The Arts-Muse Fair

BY MARTHA KINGSMIKE The Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Literature announced the long-list of 11 drawn from 173 books, for the 2019 edition of the prize over a month ago. All 11 long-listed authors are in the running for winning the cash prize of $100,000 ( ₦ 36,200,000) The 11 books on the long list of 11, in alphabetical order by the title of the book, are: - A Hero’s Welcome by Ndidi Enenmor - Boom, Boom by Jude Idada - Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani - Double ‘A’ for Adventure by Anisa Daniel-Oniko - Ginika’s Adventures by Nnena Ochiche - Igho Goes to Farm by Anote Ajeluorou - Mystery at Ebenezer’s Lodge by Dunni Olatunde - Obioma: A Girl’s Journey to Self-Discovery by Nkiru Uzoh - She Calls Him Daddy by Oladele Medaiyese - Spurred Surprises by Lami Adejoh Opawale - The Great Walls of Benin by O. T. Begho A Book Party was held for the 11 authors whose books were long-listed for the 2019 Nigeria Prize f

AUGUST 2019 Dedicated to, Sule, Paul, Abraham, and all the sailors of humanity. The interest of the local media gave us also the opportunity to be guests at the TV program “Good Morning Niger State,” where we talked about the subversive power of poetry, and at a radio program at Radio Prestige, in an interview with the chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Banma Baba Suleiman. These and the following days were filled with a lot of meetings and celebration of poetry and friendship. As a way to describe more precisely the tone and the messages fostered in the event, I propose an excerpts from Dr. Emman Shehu’s  keynote speech  entitled “Literature as a Bridge between Humanity:”  The big question though is can literature enable the unity of humanity? Our world remains crisis torn at many levels and as writers we reflect these situations in our story-world regardless of the genre. Yet as writers, literature enables us to engage and reflect through one

The Indigenous Languages Learning Centre (ILLEC), Minna, Niger State has gained full accreditation by the Nigeria Indigenous Languages Council (NILC), to commence the teaching of Nupe and Gbagyi languages.  ILLEC, which was founded to encourage the learning and use of indigenous languages in homes and for official matters, offers Courses in Proficiency and Basic learning of Nupe and Gbagyi.   A statement by Adamu Idris Manarakis states that ILLEC would collaborate with the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL), Jos, Plateau State as part of its efforts at ensuring that the teaching and learning of indigenous languages get a boost in Niger State. Classes, which shall start on October 4, will run on weekends at the ILLEC Centre, Fati Lami Abubakar Institute for Legal and Administrative Studies, Minna. Registration of students for the programme is ongoing and will close on September 30, 2019.

The African Writers Development Trust has released the shortlist for the 2019 African Writers Awards. Speaking at a press conference at their Abuja office on Monday, 26th of August, the Chief Judge, Anthony Onugba, informed the press that unlike the longlist which had 10 nominees per category, the shortlist contains 3 nominees per category. Winners will be announced during the 2019 African Writers Conference to hold at the Sarit Centre, Nairobi, Kenya on the 28th of September. Below is the shortlist in no particular order: Children’s Literature – Judged by Nahida Esmail (Tanzania) Albinism Is Not A Curse by Oroni Tendera (Kenya) The Zappinator by Eme Ogbu (Nigeria) Cultural Stereotypes by Kui Gitonga (Kenya) Flash Fiction – Judged by Adah Bitiah Chembo (Zambia) Breaking the Norm; Ungrateful Girl by Temani Nkalolang (Botswana) Osu by Bliss Boma (Nigeria) Bambi by Nkateko Priscilla Masinga (South Africa) Poetry – Judged by Kolabomi Adeko (Nigeria)

Denja Abdullahi,  poet, playwright, literary essayist and culture technocrat was born exactly 50 years ago, on the 27th day of August, 1969 at Idah, Kogi State, Nigeria.  He has been writing poetry for over three decades since his days as a student of English and literature at the University of Jos, Nigeria, where he was the best graduating student of the 1990 set. He also has a Masters in Literature-in-English, acquired at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria in 1992. His poems and other literary pieces have appeared in anthologies such as A Volcano of Voices (1999), Uncle Bola’s Promise (2003), Confluence Blues (2004) Abuja Acolytes (2000) Five Hundred Nigerian Poets (2005) Camouflage (2006) Crossroads (2008) Pyramids (2008), Fireflies (2009), Agogo (2009) and in several other newspapers, reviews, journals and magazines. His first published poetic volume Mairogo: a Buffoon’s Poetic Journey around Northern Nigeria (2001) received honourable mention for the prestigious

Activities marking the 50 th birthday of Mallam Denja Abdullahi, the National President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), will come to a climax tomorrow, August 27, with a Literature and Arts Festival in his honour to be held at the Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts and Culture, Area 10, Garki-Abuja. The Denja@ 50 Literature and Arts Festival (DAFLAF 2019) will hold from 1pm to 6pm featuring a variety of presentations. Earlier in the year, under the auspice of DAFLAF 2019, a Performance Poetry competition was organized for secondary schools in Abuja. Two books by the renowned writer and Arts administrator, The Road to Bauchi and other poems and On His Turf, Vol. II , shall be unveiled at DAFLAF 2019. During the festival, Prof. Sunday Enessi Ododo, a former ANA Vice President who teaches in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts of the University of Maiduguri shall deliver a short public lecture on " Leadership and Institution Building in the

Year of publication - 2019 Number of pages - 87 Publisher - Thaqalayn Publications Limited About the book The book is a collection of moral stories founded on Qur'anic values. Verses of the Qur’an are used in the story telling to ease understanding by readers.  It is a book that enables religious understanding for kids and people of all ages. About the author Fatima I. Kokori-Ojenya hails from Okene,   Kogi State. She is the Proprietor of Leaders and Heirs Academy , Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. She's interested in impacting kids' lives to make them good citizens of the world. Her other books include Mardiyya: My Little Daughter . She's happily married with 9 children. To buy the book, call/WhatsApp- 08023258341. Abuja -08023146180, 08056013282. Kaduna -07033538256. Lokoja -08063826395, 07053075242, 08033320464. Lagos -08037038704, 08022726003. Minna -08090765313, Warri -07063302696. Zaria -08076720860.