2010 Journal of African Literature: Across Borders

This is news for the Bookaholic Scholars. 

This edition of 2010 JAL is a further quest through an all-expansive African heritage in and beyond regional or national groupings. It is built upon the framework of Black cultural nationalism as a consistent element of African-centred modernity. Across Borders is consequently an attempt to commit the process of African integration in postcoloniality and postmodernity to the exploration of perspectives on black identities in contemporary writings beyond the borders of Africa and across the Atlantic. We are interested in theories and critical perspectives on creative works which reveal how the continued and currently celebrated influence of Western civilization on Africa occasions a discontinuity in forms of life throughout the continent and now demands remedial visions and counteractive propositions to the cycle of abuses and fragmentation of the continent.

Literary researchers and theoretical exponents in their studies of new and existing literatures must be knowledgeable about how the African experience of modernity associated with a Western paradigm is fraught with corruption and tensions at various political, social, economic and psychological levels of African communal and individual existence, and its possible remediation through an imaginative articulation of the greater unity and higher prospects in the diversities, hybridity and fusions that are embedded in the external and subjective realities of the black world.

We are therefore interested in truly original perspectives which pride in past achievements, can interpret the present, and also adumbrate the future in fidelity to African cultural endowments, rational vigour and sense of positive destiny.

We welcome insightful, original and critically informed expose on modern African novelists, poets, dramatists and critiques of African and Black literature through whom an African consciousness and awareness direct their creative investigation of Black humanity in the direction of restoration and repair to the consequences of colonialism, westernisation, corruption and intellectual degeneration of Africa and her peoples.

Submissions Guidelines:

Original abstracts of no more than 600 words showing topic, intended arguments and their relevance to the discourse theme or subcategory should be submitted by Microsoft Word attachment for approval to editors@africaresea rch.org or to ircalc@gmail.com

More info on here. 

Itching to Write?

Itch always delivers when it comes to creative themes. Here's your opportunity to see and write 'i' in a new way.  Here's the brief:

Artists working in any medium and writers expressing themselves in any form or genre are invited to submit work for the sixth issue of ITCH Online. The “theme” is:*i*Me, me, me – you, you, you? Where does the self fit in to the ways in which creative work takes shape? Of all the lovely words that start with it-i-nformation, i-nquisitiveness, i-deologies, i-nterventions, i-dentities,-diosyncrasies, i-tchiness, i-ntrospection, i-ntentions (good or bad) -which is most i-nteresting to you? How do questions of ‘i’ i-nfluence (ooh, there’s another good one) your i-nteractions (again!) with the outside world? What is i-nner space, and what is outer space? What is the boundary between the two? How could a dot hovering above a column represent the complexities of self i-dentity, those battles between id and ego? What kinds of things do people do all by themselves, alone, just ‘me, myself and i’? What does this little letter represent? What names, places, practices and experiences might it i-nspire? What is the line between i-diocy and -ntelligence? What does ‘i’ mean to you?* 

You are free to interpret this theme in any way that you wish, to speak to or against it, to explore or ignore it.

Deadline: 6 June 2010. 

More information here. 

Bookaholic e-Reading List...

A Simple Case by EC Osondu on The Atlantic

The latest issue of Maple Tree Literary Supplement

Helon Habila's review of Aminatta Forma's Memory of Love

Sentinel Nigeria Magazine Issue 2

Download Saraba Mag's Poetry Chapbook

We keep it short so you start clicking and reading!

Abuja Rocks Baby...

Well, looking at the events invites that we have, Abuja looks like the new cool. The folks in Abuja are definitely lucky at the moment, with this week long literary fun. Lagos still rawks o! No doubt :)

Infusion Presents Chika Unigwe’s On Black Sister Street.

Date: Wednesday 26 May 2010.

Time: 6:00 PM

Venue: JB’s Grill Maitama Amusement Park.

Gate: N500 Win Infusion Cupcakes in free Raffle Draw.

Chika Unigwe was born in Nigeria in 1974 and emigrated to Belgium in 1995 with her Belgian husband. She has a doctorate in postcolonial studies. She has also won a number of prizes, including BBC Short Story Competition and the Commonwealth Short Story Award 2003. In 2004 she was a finalist for the Caine Prize. She writes in English and Dutch.  Chika's first novel was so gripping, we can't wait to lay our hands on this!

On Black Sister Street explores the circumstances of Nigerian Prostitutes in Antwerp. 

For more info email infusionabuja@gmail.com 

ANA Abuja and French Cultural Centre's International Reading Event

Tagged FOR YOU TO READ. Here are the details...decide what day(s) work(s) for you!

May 27 (Thursday): Children Day Reading

Time: 11.00am 

Featured Author: Teresa Ameh

Featured work: Aunty Talatu

Other highlights: participation from schools & colleges in Abuja 

6.00pm: Play

Theatre group: Jos Repertoire

Title: Our House

May 28 (Friday): Authors Panel Forum

Time: 4.00pm prompt

Featured authors & books

1.Ahmed Maiwada: Musdoski

2. Denja Abdulahi: Mairogo

3. Teresa Ameh: The Twins Visit

4. Diego Okenyodo: From a Poem to Its Creator

5. Eugenia Abu: Don't Look at me Like that 

6. Seyi Adigun: Prayer for the Mwalimu

7. Patrick Oguejiofor: On the Laps of the Gods

8. Mohammed Taan (Lebannese French novelist)

The authors panel forum will involve interaction between the authors and the general public. A discussion on the general outlook of Nigeria's publishing industry will also take place at the evening.

May 29: Round table on Things Fall Apart

Theme: From the Realist Novel to the Universal Literature

Time: 4.00 pm

May 30 (Sunday): Literary Picnic [My Favorite Book]

Time: 4.00pm Venue: Garden of the French Cultural Centre

participants to bring along their favorite books as well as refreshments.

Venue for all programmes: French Cultural Centre, No 52, Libreville St, off Aminu kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.

More to come soon...

The Africa I live in...Story Call Out

Time to get your pens or laptops (any way your fingers) working...on those everyday stories you see but take for granted...


Kwani? presents African writers the opportunity to write about the Africa they live in. We seek newer stories that reflect our day to day lives, both private and public: the stories and narratives exchanged in schools and colleges; on public transport; in offices, churches and pubs; streets, suburbs, estates, and trading centres, in valleys and on hills. Stories told through song and dance, paint and brush, word and phrase, lens and shutter – stories now being told by a new generation, spurred by new imaginations, revealed by new narratives and expressions.

And yes, you get paid if your story is accepted. More information here.

Goodluck people!

Sade Adeniran Reads...

Yes, we know you've been craving an evening of book readings and sweet music. Here's one! Imagine this, for free...

The Event

Sade Adeniran, award winning author of Imagine this would be reading from her book. There will also be a performance by the soulful singer, Sola Allyson-Obaniyi; remember the Ife bi eji owuro singer?  It will be fun! You’ll have an opportunity to have signed copies of the book and pick up Sola’s fantastic CD.

Date: Sunday, 23 May 2010               Time: 4:00 - 6:00 pm

Venue: House of Makeda, 7 Manuwa St, off Keffi St, off Awolowo Road, SW Ikoyi

The Book

A compelling story about the human spirit and resilience against the odds. Imagine This is Lola Ogunwole's journal which she starts at the age of nine; it charts her survival from childhood to adulthood. Born in London to Nigerian parents, Lola and her brother Adebola grow up in a temporary foster home after their mother abandons them. They are briefly reunited with their father when, in danger of losing them for good, he packs up and moves them back to Nigeria to live.

For Lola, the trauma of leaving London and settling in Lagos is soon overshadowed by separation from her father and the only constant in her life, her brother Adebola. They are both sent to live with different relatives and Lola ends up with her aunt, in a small village called Idogun where her struggle for survival begins.

Imagine This won the Commonwealth Writers Prize for best First Book, Africa category in 2008.Read more about the book here. Read an interview with Sade here. 

Bookjam Gets Hotter...

If you've never been to a Bookjam at the Galleria, this is one you shouldn't miss. For obvious reasons...plus get enough money to buy books@Galleria price. Discounted, of course!

The Event

The BookJam @ Silverbird” is a monthly event that consists of book readings, discussions, musical performances, poetry recitals, book signings and a raffle draw. 

Date: Saturday, 22 May 2010

Time: 15:00 - 17:00

Venue: Silverbird Lifestyle store, Silverbird Galleria

Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.
RSVP the event here.

The guest writers for BookJam 4 are:

SADE ADENIRAN is a graduate of the University of Plymouth and also spent time as an exchange student at the University of Massachusetts. She has written various pieces for theatre and her work has been performed at the Lyric, the Bush and the Riverside Studios. She won the “Best First Book Prize” (Africa Region) in the 2008 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for her debut novel Imagine This. She lives and works in London, and is working on her second novel.

CHUMA NWOKOLO is a lawyer and writer. He was writer-in-residence of the Ashmolean Museum and chair of Leys Newspapers, Oxford. He is the publisher of African Writing magazine. He has written short stories, novels and poetry. His story, Diary of a Dead African, was chosen by La Internazionale as one of the 3 best stories worldwide in 2003. He lives in the UK.

CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE is the author of Purple Hibiscus, Half of a Yellow Sun, and The Thing Around Your Neck. Purple Hibiscus won the 2005 Commonwealth Writers Prize (Overall Winner, Best Book) and Half of a Yellow Sun won the 2007 Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction. Her latest book, The Thing Around Your Neck, was shortlisted for the 2009 John Llewellyn-Rhys Memorial Prize. She lives between Nigeria and the US.

BINYAVANGA WAINAINA is the founding editor of the literary magazine Kwani?. He won the Caine Prize for African Writing in 2002 for his story Discovering Home. He is currently a Director at The Chinua Achebe Center for African Writers and Artists, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Guardian, Granta and National Geographic.

PS. #Just wondering when will these readings (and more literary events) come to the mainland? Waiting...someone should think about catering for the mainland audience...now that's an idea for someone to pick. We will definitely add our voice to yours when you are ready to kick off...

Reading Bridges Fellowship...

With all the opportunities around these days, it looks like a writers' year. Don't just read; apply!

Reading Bridges Fellowship 

The fellowship is designed to support young upcoming writers, to horn their skills. In short, if you want to get better at your writing, apply! It is also an opportunity to connect with established writers and gain access to resources necessary to build your career as a writer.

Eligibility

You are eligible, if you are:

• not above 35
• a graduate of an institution of higher learning
• able to express thoughts in writing and have a good command of English.

How to apply

• Send in a writing sample; essay, article or poem.
• Tell us about yourself in less than 300 words.
• Tell us what this fellowship means to you and how you'd make the most of it.
• What are your future plans?
• What area of writing would you focus on while completing your fellowship?
• Send in your application with your full names, date of birth, sex, address, educational background, email address and phone number to libraryport@gmail.com, cc: timothyogene@gmail.com

Deadline: 21st May 2010

Accepted fellows will be announced on Monday 24th May 2010.       Duration: 6 Months 

Visit and join the Reading Bridges Magazine Fan page on Facebook 

The BBC National Short Story Prize

DEADLINE: June 18, 2010
GENRE:  Short Stories
OPEN TO: UK residents and British Citizens aged 18+ with some print publication history.
DETAILS: One story, any genre, max 8000 words.
PRIZE: 1st £15,000; 2nd £3,000; three at £500.
Click here for more information.

Travel Articles Wanted

Baraaza.com is a travel network that connects people who love to travel with inside information about any destination on the globe. Members connect with other travelers and natives from around the
world to discover unique, direct-from-the-source information about amazing spots and travel activities. Baraaza.com is looking for contract travel writers to write brief destination guides for cities, countries and regions all over the planet. They pay on a per guide basis and require the content to be of high quality and
original. They prefer the writers have firsthand experience with the locations they're writing about. Click here for details.

Farafina Book Club

Have you ever read a great book and wished you could talk to someone about it? Or maybe you’ve thought about starting a book club before? We’ve got news for you!

If you or anyone you know are interested in putting together a Book Club, or if you already run a book club, then we’re pleased to announce Farafina’s Book Club Program. Farafina is proud to work with and encourage different book clubs across the country. As a registered affiliate in the Farafina Book Club Program, Farafina will offer your members 10% off any of our titles that you chose and the official coordinator will receive a complimentary copy of the selected title. Your book club will also receive alerts on Farafina events, special offers and discounts on books, and invites to some of our special programs when available.

To receive these benefits and more, all you have to do is formally register your Book Club with us by providing your book club name, location (s) where you generally meet, frequency of meeting, how many members you have, and the names and email addresses of your members. Once you send your information to bookclub @ kachifo.com, Farafina will send you a catalogue of our books so you can get started!

You can also go on the Farafina Books blog here to find out more about the program.

2010 Caine Prize Shortlist

The 2010 Caine Prize Shortlist has been announced.

The 2010 shortlist comprises:

Ken Barris (S Africa) 'The Life of Worm' from 'New Writing from Africa 2009', published by Johnson & King James Books, Cape Town


Lily Mabura (Kenya) 'How Shall We Kill the Bishop?’ from ‘Wasafiri’ No53, Spring 2008


Namwali Serpell (Zambia) 'Muzungu' from 'The Best American Short Stories 2009', published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston MA


Alex Smith (S Africa) 'Soulmates' from 'New Writing from Africa 2009' published by Johnson & King James Books, Cape Town



Olufemi Terry (Sierra Leone) 'Stickfighting Days' from ‘Chimurenga’ vol 12/13, Cape Town 2008

The chair of judges is Fiammetta Rocco. The other judges are Ellah Allfrey,Granta's deputy editor , Professor Jon Cook of the University of East Anglia, and Georgetown University professor Samantha Pinto.

Last year the Caine Prize was won by Nigerian writer EC Osondu for his short story ‘Waiting.’ This year, there is no Nigerian in the shortlist.The shortlisted writers will be reading from their work at the Royal Over-Seas League on Friday, 2 July at 7pm.Once again the winner of the £10,000 Caine Prize will be given the opportunity of taking up a month’s residence at Georgetown University, Washington DC, as a ‘Caine Prize/Georgetown University Writer-in-Residence’. The award will cover all travel and living expenses.

Poetry Workshop to be Facilitated By Unoma Azuah

Poetry Editor of www.sentinelnigeria.org, Unoma Azuah, Professor of Creative Writing at Lane College will be discussing on the “Technique and Critical Appraisal of Poetry” as part of a series of FREE workshops across Nigeria. She will be assisted by Dr. Lindsey Green-Simms of Duke University, who will facilitate on the related topic of “Poetry and Poetics: A Reading of Classics".

Sub-themes of the workshop will include:
• A : Elements of Poetry
• B : Practicing Poetry
• C : Pattern By Eye: Objects
• D : Layering Patterns
• E : Problems of Poetry

The Workshop, made FREE by our partners and co-hosts, will be held in the following towns -
• Asaba – May 15th
• Lagos – June 5th
• Abuja –June 18th
• Kaduna – June 26th

Interested participants should register by sending an email indicating in which towns they would be attending the workshop. Writer’s groups may also inquire about group attendance via email to nzeifedigbo@yahoo.com {Subject “Attn: Poetry Workshop”}.

Following the workshops, Professor Azuah has graciously accepted to edit submitted poetry manuscripts for a one-off assessment fee of N2,000 {for each Poetry collection}. She will make a selection from these poems for the maiden “Sentinel Nigeria Poetry Digest” to be published in August 2010.

Words Against CyberCrime...An Essay Competition

It's essay competition galore these days. Write! Write!! Write!!!


With support from Microsoft, PIN, HIIT and Mediacore, YGC-Africa presents The First Microsoft Internet Safety, Security and Privacy Initiative in Nigeria's National Anti Cyber-Crime Essay Competition.

Theme--Cybercrime in Nigeria: Way Out
Rules: 

• Essays are expected from young writers aged between 17 and 28. 
• Essays should be written to the following specifications: Font size 12, Times New Roman and double spaced.
• Minimum of two pages and maximum of four pages

Awards
The top ten essay writers will be made YGC Ambassadors for a period of one year during which they will have opportunities of meeting world class personalities as they develop mini projects on cybercrime solutions (as proposed by them) in their immediate communities.

First Prize: N50,000 + Free Microsoft Certification Training
Second Prize: N30,000 + Free Microsoft Certification Training
Third Prize: N20,000 + Free Microsoft Certification Training

Essays are to be submitted online to essays@ygcafrica.org.

Deadline for submission is June 7, 2010
Winners will be announced and rewarded at the annual CHANGE summit holding in Lagos on July 24th.
More information here: www.ygcafrica.org, info@ygcafrica.org or call: 08062985693, 07085384103.

Write CyberCrime away!

My Leader Essay Contest

Phase 1

Nigerian Youths  Are Deciding the Qualities and Values of the 2011 President!

Once again Democracy is about to give us a chance to choose the leader of our dream in the coming general elections. No nation can grow beyond the quality of its leadership. Nigeria is loaded with huge potentials, all we need is the leader who can harness all these potentials and move us into a nation of peace and prosperity. The time to identify that leader is NOW!

Interestingly in the history of our great nation, there has never been such a time when young people are mobilising and gathering to actively engage in the processes that shall produce leaderships both at the local and national levels come the 2011 elections. From online social networks to real time rallies and conferences, the heat is on. Young people are coming around and coming in to say that they are stakeholders in the political space. Afterall they possess a huge chunk of the votes that shall determine the next leadership, and the policies and programs of any leader always has telling impact on the lives of our youths. There are many ongoing efforts by young people to ensure that Nigeria gets it right this time, and this essay contest is one of such efforts.

So in your own words, write a 2 page essay on the topic “The Qualities and Values My President in 2011 Must Have and WHY”.

The Prize

    * The Best Essay Author wins a 10days all expense paid trip to a West African country operating a Democracy.
    * The 2 Runners-up alongside shall recieve consolation gift items and would as well be presented alongside the Winner  to The Hon. Minister of Youth Development of Nigeria, and members of the press in Abuja.

Send in your essays today through engage@youngstars-foundation.org

Eligibility 18-35 years old Nigerians. Only 1 essay entry is allowed per individual.

Entry closes June 5th, 2010.

Call line: GSM  +234 703 553 5876

Website: www.youngstars-foundation.org


Phase 2

My Leader 2011 Youth Campaign

The essay contest is just the begining of the process. After the essays and winners announced, the next phase of the initiative shall be unfolded. A prelude to that is inviting you to become a member of “My Leader 2011 Youth Campaign” on the Youngstars website. It is  a group of young Nigerians passionately active to see a competent leader emerge in the 2011 elections.

This Campaign is going to go beyond just online networking, activities shall include real time on-ground engagement! Spread the word everywhere and every time and invite all your friends to join the group. Lets build a huge network of young people passionate about good leadership come 2011 elections. More details on this group shall be unveiled in coming weeks