal experiences, and there is ‘creative imagination’, where the writer pieces together his various knowledge and experiences, personal and interpersonal, to bring into being something new – an innovative picture that reflects the reality. To answer your question, therefore, I will say ‘Hoodlums’ is not borne out of true experience; I was never involved with the police in the cause of my reporting the riots. All that the writer’s imagination needs is the atmosphere and the stories making the round. The atmosphere was there; you could at times hear gunshots and see dark smoke against the horizon. Some times you even narrowly escape being lynched. All these and the stories of misery widely related by victims converged to fire up the imagination.
Do you think journalists in Nigeria tend to incite the flames of violence in the country?
I wouldn’t say all journalists in Nigeria incite the flames of violence. But certainly some journalists allow their personal opinions and interests to interfere with their editorial judgement, thereby inadvertently escalating the crisis. Not just the journalists, some media owners are also guilty of this. You can easily guess the ownership of a newspaper, TV or radio station through its editorial or news contents, because they are usually tailored towards shoring up a particular region, religion or political affiliation. Propaganda through the mass media has unfortunately become a global practice where professional ethics is shamelessly sacrificed on the altar of personal or group interests that are often parochial. The case of Nigeria seems to be the worst, as some journalists even engage in sensational reporting just for the fun of it. In the story, ‘Hoodlums’ you could see how Ben rounded up a death toll recorded in a riot from 450 to 500 just to thrill his readers! Nigerian journalists are like Nigerian leaders, some of them hardly think about the consequences of their actions. This is very unfortunate because such insensitivity not only heats up the polity, but if unchecked, it could snowball into a time bomb that would eventually break up this nation. So the story is a call on my colleagues to retrace their steps back to the good old responsible journalism that the likes of Dr. Azikiwe used to fight for the independence of this country. They should bear in mind that we owe this country a moral obligation to ensure its unity and progress.
You also focused on domestic violence and a descent into insanity in one of the stories, ‘The King Himself’; are you trying to tell us to what extent violence is prevalent in our society, within and outside the home?
That is the message; violence is everywhere, including the home. In fact, the genesis of the perennial conflicts across the country could be traced to the home. The family being the nucleus of the society, the moral standard of the society is generally determined by that of the family. In a house where the couple attack each other physically or psychologically, the children are very likely to copy the behaviour, thinking it is normal. It is even worse where the children themselves are abused and deprived of parental love and care. Such children may grow up bitter and aggressive. They are always waiting for an opportunity to take it out on the society. In fact, lawless homes cannot but produce a lawless society. And a lawless society can only produce lawless leaders. That is why it is unrealistic to blame our leaders alone for the ills of this country; almost everybody is guilty. We must cleanse ourselves, beginning from our individual homes.
What have been the challenges you have dealt with in bringing out this collection?
The first challenge was finding the time to write the stories. Many a times I would start a story only to stop half-way because of other activities; to make ends meet. Sometimes I spent a whole month writing just one short story, even though there were always other story ideas waiting to be developed. But I eventually rose to the challenge by creating a short story sub-column in my literary column in the New Nigerian newspaper and ran my short stories on weekly basis. This compelled me to write stories regularly in order to keep the column going. I did this for a year and at the end produced many stories. This collection, Hoodlums, is the first of the two collections of short stories I produced from the exercise. The second one will soon be published, insha Allah. So, writing requires self-discipline. ‘Waiting for inspiration’ or ‘suffering from writer’s block’ are excuses only for lazy writers. You just have to get up and go!
Another challenge was publishing. As you know, getting publishers to publish you in the traditional way based on royalties is not easy these days, especially in this country. Even the old renowned writers, some of them now engage in self-publishing. So I had to do self-publishing after waiting in vain for the opportunity get published the traditional way. But I hope to succeed in my next attempt with the second collection.
We agree that Hoodlums is thematically apt, do you consider it an artistic triumph?
I think critics are in the best position to answer that question. The few reviews that have been published on the collection so far tend to portray it as a good attempt. The reviewers did comparative analysis with other works and came out with encouraging comments. Some are impressed by my handling of delicate issues like religion and ethnicity without being sentimental or judgmental. Others have also pointed out that my background as a journalist has affected my narrative style both positively and negatively – the stories are told in simple metaphor, but some parts are too journalistic. There is always plus and minus. So, like I said, critics are the better judges in this matter.
If you were to write the entire collection all over again, what would you do differently and what would you retain?
This is like asking me, if I were to speak again would I speak with the same voice? Of course, everyone’s voice is unique to him, and so is writing style. No matter how hard a writer tries, he cannot write in the style of another writer. Therefore, I guess, if I were to write the entire collection again, I would write it in the same manner. Maybe, I might be less journalistic...but journalism has become a part of me, having being in it for about twenty years.
How will the experience of putting this collection together affect your future works?
It will affect them positively. With the collection already in the market and doing well, I might be able to convince publishers to take on my next work.

(c) Published in Sunday Trust newspaper.

Nigeria at 50: The great book has not emerged

2011-01-05T10:54:00.005+01:00

Dr. E. E. Sule, lecturer at the University of Abuja assesses the Nigerian literary scene at 50.

What’s your assessment of Nigeria's literary development?
Dr. E. E. Sule: The literary scene in Nigeria, in my view, is as sick as Nigeria in her 50th independence. Nigeria and her literature in English are glorying in mediocrity, self-praise, and complacency. This is even more telling when you consider closely the public actions and utterances of our writers. Like the politicians, the writers are ethnically bigoted; like the politicians, the writers are narcissistic; like the politicians, the writers are rapacious; like the politicians, the writers are, shocking as it is, shallow in their opinions, views, and judgments. In short, it hurts to know that Nigeria does not only lack a leader, she also lacks a prophet. For a prophet of a nation is not one Joshua of a Synagogue, but a writer with a sense of art and a sense of nation combined. I think the case is that of a nation getting the kind of writers it asks for. As a writer living and writing in Nigeria, I may have to indulge in all kinds of bad deeds, just like the politicians do, in order to survive.
What are the major positive developments so far on the literary scene?
Well, the “developments” so far, as I can see, is that more and more people, who in the strictest sense, shouldn’t be considered as writers, are churning out stuffs and projecting themselves as the newest voices of our literary imagination. There are more writers’ websites or blogs. There are more writers’ association or groups. There are more writing workshops taking place. There are more writing awards and prizes. It is amazing that Nigeria does not have a dull moment for writers – well, it does not have a dull moment for other kinds of people either. So, you see our sense of “development” is that more things keep being produced, keep coming on board, keep being additional numbers in the scheme of data that informs our sense of progress.
What are the shortcomings?
Those things we consider “developments” are paradoxically the shortcomings of our literary scene. We are producing books, but most of them are failures, in content and in form, in printing quality and in marketing. We spend much time opening websites and blogs, or talking trivialities on the internet, but not really writing. So-called writers struggle and fight over ruling ANA or other associations, or over forming associations, or over organising programmes, without actually getting down to write. Writers who themselves ought to hone their skills are running workshops all over the nation. Terribly bad books are winning prizes. So, what I can see is that writers are busy doing this or that but the great writer has not emerged, the great book has not emerged. The great book cannot be found.
What is the way forward for Nigerian literature?
In my opinion, people who call themselves writers, or people who have made a good start with one considerable effort or the other, should get to their desks and start writing the great books of our time. Organisations should spend less money on prizes, and concentrate on building and equipping libraries. The temperament of Nigerian literature should tolerate more criticisms, that is to say, there should be more constructive critical debates instead of the self-praise and the hyper-publicity going round.

Hoodlums: Portrait of a crisis-ridden nation

2011-01-05T10:52:00.001+01:00

Title of book: Hoodlums
Author: Sumaila Umaisha
Number of pages: 110
Publishers: Hybun Publication International
Date of publication: 2010
Price: N500
Reviewer: Yahaya Ibrahim

Over the years, protest writing has become the focal point for many Nigerian writers as the country continues to provide fertile environment for such thematic pre-occupation. From Festus Iyayi’s novel, Violence (1979) to Wale Okediran’s Tenants of the House (2009), it has been a gloomy portrait of a nation in crisis. Sumaila Umaisha’s new book, Hoodlums, is a veritable addition to the genre.
The book, which is a collection of seventeen short stories, paints a graphic picture of the physical and psychological violence perpetrated in the name of religion, politics and culture. It captures the greed and the resultant blind quest for wealth that serve as the fuel for the incessant pugnacity and bloodshed across the country. Focusing on ethno-religious conflicts to militancy and other violent crises, Umaisha unveils scenes of savagery that has become the trademark of the Nigerian nation – the tragedies of life that is the lot of the ordinary Nigerian.
The book opens with a story on the armed struggle in the Niger Delta area. Titled, ‘Militants’, the story reflects the other side of the militancy – the fate of women and children in the hostility. In the heat of a clash between the militants and soldiers, “The confused flow of human traffic was so charged with the fear of death that it had no regard for little kids...” (p. 9). The kids “had to manage along at the risk of being trampled upon by the moving forest of adult feet…” (p. 10). And the mother of one of the kids, who was shot while searching for her child, “struggled to her feet but fell back.” (p. 11).
Four stories are dedicated to the ethno-religious riots in the North, particularly the bloody crises in Kaduna (2000) and Jos (2009). They are, ‘After the Riot’ (p. 12), ‘Hoodlums’ (p. 16), ‘The Riot’ (p. 99) and ‘Soul Mate’ (p. 80). The title story, ‘Hoodlums’ could be said to be the bloodiest. It is the story of a journalist, Ben, arrested by the police on the allegation of sensational reporting on the riot, and how the raging clashes turned everyone into a monster. Jungle justice is so starkly revealed in its elements that reading the story is like being in the scene of the riot, hedged in by the sight and sound of death and destruction. As Ben is being driven in the police van “through the streets amidst raging flames from burning houses, vehicles and dead bodies...” (p. 25), he couldn’t help appealing to his captors: “Should we all turn ourselves into hoodlums because of the situation in which we find ourselves? …I think we can say no to further descent down the abyss of death and destruction…” (p. 28 - 29). But the inspector’s response shattered Ben’s hope of freedom: “Sorry, but it too late.” (p. 29). Too late, perhaps, not just for Ben, but for a nation on the edge of total destruction.
Apart from the open violence on the streets, there is also a depiction of the silent but salient acts that are usually the genesis of the crises. They include political manipulation as shown in ‘The President’s Portrait’ (p. 96); perverted cultural beliefs and practices as portrayed in ‘The Outcast’ (p. 39) and ‘The Forbidden Path’, (p. 54); and corruption, moral decadence and administrative ineptitude, as painted in ‘The Honourable Minister’ (p. 87), ‘The King Himself’ (p. 46) and ‘Do or Die!’ (p. 106).
‘The King Himself’ is particularly interesting because it centres on an unusual character whose “position afforded him the uncanny privilege of being a combination of a top civil servant, a politician, a businessman... He was all these at the same time, but you could not pin him down to any of these at any time…” (p. 49). The character, who actually becomes mad and names himself king, is not just a metaphor for the typical Nigerian elite, but a pathetic image of a degenerating society. It is a picture of a society in limbo, a society that is at a stage where even a confirmed mad man could clearly see the madness in the so-called sane. Read this excerpt from a dialogue between a journalist and the mad man, the king:
“…is it true that one millionaire murdered his wife yesterday?” said the king.
“How did you get the information?” I asked, surprised.
“I have my ears cocked all the time. Moreover, the poor woman is my ex-wife. She left me when I became a king.”
“Your ex-wife?”
“Now, tell me, is the millionaire mad?” he asked, ignoring my question.
“No, he is perfectly sane. They said he did it out of anger.”
“Out of anger? From the way you speak, you don’t seem to know the story well. I’ve never seen a millionaire who is not mad one way or the other.”
“I know the story very well. In fact, I have just finished writing the story. I know every detail of it.”
“You are a journalist or a policeman then?”
“News editor.”
“And you are saying the man is sane?”
I saw a mocking smile frolicking round his mouth... (p. 48)
Another interesting dialogue could be found in ‘The Honourable Minister’, a drama crafted in a short story form. A journalist is interviewing the minister on the electricity problem and just as the minister is boasting about the country’s repositioned power company, there is a power failure, leaving them in solid darkness!
One of the major strengths of Umaisha is his ability to craft harsh realities into simple metaphors. On the surface is the story, but between the lines is the heart of the story itself – story that involves or implicates everyone. In the stories even the reader stands accused without knowing it! The author being a journalist (an award-winning literary journalist with the New Nigerian Newspapers), it is no wonder that the stories are topical and presented in a simple but artistic and thought-provoking style that leaves the reader enough room to partake in the creative process of appreciating the works.
Hoodlums is also about love and the quest for a harmonious co-existence. This is most explicit in ‘The Last Hiding Place’ (p. 31) where the couple, Professor Ameh Deen and Amelia, come to terms with their individual shortcomings, reconcile their differences and live happily ever after – a clear statement on the way forward for Nigeria: If Nigerians could learn to be upright, accommodate each other’s weaknesses and emphasise the affinity between their individual concepts of humanity, hope is not lost.
In conclusion, therefore, one could say Umaisha’s Hoodlums is a harvest of crises as well as a message of hope.

Yahaya Ibrahim, Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria.

Hoodlums: A commentary on society

2011-01-05T10:50:00.001+01:00

Elizabeth Adeolu’s review of Hoodlums, a collection of short stories by Sumaila Umaisha, published by Hybun; pages – 110

When one reads Sumaila Umaisha’s collection of short stories Hoodlums, one sees how the everyday mishaps, joys, and sheer insanity that riddle our individual and national existence are creatively and clearly put into words. With seventeen concise and interesting stories in the collection, Hoodlums is a book that one would not want to put down until one finishes reading it.
The stories discuss all ranges of human emotions and expressions, generally, and, other times, with specific focus on the Nigerian environment, referred to appropriately as Gold City in at least one of the stories. Gold City is appropriate to describe the abundance of resources that are available in this country, but whether they are put into good use is another matter all together, and that is one of the preoccupations of the author. Umaisha portrays in this book the hoodlums in society and their victims. Umaisha accurately describes us.
The sad reality of the situation we all find ourselves in is reflected sharply in these stories. There is reference to the Niger Delta crisis, the religious, political and ethnic riots, the societal and cultural stigmatisation, the insanity of every man, the mysticism of the universe, and, strangely, even love.
There are many themes to be seen in this book of living languages and characters, each one a true aspect of the commentary on society and man, especially in this country. There is acute struggle for control and dominance, especially in such stories as ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Do or Die’ where one reads with revulsion the violent power game that politicians play. There is also, simply, the issue of avoidable grief and pains as first introduced by the story of little Tene who loses her innocence by watching her mother die in ‘Militants’.
The general madness or insanity of people irrespective of class, education, or gender is also an underlying message that is revealed throughout the book. Insanity is defined as being seriously mentally ill and not fit to live in normal society, and in its informal sense is described as actions that are very stupid and possibly dangerous. This description could certainly fit the insanity of the militants who decide to fight the authorities by killing masses like themselves; insanity of the religious bigots who kill each other because of a ‘difference’ that is not known to the common man. It is confirmed as a fact by the actions of the bus driver who tears naira notes in half and attempts to lure passengers into his bus by trickery; by the security agencies who think the solution to quelling corruption within their ranks is withdrawing agents from their duty posts. It portrays even the insanity of an old woman who begins to see things that others do not see because of alienation, and the unknown woman who dumps a mere post-foetal baby into the bin.
Then there is the issue of hoodlums – the subject of the book. In majority of the stories, Umaisha shows that there is a hoodlum in almost every situation, whether as conspicuous as the militants in ‘Militants’, the religious rioters in ‘After the Riot’, the assassin and his senders in ‘Do or Die’; to even the unnamed baby dumper in ‘The Outcast’, the honourables represented in the ‘The Honourable Minister’, and even the sadistic, self-centred watchers of violent acts like Alhaji Ibrahim in ‘The Riot’ who believe they are immune to violence without thinking about the proverb “If you throw a stone into the market, it would hit your relative”.
Then there is the quest for freedom from all of these man-made shackles. This is definitely what led the man in the lift in ‘Seat of Power’ to venture subconsciously into a futuristic world where he is king; it is what sent the professor in ‘The Last Hiding Place’ on nocturnal visits to the forest, it is what made a lonely old woman in the ‘Black Cat’ look into the eyes of her cat to find a portal to other worlds, it is what sent the old woman Onkwo in ‘The Forbidden Path’ to seek another world. It is what led many of the characters in this revealing book to find a refuge, albeit deceptive, in hard drugs.
Sadly, there is no permanent hiding place of escape from these largely man-made problems, save for, perhaps, death. I would like to imagine that the pathetic fallacy employed in ‘The Outcast’ is a direct reference to the fact that even nature sympathises with our plight.
The idealists, the likes of Ben in the titular ‘Hoodlums’ and Obata in ‘The Godfather’, who try to right the many wrongs of society are dispatched to the life yonder.
But, in the midst of all these bitterness and confusion are signs that love still reigns. A love as intense as that professed by the professor (no pun intended) in ‘The Last Hiding Place’, “… I love you, I love you so much that I would rather die than to let anything or anyone hurt you.” A love as binding and above-sentimental-issues as that between Ben and Mairo in ‘Hoodlums’. The nurturing and protective love that made a woman pick up a child from the bin and attempt to keep her from societal stigma and want in ‘The Outcast’; the love of a friend that makes Shamna risk his life to save his friend in the majorly futuristic story ‘Seat of Power’; even the love of family that turned Zabi mad in ‘After the Riot’.
And in all of these paradoxical and chaotic situations, the words of Mallam Sanda in ‘The Magic’ stand out as true, timeless, and effective, “… keep close to God and be good to everyone, including those who appear to be unfriendly to you. And work hard.”
If this advice is followed religiously by all, hoodlums would certainly cease to exist, and Mr. Umaisha might have to do away with a similar title for his next work.
Overall, Hoodlums, with its simple and flowing prose and its contextual experiences is a delightful and expository read.

HOODLUMS: Long stories in short captivating tales

2011-01-05T10:47:00.002+01:00

Ahmed Dodo’s review of Hoodlums (a collection of short stories) by Sumaila Umaisha, published by Hybun, 2010, pages - 110.

If there is one thing I have always loved in a good story, is the ability of the writer to intelligently weave a long story into a short captivating prose. As a writer myself I belong to the school of thought that believe a good story should not be too long and boring but should consist of almost all the embellishment of what really happened, or what is happening or probably might happen in the future. And this, Hoodlums, a collection of short stories by Sumaila Umaisha, I believe has been able to demonstrate.
I am literary convinced that the book, a 110-page publication by Hyburn Publication contains those elements that make up a good story without sounding too patronising. The journey of my life as a writer has also thought me that a good writer should be able to not only write a good story, but think and imagine them as well. That is, the ability to be able to bring about a story from a real life or non-existing situation. In Hoodlums, Umaisha, an old hand in the Nigerian literary circle, was able to exhibit, using his erudite knowledge of the journalism profession and his mastery of the Nigerian situation, to bring out some short captivating stories, laced with suspended ending, left to the reader’s imagination to either conclude or leave hanging like the writer did.
It it a first rate collection of short stories with the whole plots and counter-plots leading to thoughtful finale. In the ‘Militants’ and the title story, ‘Hoodlums’, for instance, the thought-provoking questions are, did Mummy die from the last explosion that lifted her high and smashed her on the ground? Or was Tene lucky to embrace her dear mummy alive? Again what happened to the ambitious journalist Ben; was he a lucky survivor in Rigasa? Was the editor a victim of mob action in Kakuri? Umaisha has been able to cleverly conceal answers to these suspended questions, leaving the reader to independently conclude.
A critical analyses of the first four stories: ‘Militants’, ‘After the Riot’, ‘Hoodlums’ and ‘The Last Hiding Place’ portray a very important theme in the country and ‘Militants’, ‘After the Riot’ and ‘Hoodlums’ brought to the fore the emotional, physiological and physical trauma associated with some of the ethno-religious crises that over the years have bedeviled this great country.
The author’s mastery of dramatic plots and his ability to give life to words and bring them into a dramatic climax is showcased in the ‘Last Hiding Place’, Soul Mate’ and ‘Roadblock’, while the humorous side of the writer is noticeable in ‘The King Himself’, ‘Do or Die’, ‘Roadblock’ and ‘The Honourable Minister’.
All in all, Hoodlums, I believe, is a thoughtful and well written book, if the reader would excuse the poor quality of the binding and the not too visible picture of the female figure on the cover. But for anyone who has the taste for a short good story, I strongly recommend the collection for that enticing suspense always associated with a well written story; quite educative, enlightening and entertaining.

Ahmed Dodo is the Production Editor of New Nigerian on Sunday.

Published in New Nigerian.

Funfair, as writers converge on the sunshine state

2011-01-05T10:42:00.001+01:00

It was funfair, fantasy and myth galore as Association of Nigerian Authors held its 29th International Convention in Akure, Ondo State, last week... SUMAILA UMAISHA reports:

HELD under the theme, ‘Myth, Fantasy and Indigenous Theatre’ the three-day convention of the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, turned out to be a symbol of myth and fantasy not just in the discussions of indigenous theatre, but in the success of the event. What appeared as a mere wish, according to the organisers, became one of the most successful ANA events held in recent times. It was indeed a funfair. From the arrival day, Thursday 28th to the departure day, Sunday 31st October, 2010, writers who came from the various ANA chapters across the country had a field day discussing their trade..
On the arrival day, while registration of members was taking place at Owena Motels, the conference kicked off with a cocktail and Festival of Life (drama presentation) from 7 pm at Parliamentary Hotel. And the following day, Friday, featured a courtesy visit to the Chief Host of the event, the Executive Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Segun Mimiko.
The grand opening ceremony, which took place at Babafunke Ajasin Auditorium, began around 11 am and lasted up to about 3.30 pm. The event was attended by the governor and key government officials of the state.
In his welcome address, chairman of Ondo State chapter of ANA, Hon. Bode Betiku, expressed gratitude to the governor for sponsoring the convention. He recalled that the chapter made its first appearance in ANA convention only last year. “We found it hard to convince the body that we could host the conference this year, but at last we were successful. And the turn out of the event so far has shown our ability.”
The Chairman of the occasion, Barrister Benson Onikuomehin, Commissioner, NNDC, was also impressed by the success of the event. While showering praises on the organisers, he observed that “ANA is the only hope for Nigeria, because through the works of writers we can peep at the past and mould our future”.
In his own address the National President of ANA, Dr. Jerry Agada, acknowledged that “the feat that is being experienced today was made possible by the total support the branch has received from the government and people of Ondo State through the instrumentality of His Excellency, Dr Segun Mimiko, the Executive Governor of Ondo State, who we can say without fear of contradiction that he is a friend of the house and a partaker in the progressive and egalitarian ideals which writers hold dear to their hearts”.
According to him, the theme of ‘Myth, Fantasy and the Indigenous Theatre’ was chosen for the convention in order to re-focus attention on the primal role which myth-making and dream-like projection play in Nigerian literature and the thrust they can play in the quest for a wholesome national rebirth. “Also, we chose this theme in commemoration of the prodigious contribution of an illustrious son of this state, the late D. O. Fagunwa, to our literature through writing in the indigenous languages,” he said, adding that Fagunwa’s masterpieces in the Yoruba language have continued to be relevant to this day, enriching socio-political discourse and being resource materials for brilliant adaptations in contemporary theatre practice.
After an interlude with a cultural dance, the governor declared the conference open with glowing tribute to the Nigerian writer, describing him as a dreamer, visionary and progressive, who influences the society and reflects the future. He said no nation can develop without the writer, because through his fertile mind, he represents the future of the country. He then hoped that, with the efforts of Nigerian writers, Nigeria will move forward.
Speaking on his achievements as the state governor, he affirmed, “We are recreating Ondo State; we are redefining the government. The dichotomy between government and the people is being bridged. People have started believing the government when it says we should make sacrifice today for tomorrow. We are translating writers’ ideals to reality in Ondo State. We are bringing development that will make people matter”.
As it was discovered later during excusion by participants to some project sites within Akure, the governor’s statements weren’t mere claims. Led by the Commissioner for Information, Pastor Ranti Akerele, participants saw the state-of-the-art primary school, Caring Heart Mega Primary School, meant to render primary education free of charge; Mother and Child Hospital, which renders free service to mothers and their babies; and Neighbourhood Market, a modern market established specifically for the small-scale business men and women taken off the street.
The keynote address was delivered by Kalu Uka, Professor of Theatre Studies, Department of Theatre Arts, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Titled 21st Century Environment and the Relevance of the Writer in Nigeria, the paper addresses the need for the writer to understand his environment in order to enhance the relevance of his works.
According to him, environment for writer should not be local only but also international and that understanding this was fundamental if the writer is to make the desired and permanent impact. Nigerian writers, old or new, must understand their environment, he stressed.
On the question of relevance, Professor Uka observed that relevance itself as a necessity and as a concept is what makes writing come out, stand out, not just as words on a page, or as pictures in an illustration, or as a character we can’t remember when the curtain is drawn, or as tune that vanishes when the music and musicians are gone. Relevance, according to him, “makes a writer an inventor; inventor of memorable characters, of challenge-meeting situations, of language that, with all these, are all so managed and symbolised that all consumers of the art relish them as relating meaningfully to their lives”.
He further stressed that like Achebe and Soyinka, the Nigerian writer in the indigenous theatre can, through being relevant, learn to re-use myths and fantasies not as temporary titillations but as creators of a permanent ambience of the classically durable.
Mr Chima Ibeneche, Managing Director, Nigeria LNG, who was the Guest Speakers at the event shared similar views while speaking on the topic, ‘Ideas have Consequences’.
Day two of the convention featured the Annual General Meeting of the association at Parliamentary Hotel, sight-seeing within Akure and Award Dinner at the Government House.
Issues discussed at the AGM included the ANA land in Abuja. According to the chairman of the land committee, Mr. Odia Ofeimun, architectural design of the site has be made and it contains 36 blocks, one for each state chapter of ANA, with the building reflecting the different cultures of the states. Other aspects of the design include a theatre with a capacity of 350, a dormitory for artists at subsidised rates, a supermarket, recreational facilities, halls, a hotel and administrative blocks. On how the project would be founded, the chairman said the committee suggested that each of the 36 chapters’ buildings should be sponsored by the state governments. Also, to facilitate fund raising for other projects on the land, they suggested that the President should be made patron of ANA, while some notable political leaders could be wooed into sponsoring the construction of some buildings and name such buildings after them.
The need for members to be financially committed was also discussed with the house unanimously voting to peg the annual membership due at N5,000 and registration of members at annual conventions at N5,000. Members also agreed on the establishment of a Central Working Committee comprising of chapter chairmen.
As usual, the bidding for the hosting of the next convention stirred a heated debate among the contenders. At the end, it was put to vote and Ogun scored 11, Lagos, 22, and Abuja got 45. So the right to host the 2011 convention went to Abuja ANA chapter.
After the sight-seeing from 3 pm to about 6.30 pm, the award Dinner began at 7pm at the Government House.
Highlight of the award night was the Award of Special Patron of ANA to the governor, Special Award to King Sunny Ade and the announcement of the winners of this year’s ANA literary prizes.
According to one of the judges, Maria Ajima, who announced the winners, this year ANA received 7 entries for the ANA/NDDC Flora Nwapa Prize for Women Writing, 10 entries for the ANA/Jacaranda Prize for Prose, 7 entries for the ANA/Chevron Prose Prize on Environmental Issues, 26 entries for the ANA/NDDC Ken Saro Wiwa Prize for Prose, 21 entries for the ANA/Cadbury Prize for Poetry, 45 entries for the ANA/NDDC Gabriel Okara Prize for Poetry, 51 entries for the ANA/NNDC J.P. Clark Prize for Drama, and 10 entries for the ANA/James Henshaw Prize for Drama (Unpublished). In all, a total of 177 entries were received.
On the general impression of the entries, she said there was much enthusiasm on the part of budding writers to respond to the call for entries and the quality of submissions was generally high. The rising wave of violence and the oppressive conditions of the Niger-Delta, according to her, preoccupy the themes of several entries.
Winners are as follow:
ANA/NDDC Flora Nwapa Prize for Women Writing (N100,000) – The Knots of Karma by Ngozi Onyioha-Orji
ANA/Jacaranda Prize For Prose (N50, 000) – The Bear Hug by Godwin Noah.
ANA/NDDC Ken Saro-Wiwa Prize for Prose (N100, 000) – Against the Odds by Ben Igwe.
ANA/NDDC Gabriel Okara Prize for Poetry (N100, 000) – Songs from my Mother’s Heart by Seyi Hodonu.
ANA/NDDC J.P. Clark Prize for DRAMA (N100, 000) – Long Walk to a Dream by Arnold Udoka.
ANA/Cadbury Prize for Poetry ($1,000) – That Other Country by Hyginus Ekwuazi.
Esiaba Irobi Prize – Waiting for Savon by Isaac Attah Ogezi.
The children’s literature prizes were in five categories. According to the Acting Chief Judge for the categories, Mr. John Asiedu Sarpong, who announced the winners, some of the entries were full of grammatical and other errors. But the following winners were able to beat such shortcomings:
ANA/Funtime Prize – The Missing Chip by Spencer Okoroafor.
ANA/Atiku Abubaklar Prize – Biggy Bam Bam and little Toochi by James Uwaleke.
ANA/Lantern Prize – Kabira by asma’u Baike.
ANA/NECO Prize – The Country I love by Iyeyinka Omigbodun.
ANA/Mazariya Teen Author – Paths of Sunlight by Omeye Emenike.
The Literary Journalist of the Year Award went to Abimbola Adelakun of Punch newspaper.
The award night marked the end of the conference and the following day, Sunday, participants departed to their various destinations; to reconvene again at Abuja in 2011.