In Benin City, ‘Reading for Development’ excites students

‘Reading for Development’, the theme for Creative Alliance Book Club that held in Benin City a fortnight ago created some excitement amongst students that had the privilege to attend. The event was held at St Maria Goretti Grammar School, Benin City. The event, which was held at the school hall, had students from other schools joining in the fun.   The event was organised in conjunction with Creative Alliance, organisers of the mouth-watering grassroots competition, Literary Star Search, the N1 million star prize competition - (visit www.creativeallianceng.com for details on how to apply)   Most importantly, it brought students face to face with writers from within the city to read and talk to them about the necessity for reading works of literature as the best way to develop themselves for future challenges.   Prominent among the writers that read to the students was Prof. Tony Afejuku, international scholar at the Department of English and Literature, University of Benin, Benin City. He is the author numerous poetry collections of poems including A Garden of Moods. Besides reading to the students one of his poems, ‘Warri boy, an elegy’, where he recounted his memory of a lost dear friend, he also admonished the students on the need to always read as a condition for being great writers.   Quite uncharacteristically, author of To Saint Patrick and Fine Boys, Dr. Eghosa Imasuen, read ‘The Generator’, a short story he has read over and over again at various fora. One would have expected him to read from his upcoming work, Fine Boys. It seems Imasuen is not so keen on promoting his forthcoming work, which he said he would enter for The Nigerian Prize for Literature for which entry closes month end.   Nevertheless, it was an electrifying afternoon made moreso when Michael Ipogah read his poetic piece, ‘Words will never be enough’.   Dr. Kola Eke and Dr. Peter Airevba spoke to the students on why they should read. The students themselves were not left out as they read from works of other writers. They also engaged the writers during the question and answer session to provoke a scholarly debate.   In all, it was clear students from Oka Secondary School, Ugioma Secondary School, Idia College and the host school, St. Maria Goretti had a special fun time at the maiden edition of Creative Alliance Book Club event, which had the support of Pepsi soft drink. Date for the next edition will soon be announced, according to organiser, Ipogah.

Literary Star Search appoints judges

The soar-away on-going grassroots literary competition, Literary Star Search, being organised by Creative Alliance, has appointed judges to decide the winner come July. The ONE MILLION naira first prize contest, whose deadline is April 30th, has named PEN Nigeria President, Mr. Tade Ipadeola, 2011 first runner-up for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, Ayodele Olofintuade and literary critic and journalist, Mr. Terh Agbedeh as its 3-man judges.

  Making the announcement early in the week, spokesperson for the contest, Mr. Seun Jegede, who said Literary Star Search is a credible contest made more credible by the quality of judges selected to decide the winner. He assured that both the organisers and the judges will perform credibly to endear the contest to Nigerian writers in the organiser’s bid to give writers a lift in the country.

  Ipadeola, Jegede stated, is not just a known poet, he is also an erudite critic of the fictive genre and a brilliant essayist. Olofintuade, whose children’s book, Eno’s Story, came second in The Nigeria Prize for Literature, sponsored by gas company, Nigeria LNG, is also a brilliant short story writer. Those who saw her perform last weekend in Ibadan at the Book Reading Forum at Ibadan American Corner were amazed at her skill in the short prose sub-genre.

  Also, Jegede expressed happiness at the enthusiastic manner Nigerian writers have responded to call for entries for the Literary Star Search contest so far, and enjoined those yet to apply to seize this rare window of opportunity so as to start benefiting from their creative sweat as writers. He said since publishing seems a mirage for most writers in the country, getting involved in such creative endeavours of reward like Literary Star Search was the only means for writers to prove their mettle, get recognised, be promoted and be rewarded handsomely.

  Jegede stated that the magnanimity of the organisers in its intention to publish the first best 25 entries apart from the three winners was an added advantage writers must take seriously to further promote their craft to both the Nigerian and international public. With the added boost that Creative Alliance will enter stories from the collection in international contests like the Caine, Commonwealth and other prize contests at its expense and on behalf of writers, Jegede enthused that Nigerian writers were indeed in the right hand and the best of times.

  He, therefore, urged those yet to apply to visit www.creativeallianceng.com for further details on how they, too, can be part of the literary harvest of the year, which promises to give writers a new season of fulfilment.