The Arts-Muse Fair

THIS IS THE WORLD Of purity and magic laughter and lightheartedness some bond that bind some secret delight purely phenomenal, magical Of two hearts that are bound beyond the limited time against the madness of daily living Of two minds attached twirling, savouring seducing, flirting Of purity and magic delighting, awakening endearing Of bonds that bind and all the joy I NEED YOU When I slip I need you to steady me When I miss it I need you to tell me it’s going to be okay When I cry, I need you to help me let it all out When I laugh I need to know I can share my jokes with you When I am lonely, I need to know that you, in my thoughts, will keep me company When I listen to you, I need to be able to believe you and trust you When I look at you, I want to see the rest of my life- my eternity, When I say…. I want you to know that I really see my forever in your eyes When I go to bed

The Miles Morland Foundation last week released the shortlist of 21 for the 2017  Morland Writing Scholarships . Four Nigerian writers, Elnathan John, Eloghosa Osunde, Ukamaka Olisakwe and Umar Turaki, are among the twenty-one shortlisted names for 2017 Morland Writing Scholarship. The Morland Writing Scholarship is a yearly award instituted by the Miles Morland Foundation and the scholarship is annually awarded to African writers to allow them work on a manuscript throughout a year without worrying about fund challenges. The lucky writers to be awarded a fiction scholarship will each receive £18,000, paid over the course of a year to enable them to take enough time off to write the book they have proposed. However, Non-fiction writers may receive £27,000 over the course of eighteen months, if they need to do additional research. The twenty-one writers shortlisted for this year’s scholarship come from South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Cameroon, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Gha

This is December, the month of Christmas when Christians celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ. Soon, the evergreen fir tree or various imitations of it would become ubiquitous in our spaces, colourfully decorated in the spirit of Christmas. The decorated fir tree is one symbol of Christmas that is common to sight. This December, at the Centre for Research Information, Management & Media Development (CRIMMD), Dr. Raphael James, the Director General has put up a different Christmas tree to celebrate the month. At the CRIMMD Free Public Library, it wasn’t a fir tree that rose with its needle-shaped leaves for the season but a book-tree, the tall paper trunk shimmering in colourful decoration.   Team Book-Tree To add fun to reading at the public library and get a little creative with their heads and hands, Dr. Raphael James and five other staff got to work. Using 1,522 books, including 43 copies of 13 books published by him, it took them only 3 hours and 17 minutes

By Abubakar Akote She wasn't happy that I embarked on a journey that stretched into the night. I told her I wasn't the only one on the trip. She didn't care much about others. She didn't even know them. So why would she be concerned about them? Nigerian roads are not safe, they get worse at nights, made so by the gaping potholes on them and the intrepid bandits that rule them at night, almost unchallenged. We had just passed through Lafia, the Nassarawa State Capital. "Is Makurdi as far as Lagos from Minna?" My fiancee asked. Because I had told her we would be leaving Minna early. Her worry was the abundance of insecurity on our roads. God was our saviour. Awwal Evuti's phone was already off due to low battery, and I had poor network reception to check the kilometres we had left to cover on Google Maps. At a village called Daudu, Mallam Aminu Sheikh, who was on constant contact with me called again to locate us. Aminu Sheikh was already

If  You Leave If you leave me life will be bitter and my ambitions will be a broken winged-bird! If you leave me life will be a morgue so why not come as rapidly as a wave and build lagoons of smile inside me? He who fears, err He who fears death and has the will to see God, knows where to go when the Owner mandates His mirrors to tell you tomorrow isn't yours, to tell you you become a chant In their song "carry go". ***** Adamu Usman Garko writes poems, stories, tales, and reports news. He hopes to publish a book next year.

Mr. Denja Abdullahi, the national president of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), has made a public appeal requesting financial contributions from public-spirited Nigerians and philanthropists to support Hyacinth Obunseh, a former General Secretary of the Association undertake treatment for his heart ailment that has left him bed-ridden. Obunseh, the CEO of Hybun Publications is currently on admission at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital Idi Araba, where he is required to provide funds for some very specialized diagnostic tests before beginning a treatment regimen. Denja Abdullahi, ANA President Mr. Denja revealed that Mr. Obunseh has been out of jobs for some time, making it difficult for him to cover the cost of his current health problem. He therefore urged members of the association and the public to assist Mr. Obunseh overcome his health challenge. Donations can be sent directly to the account below. Account Name: Hyacinth Obunseh Accoun

The closing party of the LagosPhoto professional week will hold tomorrow evening at the City Hall Rooftop, Goethe-Institut, 4th Floor, Catholic Mission Street, Lagos Island.  Starting 6pm, the party, expected to stretch into the night, will feature art and music to draw the curtains on this year’s festival themed “Regimes of Truth”.  Hosts, LagosPhoto and Goethe-Institut Nigeria, are poised to make it an engaging night for participating artists, curators and guests with a spice of exhibition of works by artists such as Francois Beurain and Medina Dugger, LensCulture competitions as well as short videos from this year’s Canon Workshops.