Sunday, October 31, 2010

A Message From Saraba Magazine

Here's a message from our friends at Saraba magazine courtesy of facebook.

We've found our thrill on a blueberry hill, and we're singing like Louis Armstrong. In fact, if you want love, we've made it - created a language yet unspoken, and it's all in Giovanni's New Room, our newest poetry Chapbook. With exciting poems by Dadepo Aderemi, Zino Asalor, Uche Peter Umez, Rayo Adebola, Dami Ajayi, Emmanuel Iduma, Olubunmi Ajayi, Akin Leo Akinwumi and Numero Unoma, the chapbook has been described by Unoma Azuah as "a compelling read."

So, what are you waiting for? Climb up to our site and get your free copy here.

I'm sure you might have noticed that our site is wearing a new look. Now, with our plans to publish a Technology Issue, we have cause to say that we are technological! Visit the new site, and SHARE! Working on the site, our goal was to create a platform: blogs, comments, sharing. We succeeded!

In finality, our forthcoming issue, as always, promises to publish the best of emerging writing to be found in Nigeria, and around the world. We're featuring Conversations, Interviews, Poetry, Fiction, and so on all theming on Technology. And you know what: this issue also gives you the opportunity to explore Saraba's newest technology: We're calling it D4P (Downloaded for Printing); we'd publish in two formats. One would be regular, the other would give you the opportunity to print, in grayscale, most likely.

Creative writing workshop in Enugu

Coal City Literary Forum Enugu Presents a workshop with the theme; Saving our Natural Environment through creative writing,

Scheduled to hold from the 3rd to 5th of November 2010.The workshop is designed to equip young and aspiring writers with the skills for incoporating environmental issues into their writing which will serve as a sensitization mechanism to Nigerians about our responsibility to the environment.

The event which would hold at the conference hall of the ministry of information will feature Award winning writers like Ifeanyi Ajaegbo,Uche Umez, Eghosa Imaseun ,Dr. Wale Okediran and a host of others. Prof. Damian Opata of the University of Nigeria Nsukka is billed to deliver the key note address on Eco critisism.

According to the president of the association, Mrs Adaobi Nwoye, this workshop is our contribution to the international course of sustainable environmental development which begins from awareness creation.

The workshop will culminate in the production of an anthology titled our Birth Right, which is a collection of short stories on environmental issues.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Lagos Photo Art and Fashion Fair

African Artists' Foundation presents the Lagos Photo Art and Fashion Fair, supported by Etisalat!!
As part of the Lagos Photo festival, African Artists' Foundation presents the Lagos Photo Art and Fashion Fair, supported by Etisalat Nigeria!

The Art and Fashion fair is organised in line with AAF mission to promote art, artists, and all forms of creative expression. It presents a unique avenue for designers, artists and craftspeople to promote their accessories,
clothing, as well as one-of-a-kind art work.

The AAF Art and Fashion Fair only showcases the art and fashion of creative people, in a bid to celebrate our local culture and talent.

Come spend a fun afternoon surrounded by exclusive, hand-selected art and fashion designed or made in Nigeria!!

VENUE

The Lagos Civic Centre

Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue,

Opp. 1004 Flats, Victoria Island, Lagos

*Free parking available on site and across the road in a designated car park

DATE &TIME

31st October 2010 | 12:00pm to 6:00pm

Thursday, October 28, 2010

HOW TO BOOKS ARTICLE CONTEST

HOW TO BOOKS ARTICLE CONTEST
----------------------------
DEADLINE: October 31, 2010
GENRE: Nonfiction
OPEN TO: 18+
DETAILS: How to articles between 300 and 500 words in length.
PRIZEs: Best three essays will win £50
URL: http://www.howto.co.uk/write-for-us/

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

CelebrityRead Africa

All is set for the 3rd Edition of CelebrityRead Africa!...30th of October 2010 @ Terra Kulture, Plot 1376, Tiamiyu Savage, VI, Lagos. 3.00PM - 6.00PM. Come watch your favorite celebrities read off their favorite literature/book alongside invited authors! And get the chance to chitchat and network with them and their fans amidst so much media glitz and camera flashes.

Celebrities reading: Tosin Martins - Kaffy - Modele - Invited Authors

Live musical performances by Eleri, Stanphil, HarrySong and Da Afrikaans

Poetry Performances by Chiedu Ifeozo, Chinelo Onwubuya and Olulu

Visit www.celebrityread.com for more insights.

CelebrityRead Africa is a monthly not-for-profit reading event that brings together at least 3 celebrities from 3 different industries, to read a small portion from their respective chosen and favorite book to a live and listening audience, alongside invited authors.

The whole idea is to revive the reading culture amongst African youth, using the‘celebrity power’.

So, come Saturday 30th October, Terra Kulture, Lagos will be filled with book, poetry and music lovers who’ll come to partake of the written and spoken word in yet another literary feast.

Bede Okoro is the Project Coordinator of CR Africa. He can be reached at: ezehbede@yahoo.com or info@celebrityread.com.

CelebrityRead Africa holds every last Saturday of the month. There are usually plenty of books on display at the venue for sales. This gives you the rare opportunity to buy books and have them signed by our guest authors. There are gifts for every book bought within the events' Venue. 10 lucky members of audience will get great gifts - this would be determined via lucky dips. Admission is FREE!

For general news, free downloadable contents and info on coming editions, kindly check our facebook events page or go to the website.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Fela: the authorised biography

First published in 1982, Fela: This Bitch of a Life is the authoritative text on the life and times of Africa's greatest ever musician.

In just under 350 pages, the reader is invited to the living room of Fela’s iconoclastic mind, discovering from the inside the key turning points in his life – his childhood in Abeokuta and the forceful influence of his parents, especially his mother; student life in England; his coming to black consciousness in America (and his encounters with Funk and some of the key players in African-American musical and political culture); his return to Nigeria and setting up the Shrine and Kalakuta Republic and his increasingly painful struggles with the authorities in Nigeria in the 1970s and 1980s.

Reading about Fela brings to life post-Independence African history in all its turbulence and drama. The book also includes interviews with some of Fela’s wives, allowing the reader to get an intimate perspective on Fela as a husband and as a lover.

Where to buy the book:
The Life House, 33 Sinari Daranijo St, off Younis Bashoroun St, off Ajose Adeogun, VI, Lagos. Click for map.
House of Makeda, 7 Manuwa St, off Keffi St, off Awolowo Road, Ikoyi.
XO, 82 Raymond Njoku, off Awolowo Road, Ikoyi.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

FUTURE WRiters Workshop

After the first exciting session, the team behind The Future Project is pleased to announce Season II of The Future Writers Workshop!
“The purpose of these trainings is to help talented young writers – whether they work in corporate organisations, are professional writers, freelance writers or just do it for fun – to improve their skills as writers,” Kenneth Oliko, the Communication Coordinator, said. “It is to help them improve your skill as a writer, move from raw talent to a polished stage and get practical tips on how to explore your writing talent. Last season, writers like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Toni Kan and others were incredibly resourceful in engaging up to 40 young writers and we are glad that everyone is on board to do it again.”
Facilitators include:
  • ·Reuben Abati (Chairman, The Guardian Editorial Board)
  • ·Toni Kan (Author, Night of the creaking beds)
  • ·Tunde Aladese (Script Editor, Tinsel on MNet)
  • ·Shyamantha Asokan (Correspondent, Financial Times)
  • ·Akachi Ezeigbo-Adimora (Former HOD, English Department, UNILAG)
  • ·Olu Jacob (Standard Editor, NEXT Newspapers)
  • ·Chude Jideonwo (Editor, Y!)
  • ·Nkiru Asika (Outstanding Writing Prize Winner, National Press Club of America)
  • ·Ikechukwu Amaechi (Member, CNN Journalist Awards Judging Panel)
  • ·Jeremy Weate (Publisher, Cassava Republic)
  • ·Muhtar Bakare (Publisher, Farafina Books)
  • ·and others
The classes will hold every Saturday from November – December 2010. There will also be a month of internships. And it’s all for a highly subsidized N5, 000 fee.
To qualify, you A) have to be at least 18 years old and no older than 35 C) Have to be a Nigerian citizen C) Must have passed your WAEC or NECO exams with at least 6 credits
And to apply, you send a mail to kenneth@thefuturenigeria.com, stating
1.      Your full name
2.      Your age
3.      What you do presently
4. Write a 250-word essay on the topic: Is the internet a writer’s friend?
5.      Phone number
6.      Contact address
There are only 30 spaces and entry closes on Wednesday, November 3! For more information you can go to www.thefuturenigeria.com or call +234-802-222-6712.
The Future Writers Workshop (Young Writers Network) is a Stream under The Future Enterprise Support Scheme (TF-ESS) – which works to provide trainings and capacity building for young Nigerians. Other trainings include The Future Entrepreneurs Development Programme, PicturePerfect, trainings for TV presenters and film actors and the upcoming The Future Photography Workshop.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Creative Writing Workshop for Children

DADA books will be facilitating a creative writing / reading workshop in partnership with Farafina Books and Children And The Environment CATE and with support from The Committee For Relevant Art (CORA) and NewsCafe.

Planned for Friday the 22nd of October, the workshop will begin at 9.00am with a creative writing class for school children (Age range: 8-12 years) facilitated by Ayodele Arigbabu, Publisher of DADA books.

The creative writing class will touch on elements of characterization, points of view, plotting and other facets of the creative writing process.

A reading session would be subsequently co-ordinated by Sola Alamutu, author of CATE Saves The Ikopi Rainforest, drawing from her book and from The Land of Kalamandahoo a childrens’ adventure story by Ruby Igwe, to illustrate points touched on during the creative writing class. Finally, Ruby Igwe would address the participants on how she approaches the creative writing process.

This workshop is being held as part of Farafina’s Literacy Week and as a pre-event to the 12th Lagos Book & Art Festival (which holds) from 11th - 14th November.

EVENT: Creative Writing and Reading Workshop
DATE: Friday 22nd October 2010
TIME:9:00am - 1:00pm
VENUE: News Cafe, The Palms Shopping Mall, Lekki, Lagos.


Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Farafina Literary Cafe


Well, Nigeria is 50! And what better way to celebrate Nigeria than to promote the love of the arts? The Farafina Literary Cafe is doing just that. From the 21st to the 24th of October, Farafina Books in conjunction with Newscafe would be having celebrity book readings, writing workshops, poetry etc.

October 21
Taruwa: 6.30p.m - 9 p.m

October 22
Writing workshop for children: 9a.m - 2 p.m

October 23
CelebrityRead: 3p.m - 6 p.m

October 24
Chill & Relax Poetry/Spoken Word: 6.30 p.m

Come chill, relax and have fun in an artistic ambience! And bring a friend along!

*All events take place at Newscafe, Palms Shopping Mall, Lekki, Lagos and are free to attend.

www.farafinabooks.wordpress.com

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Historical Fiction for Young Adults Competition

Historical Fiction for Young Adults Competition

First Place: $500
Second Place: $250
Third Place: $100
 

Create a story that is historical but relevant to contemporary readers, show your research with a bibliography.

Word Count: Up to 1,500

Fee: $15 which entitles you to an 8-month subscription to the Children's Writer at no extra cost.

Entry must be received by October 30, 2010

Click here for more information.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

HENRY CHUKWUEMEKA ONYEMA WINS THE INAUGURAL JLF WRITING COMPETITION


HENRY CHUKWUEMEKA ONYEMA WINS THE INAUGURAL JLF WRITING COMPETITION
Henry Chukwuemeka Onyema, teacher by day and writer by night, has emerged the winner of the inaugural JLF writing competition. He won for his short story, “Can I Trust You With My Life,” an adaptation of the biblical story of Samson and Delilah, and smiled home with his $1,000 prize money.

Announcing the winners, Toni Kan, one of the judges said Henry’s story scored 336 out of 400 points and was chosen for “his beautiful prose, precise diction, exciting action and ability to draw character portraits that were almost real to life.
The topical setting of the story in present day Gaza with the Isreali blockade and daily skirmishes imbued the story with an immediacy that was impressive.” Other judges included copywriter and brand specialist, Akpo Daniyan, author of “I have an idea”; Editor and Beauty therapist, Lola Maja and owner of Manna books, Mrs Agusto.
The runners-up were Agbor Fabby for “Bethany and the General,”
an adaptation of the King David, Uriah and Beersheba love triangle and debacle set in Washignton DC with the war in Iraq as backdrop. He left the event with his $500 prize money, and Funmi Ogunlusi for her short story, “Call Me D” which is also an adaptation of the Story of Samson And Delilah set in the very modern locale of an advertising agency. She was the third prize winner of $250.

In his comments at the event, Tonio Okojevoh, founder of JLF and organizer of the competition thanked the writers and judges for taking part and promised that it would be an annual event “to discover hidden talents and provide them with a platform on which to realize their dreams.”

Other highly recommended writers and stories were Onyinye Ihezukwu for “And now that I should smile;” Janet Afegbua for “The Aftermath” and Best Okoduwa for “The Achiever.”

Friday, October 15, 2010

Farafina Story of The Month

FARAFINA STORY OF THE MONTH

Here’s a unique opportunity for upcoming writers! Submit your short stories and get a chance to have an established writer review your work! Winning story gets published on the blog; winner also gets a Farafina VIP gift pack! Runners-up also get gifts from Farafina! So, start writing!

MODALITIES

Each person is to write an original short story (500 words max) about the theme, Nigeria@50.
Creativity and originality is encouraged.
All entries should be in English. However, local expressions are allowed so long as the translations are included.
Please ensure there are no typographical errors in your work.
Use Verdana 10 font with 1.5 spacing to make it easy for the judges to review your work.
Make sure your name is included in your entry; it could be a pen name.
Ensure your story has a title and does not exceed 500 words.
Place your entries in the body of your work; no attachments, please!
Please send your entries to events@kachifo.com. Entries close on the 31st of October, 2010.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Farafina Books Celebrate Nigeria @ 50

Farafina Books announces its unique way of commemorating the 50th anniversary of Nigeria’s Independence. They have chosen to mark the occasion by promoting literacy and education amongst Nigeria’s youths and have released the following statement.

"On the 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th of October 2010, Farafina Books will be holding book readings by celebrities in selected public schools in Lagos. We, at Farafina, believe that education is the bedrock of any nation and as such should be a priority. To this end, we conceived this idea to help revive the reading culture, which is fast becoming extinct amongst our youth, and consequently, improve educational standards in our schools. To stimulate interest amongst the students, we have contacted some celebrities – Omawumi, Naeto C, Rooftop Mcs and Tosyn Bucknor – to partner with us."

"On that day, a celebrity would visit the school and read a selected portion of their favorite African book to the students. After this, there will be an interactive session between the celebrity guests and the students. The guest will also give a short talk on the importance of reading and education. It is our hope that through this event, students would be inspired to read which research has shown translates to an improved academic performance."

Farafina Books will also donate copies of Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus – which was recently selected on the WAEC list for Literature – to each school they visit and award gift packs to top literature students in that school as well.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Toni Kan To Read From His New Work 'Infidelity'

Award winning author, Toni Kan is reading from Infidelity, his forthcoming collection this Wednesday from 6pm at The Lifehouse 33 Sinari Daranijo off Ajose Adeogun, VI Lagos. NLNG prize winner Kaine Agary is Deejay for the Night. 

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Chinua Achebe to deliver first Annual Lecture in African Studies

One of the best-known figures in African literature will be giving a public lecture at the University of Cambridge this November.


Chinua Achebe, who is the author of five novels including the groundbreaking book, Things Fall Apart, will give the first in an annual series of lectures in honour of the Cambridge anthropologist, Dr. Audrey Richards, who established the University’s Centre of African Studies.

The event will take place on Friday 19 November at the Faculty of Law. Professor Achebe will read from his autobiographical book on the Nigeria-Biafra War, which is due to be published next year.
Now resident in the US, Achebe lived through the turbulent period in which Nigeria emerged as an independent state. His books were some of the first works of African literature to receive international acclaim.

Things Fall Apart, his most famous novel, has sold 50 million copies in the English language alone. First published in 1958, it remains a literary landmark.

Achebe is currently Professor of Africana Studies at Brown University in the US. An inspirational character whose work has also provoked controversy, he remains a central figure in African literature.
Dr. Richards, who the new lecture series honours, conducted extensive research in sub-Saharan Africa. Her scholarship described and analysed the daily political and economic realities of colonial Africa – the experience of hunger, the effects of labour migration and the outcome of encounters between African cultural traditions and the agents of colonial power.

She returned to Cambridge in 1965 to become one of the founding members of the African Studies Centre.
Professor Megan Vaughan, director of the Centre of African Studies, said: “We are deeply honoured that Professor Achebe has agreed to deliver the first Annual Lecture in African Studies.”
“Since its foundation, the Centre of African Studies has fostered high quality interdisciplinary research on Africa. We have always been committed to academic research on Africa that, rather than analysing the continent from afar, arises out of a close engagement with African scholars.”

“Professor Achebe is one of Africa’s leading intellectuals. His fiction and non-fiction works chart the complex history of the continent, its powerful cultural traditions, its experiences of colonialism and its political, economic and social evolution in the postcolonial period. His authoritative voice is critical and humane, direct and compassionate.”

The lecture will be held in the Faculty of Law, Room LG18, Sidgwick Site, 10 West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DZ on Friday 19 November 2010 at 5pm. All are welcome. The event is sponsored by the A G Leventis Foundation and Mr Hakeem Belo-Osagie.