The Arts-Muse Fair

The winner of the maiden edition of the Abubakar Gimba Literary Prize has been announced by the organiser, Delta Publications (Nigeria) Ltd. The winning title is NOSTALGIA, a first novel by talented story-teller Akintunde Oyajobi.  The work is a tender and beautiful masterpiece of domestic challenges in contemporary suburban Nigerian life. The prize is in honour Nigeria's late literary icon ABUBAKAR GIMBA who passed on in 2015 aged 63. The award will be presented to the winner in December at Abuja during the 'The Gimba Legacy' celebrations, comprising the first 'Gimba Lecture Series' and the maiden staging of 'Capital Territory Book Convention. 

Growing up in the 1980s, my young mind mostly burrowed in my father’s modest collection of books at home whenever I was not out playing with friends. It was always easy for me to mark out, at a glance, books published by Dillibe Onyeama’s Delta Publications (Nigeria) Ltd from books by other Nigerian Publishers – aesthetics!. Perhaps because he was first an author (with works such as Nigger at Eton, Sex is a Nigger’s Game, Night Demon, Secret Society, Revenge of the Medicine man ) before fully taking up publishing, his books come in high quality paper, inimitable creative cover designs and readable text prints that showed they were printed outside Nigeria. He was Abubakar Gimba’s first publisher, enjoying the distinction of releasing the late novelist’s debut novel, A Trial of Sacrifice in 1985 and many others that followed. He marketed Gimba’s works with panache, describing him as “the Northern answer to Achebe and Soyinka”.   But that is a story from the dying years of the l

Hajiya Aisha Abubakar Gimba is the eldest child of late writer, Abubakar Gimba. She holds a degree in English Language and currently works at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai after leaving the banking sector. On March 10, 2017, Abubakar Gimba's 65th post-humous birthday, she spoke to the Art-Muse Fair Birthday Intercourse about her late father and his books.   TAMF : You are the first child of the late writer, Abubakar Gimba. How would you describe your late father? Aisha Abubakar Gimba : He was a father, that was always there for the family, our friend and confidant irrespective of what one had to discuss with him. We all looked up to him. TAMF : What is the fondest memory you keep of him? Aisha Abubakar Gimba : A disciplinarian with a loving heart. Funny when he feels he has hurt your feelings but always tells you the truth. My fondest memory, well, his love for his children. We never had to Consult anyone outside the house because he w

Late Abubakar Gimba The birthday of Abubakar Gimba, late writer and former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) is today. The writer of 16 published works of Prose, Poetry and Essays died on 25th February, 2015, aged 63. Below are tributes from writers in memory of his life and works.   Abubakar Gimba was a patron- saint among ANA members as President. He was that calm, dignified figure that could hardly be provoked by anyone's eccentricities or presumptions. You could not see him exhibiting any of the so-called 'writers' excesses and he led with  uncanny kindness. His executive registered ANA as a corporate entity and secured its land in Abuja by acquiring its C of O. Abubakar Gimba's writings began the cross over  conversation of Northern Nigerian fictional narrative in English into mainstream Nigerian literature. Abubakar Gimba began that conversation yesterday that has been radically extended by Abubakar Adam today. Denja