Abuja Poetry Slam

Abuja Literary Society organises its year-end Abuja Poetry Slam on Friday, December 14, 2012. 

Venue is the Silverbird LifeStyle Store, Abuja. Time is 6pm. 

Prizes: 

Slam Champion - N100K 

1st Runner Up -  N50K

2nd Runner Up - N30K

Attendance is free but contestants must register with N1, 000. For more information send an email to: abujaliterarysociety@gmail.com Click here for the rules of the poetry slam.

Pius Adesanmi in Conversation with Abubakar Adam Ibrahim

True. Is there an obligation for the writer to be an activist, especially when you consider the criticisms that have trailed Mo Yan’s Nobel Prize win?

It’s definitely not an obligation. There is a pressure, there is always that idea that the writer is what the French call Ecrivain Phares. Ecrivain is writer and phares is headlight. So if you put the two together you have the writer as headlight,showing the way, the path. So there is the expectation. But there are writers who resist that. There are so many writers who are for what we call arts for arts sake. But ultimately, I’ve found out that one way or the other, development sucks them in. Look at Christopher Okigbo for instance. He spent his life basically disavowing the necessity for the writer to be anything other than a writer, pure, creative writer. In fact, he carried his to a puritanical level when he was asked why his poetry wasn’t accessible he said, I write only for fellow poets. He wanted a life devoted purely to the arts but he ended up leading a very political life and he went to the trenches and died in the trenches. It is not compulsory for the writer to be an activist but down the road somewhere, because arts is essentially humanistic, it is humanising, so long as you are the vector of that fundamental humanism, it is a privilege to be a deliverer of art, the transmitter of art. It chooses you. It is difficult to choose to be a writer, it chooses you. As long as that vocation is there, the social concern part of it is inescapable, no matter whether the writer wants it or not.

So essentially, the writer has to be a social commentator?

Not has to be, but the question is, is there anything a writer says or does that isn’t taken as social commentary or political commentary because the vocation of the writer has something of an unavoidable aspect of the French Ecrivain Phares, you know, the leading light of the society? The writer may say, I am just doing my thing, I am just doing art. But society values codes, what writers do in a way that makes it difficult to claim any form of neutrality.

Read more here

Professor Pius Adesanmi is a writer, critic and academic. The first class graduate of French and Francophone Studies of the University of Ilorin won the Penguin Prize for African writing in 2010 with his book You are Not a Country, Africa. He teaches African Studies at Carleton University, Canada. 

Wasafiri Needs Blogger

Wasafiri is looking to employ a blogger for the website of its magazine. 

Wasafiri, is a quarterly magazine for contemporary international literature. Based in London, the magazine publishes essays, interviews, fiction and poetry by established and emerging writers from diasporic communities and around the world. The magazine has also established an annual New Writing Prize. Wasafiri is hosted by the Open University London and funded by Routledge, its co-publisher, and the Arts Council England.

Wasafiri needs someone with a proven interest in international literature, culture and arts to blog for Wasafiri. The ideal candidate will be someone who can write in an engaging manner about topics and themes that feature in Wasafiri. This is a paid position, with at least one blog a month to be produced, which will be approved by the Wasafiri editorial staff.

Blogger Specifications

• Must be experienced in writing on international literature and related subjects through, but not limited to, postgraduate studies or journalistic output.
• Ability to work to tight deadlines and take initiative.
• Past experience of blogging (preferred).
• Ability to work independently, seek out opportunities and take initiative.
• Good research skills and an understanding of the responsibilities that come with working for a reputable international magazine.

Candidates may be based outside UK. Please send a writing sample, a brief description of some ideas for the blog and a cover letter with CV and references to t.palmiero@open.ac.uk. Deadline for applications is 22 February 2013.

More information here

Favourite Five: Oluseun Onigbinde

Oluseun sees himself as a concerned individual who values  and whines about the treasure chest of the Nigerian economy--the huge hydrocarbon reserves, fertile arable space and large pool of human resource amidst the rising level of poverty. With a startup BudgIT which he co-founded in 2011,  he believes deepening the public discourse based on empirical facts is key to a better society. He supports Chelsea FC, peers at data for an uncommon thread and pumps the volume of Ayinla Omowura in ecstasy. A follower of Christ, Oluseun was once a banker and graduated cramming bits of Engineering formulas. Next year, he hopes to publish his collection of short stories, tentatively titled When They Came for Me. He is not talking budgets or figures here, just his favourite five books. 

Waiting for An Angel by Helon Habila
Just inducted into reading Nigeria fiction by Yellow Yellow, I found Helon Habila's book a marvel. With connected stories of the dark military era, Helon rightly mixed poetry with prose and unleashed me into the possibility of writing.

Things Fall Apart  by  Chinua Achebe
Most read African book, what else can I say? To me this is how to write as an African. Connecting the dry phrases of the English language to the rich culture of the African, this book is priceless. I can't forget Okonkwo. Most especially how he cut down Ikemefuna in the forest.

Black Boy by Richard Wright 
Richard Wright's book is a classic. I love classics. An aspiration of the young Southerner to reach the splendour of North America. With lively tenses and good command of diction, I can't stop reading it.

Farad by Emmanuel Iduma
Recently did a review of Farad. His swift and gorgeous pieces lures me back to fiction after  the prize winning Jennifer Egan's A Visit to the Goon Squad failed. Read this book. Hope you feel it like I did.

Everything Good Things Will Come  by Sefi Atta 
Been a while I read this book but worth reading over and over. The book comes whole in the midst of popular narratives that doesn't define me. Brilliant.

Residency: The Sylt Foundation

The Sylt Foundation calls all writers of contemporary African literature to apply for the two-month African Writers' Residency, offered as part of the Sylt Foundation Residency Programme. One residency will be awarded annually to Africa writers who have published poetry, prose, plays and novels.

The Foundation is located on the island of Sylt, off the coast of Hamburg, Germany.  The Foundation’s residency programme has been running for several years offering opportunities to South African and international visual artists, writers and photographers. It is managed under the directorship of literary scholar and curator Indra Wussow.

This African Writer’s Residency is aimed to offer a residency to writers of contemporary African literature, who are related to or engaging with contemporary themes and concerns of Africa and the African Diaspora. The award is open to published writers of poetry, prose, plays and novels.

Following on the success of many years of engagement with contemporary African and South African literature and writers, the Foundation has sought to leverage its residency programme by inviting applications from African writers who through a juried selection process will be awarded this invaluable opportunity. Previously residents were invited onto this programme. In 2012, however, the residency process was formalized and published African writers are now invited to submit applications (as per the criteria) for selection onto the African Writers Residency Programme. The winning applicant will be selected by an experienced and credible selection panel of literary professionals. One residency is awarded each year to one winning applicant who will take up this exciting opportunity to enjoy creative writing time on the island at the Foundation Kunst: Raum Sylt Quelle.

This period will provide the writer with:

- an opportunity to focus on or complete a project in progress

- a quiet space suitable for contemplation and research

- an uninterrupted period for writing

- a means to leverage their artistic profile

- an opportunity to engage with other international writers and artists

The contemporary African writer who wins this Residency award is expected to work on or complete the writingproject proposed in their application. The residency aims to provide an opportunity to develop their ideas and do research related to their work.

While writers are managing career and personal demands, the vital process of conceptualizing and reflection,researching and developing new ideas, so essential to the writing process is often limited. A period of quietuninterrupted time to focus on exploring ideas is critical to this process which is a challenge when balancing the pressures of everyday life.

Application requirements

Writers of African literature are invited to submit:

- a project proposal of the project the writer wishes to work on while in residence

- it can be a current or proposed literary project- a synopsis of the novel, short story or poetry project

Applications to include:

- Copy of a valid passport conforming to Schengen visa requirements

- Full Curriculum Vitae

- Writer’s Profile in English – 500 words

- Two (2) Letters of Reference in English from literary professionals, publishers or academics

Plus an excerpt (stating the publishers) from:

- one published book

- a volume of poetry

- a (publicly staged) play with information as to where and date it was staged

Note: Digital applications in MS Word or PDF documents only will be accepted (no hard copy proposals accepted)

(The copyright of all published material will be respected by the Foundation so digital copies of published books may be submitted and will be handled with due care.)

The Selection Procedure:

Selection will be by two separate panels. The panels will comprise of the Foundation’s director – Indra Wussow – a literary.scientist – and will include other literary experts. Every year new selection panels will be constituted.

The panel will be convened by the Foundation and will be identified by their expertise. The names of the panellists and their profiles will be made public via the Sylt Foundation’s website (www.kunstraum-syltquelle.de) and on Sylt Foundation African Writers’ Residency’s Facebook page.

The initial Selection Panel will evaluate all the applications received and will shortlist five (5) finalists. The second Judging Panel will review the 5 finalist’s applications and projects. One Finalist writer will be selected as the Winner and recipient of the Sylt Foundation African Writer’s Residency Award each year.

Art Source South Africa are appointed by the Sylt Foundation as Organisers of the Award and manage this residency programme. The Organisers do not vote and have no influence on the selection and judging process.

Key Dates For the 2012 African Writer’s Residency:

- A Call for Applications will go out in November 2012

- Deadline for application submission is by 4pm Friday 15 February 2013

- Announcement and notification of 5 shortlisted finalists 1 April 2013

- Announcement of Residency Award Winner 1 June 2013

- Residency to be taken up from June 2013 – 2014

No late applications will be considered. Applications will be kept confidential.

More information here and here

Submit e-mail entries to:

Organisers: Art Source South Africa

Email: info@artsourcesouthafrica.co.za

Enquiries: ++ 27 (0) 11 447 2855 (Monday – Friday 9-4pm)

Direct enquiries and media queries via:

Phile Khumalo

Art Source South Africa

phile@artsourcesouthafrica.co.za

Event: The Reading Club, Ibadan

This is a Christmas Bumper event which will be featuring music by Edaoto Agbeniyi, Poetry by award winning poets Jumoke Verissimo and Dami Ajayi. 

Prose by Olisakwe Ukamaka and the 1st Runner up of CORA's Readers Choice Book of 2012 award Andrew Eseimokumo and Nwachuckwu Egbunike. The house will discuss "The State of Nigerian Literature." 

It promises to be fun filled time together for book lovers.

Date: Saturday, 8 December 2012
Time: 4-6pm
Venue: NSIAC, Magazine Road, beside BookSellers, Ibadan

More information here

Competition: Give Your Best Short

NaijaStories.com is pleased to announce another online writing contest titled “Give us your best Short” to be judged by Chika Unigwe. We want to read your best short story. You can write in any genre, but bear in mind the five elements of a short story – Plot, Point of View, Character, Setting, and Theme. Conflict is not compulsory but it gives your story that extra oomph. They are looking for really good shorts and winners may be selected for the next NS Anthology. So, Give Us Your Best Short!

About the Judge

Chika Unigwe is an award winning Nigerian author based in Belguim. Chika’s novel, On Black Sisters’ Street, recently won the 2012 NLNG Literature Prize for Fiction. She won the 2003 BBC Short Story Competition for her story “Borrowed Smile”, a Commonwealth Short Story Award for “Weathered Smiles” and a Flemish literary prize for “De Smaak van Sneeuw”, her first short story written in Dutch. 

Important Dates

The contest opens November 21 and submissions end on December 20, 2012.

Release of the Longlisted Stories – January 5th

First Round Polls and Naijastories Scoring- January 6th – 12th

Shortlist released – January 13th

Public Choice Ratings – Jan 14th to January 19th

Final Judging – January 14th to January 20th 2013

The winner will be announced by January 21st 2013.

Prizes :

First Prize – 200,000 points ($200)

Second Prize – 100,000 points ($100)

Third Prize – 50,000 points ($50)

2 Public Choice Winners – 25,000 points (25) each

Contest Guidelines:

• You must be a registered member of Naijastories.com.
• Submit your entry as a post with a title that illustrates your entry.
• In the body of the post, provide a 1 or 2 sentence summary of your short story and then the complete story;
• Your entry should be between 1000 and 2500 words.
• Put the entry in the category of “Best Short” and press the button, “Submit for Review”.

Find out more details about the competition here