CORA hosts conference on ‘Bring Back The Book’ initiative

As a follow-up to the ‘Bring Back The Book’ initiative of the administration of President Jonathan, the Committee for Relevant Art, CORA, has resolved to stage a one-day conference of stakeholders in the Book industry and the creative and educational communities to fashion out an implementable document that could guide the President and his team in the quest to encourage reading culture and as well place importance on the Book as a source of knowledge acquisition and manpower development, according to Deji Toye, CORA’s Project Director and coordinator of the Conference.

The conference holds on January 17, 2010 in Lagos and is expected to attract a fairly large congregation of stakeholders in the relevant indus tries, including from governmental agencies, said CORA’s programme team.
The theme of the one-day conference is ‘When the President Wants to Bring Back the Book: So What’s To Be Done Now?’ And it is billed for the Banquet Hall, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos; 9am – 6pm.

The ‘Bring Back the Book’ campaign had been launched on December 20 with the President joining the Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka in a reading session for over 400 students drawn from as many as 100 schools around Lagos at the Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. The programme also witnessed the formal presentation of the book, President Goodluck Jonathan: My Friends and I, Conversations on Policy and Governance via Facebook, during which about five top Nigerian hip-hop musicians performed to a crowd of about 5000 people at the new Expo Hall of Eko Hotel.

According to CORA , the January 17 conference is a desired follow-up to ensure that the dream behind the project is kept alive even as the country gradually slips into the mood of electioneering “when we tend to forget every other critical aspect of our national life”.

The conference, states CORA, aims to ‘gain the insight of stakeholders in the book industry on the current practical challenges of conceptualisation, production, distribution and consumption of books in Nigeria and its impact on the reading culture’; and obtain suggestions on what steps may be taken to address the said challenges with a view to reversing the waning reading culture, such steps including –
• any cultural/economic policies
• legal/regulatory frameworks
• market/supply-side innovations; and
•civil society initiatives.

Deliberations and suggestions at the conference will be presented to the ‘Bring Back the Book’ coordinators in the Presidency. It should also provide a reference point for a pan-industry advocacy for the revival of the reading culture and the revitalisation of the book industry.

Participants are to be to be drawn from the entire value chain of the book industry including the following: Publishers, booksellers and book dealers, authors, printers, libraries/librarians, book and literary event organisers/promoters (book clubs, literary festivals etc), educationists, renowned corporate promoters of book and literary initiatives, book and education-focused MDAs and Nigerian Academy of Letters”, stated CORA.

Eno's Story

 

Eno lives happily with her father, until one day he disappears in an accident. Her uncle says that she is a “witch” who has caused her father’s death. She goes through many struggles before moving in with other children who have also been called “witches” and have been sent away from home.

This moving story, with moments of humour and sadness, shows how Eno uses courage and her imagination to make the best of a difficult situation. Young readers will be gripped while also learning about how an organisation such as Stepping Stones Nigeria can help children in Eno’s situation. Click here to download an extract.

Coming Soon : Christie Watson - Tiny Birds Far Away

Christie Watson - Tiny Birds Far Away

'Everything changed after Mama found Father lying on top of another woman.'

Blessing and her brother Ezikiel adore their larger-than-life father, their glamorous mother and their comfortable life in Lagos. But all that changes when their father leaves them for another woman.

Their mother is fired from her job at the Royal Imperial Hotel - only married women can work there - and soon they have to quit their air-conditioned apartment to go and live with their grandparents in a compound in the Niger Delta. Adapting to life with a poor countryside family is a shock beyond measure after their privileged upbringing in Lagos.

Told in Blessing's own beguiling voice, Tiny Sunbirds Far Away shows how some families can survive almost anything. At times hilarious, always poignant, occasionally tragic, it is peopled with characters you will never forget.

Publication date: March 2011.

Click here for more details.

Naija Stories Lagos Meetup

The Naija Stories meetup has been confirmed with the time and date. RSVP to admin@naijastories.com for more information.

Time: Saturday, January 8, 2011 · 10:00am – 1:00pm

Location: Verdant Zeal marketing communications. 15b Sowemimo street, off Ladipo Bateye str. GRA Ikeja. Lagos, Nigeria

Facilitators include;
Jumoke Verisimo – Poet (published by Dada Books)
Tola Odejayi – Writer and Editor (Naija Stories)
Farafina Books
Evelyn Osagie – Reporter (The Nation)

Coming Soon: Birds of Our Land

Birds of our Land

Birds of Our Land is a beautifully illustrated introduction to birds in West Africa that will delight children and adults alike. Robin Gowen’s brilliant illustrations and Virginia Dike’s poetic descriptions help children discover and identify the most common West African birds (like the Kite, Crow and Egret) as well as more unusual ones (such as the Violet Plantain-eater, Didric Cuckoo and Fire-bellied Woodpecker).

The book provides fascinating facts about the appearance and behaviour of the birds in their natural habitat. It is packed with interesting activities on how to look at birds, attract birds to compounds and use a bird observation checklist. By exploring birds this book helps children develop vital observation, communication, and analytical skills as well as a spirit of inquiry and appreciation of the natural world.

Click here to read an extract.

Publication date: 2011

Click here for more details. 

 

Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine is Open to Submissions

This is an established market for science fiction stories. They pay on acceptance, and beginners get 6.0 cents a word to 7,500 words, 5.0 cents a word for stories longer than 12,500 words, and $450 for

stories between those lengths. Click here for guidelines.

A Letter from Cassava Republic-Fela: This Bitch of a Life

Dear Friend,

Dr Carlos Moore, author of Fela: This Bitch of a Life - the only authorised biography of the late legendary musician, composer and Afrobeat king, Fela Kuti - has challenged the powerful Broadway producers/stakeholders of the Tony-Award winning musical, FELA!    In its short life, that play, recounting the life of Africa´s most powerful musical creator and political maverick, has been performed to nearly 500 000 in New York alone and reportedly already grossed close to $30 million.

At issue is the alleged flagrant misuse of copyright by the producers who, when their paltry offer of $4000 for stage and film rights was turned down by Moore, several years ago, went ahead nonetheless and created the musical, presumably thinking that the author would never have the resources to challenge them.  They were wrong: he received the backing of a group of respected and highly principled African Americans. Their support indicates a growing infuriation with corrupt and unscrupulous impresarios and producers who find it acceptable to violate the intellectual property of creative artists for their own profit and gain.

The point is that the lawsuit Carlos Moore filed on November 8th, 2010 sets a precedent, one that is long overdue; too many creative spirits, born in poverty-striken communities and/or countries, have had to watch impotently as their intellectual production is violated with impunity.
 
If you are in support of our cause, simply send an email to me bibi@cassavarepublic.biz indicating your willingness to have your name appear on a statement to the press that will be released on January 15th, 2011. The declaration is attached to this email for your perusal.  If you also know of prominent and respected Nigerians who you think will want to be part of this cause, please forward this email and declaration to them.  

Yours sincerely
 
Bibi Bakare-Yusuf
Cassava Republic Press