Teen Writer Gets Publishing Offer From Amab Books

It was a feast of delicious poetry last Saturday at the weekly meeting of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA)  Niger State chapter when the Writers’ group hosted a teen writer from Himma International College, Minna.

Zainab Salihu, 17, read her deeply reflective poems with a trenchant voice to the admiration of ANA members.  Prior to her reading at the ANA meeting, her mentor, Mr. Yunusa MC had read her poem entitled ‘Luck is a fool' at a previous meeting which sparked a wild debate over the deftly worded poem that touched on a highly political theme. This earned her an invitation to come and read her poems to ANA members at the request of Mr. Nurdin Busari the CEO of Amab Books, with a pledge to publish her if she could justify that the writings are original to her.

Zainab Salihu at her ANA Niger Reading

Well, she came, she read and she won a publishing contract with Amab Books! Upon reciting only four poems from her collection, she won members’ respect. Answering questions thrown at her, she explained that she has been writing since primary school even though she was fond of squeezing and dumping her scribbles inside bins. On her inspiration for writing on deep topical themes like the Boko haram insurgency and why there is visible anger in her works, she said, “I am from Adamawa state and I'm going to Borno for my University study. I pay attention to every detail on the news and it makes me angry.”

Zainab Salihu reading a poem

She is currently working on her collection of poems,  stories and a play with her writing mentor Yunusa MC, which she hopes to present to the public during her school’s Speech and Prize giving day coming up in July.

Zainab Salihu and her writing mentor Mr. Yunusa MC