ByJAPHET ALAKAM & PRISCA SAM-DURU

Despite the economic and security challenges in the country, the literary industry has evolved so much that it keeps recording tremendous success with each passing year. The year 2014 was indeed an improvement on the past years. With very few pitfalls, there were lots of interesting activities that kept the industry alive. The year under review witnessed the welcoming of icons into the club of octogenarians.

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, Professor Elechi Amadi and Emeritus Professor, Ayo Banjo all turned 80 and it was celebration galore as the literary community rolled out drums in celebration for that.

A lot of activities and festivals were put together to honour them for attaining 80 as well as for the giant strides they have made towards the development of literature both in Nigeria and Africa. The major event was Professor Soyinka birthday, where many festivals, stage plays, book events were organised in his honour.

The activities started earlier in the year with Pirates confraternity which he co founded that organised a lecture and opened a web site for the Soyinka lecture series. Thereafter, Zmirage, WS/ICE, that has been anchoring his birthday celebration since five years took over and from Lagos, Osun, Ondo and finally in Abeokuta his home state several events were packaged to that effect, and it was great as many keyed into it.

Songs, drama, film, lectures, music

After the Ogun lap of the celebration , the art community in Lagos took over again and the venue was the Freedom Park, Lagos where for five days they celebrated him with songs, drama, film, lectures, music etc. While many were relaxing after a long celebration, the government of Rivers State led by its art loving governor, Chibuike Amaechi organised a birthday dinner in his honour at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Port Harcourt.

In the same year, in far away America, one of Nigeria’s respected playwright, Prof Tess Onwueme, an eminent University Professor of Global Letters at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire was honoured by her university. It was in celebration of the Archival Collection of Professor Tess Osonye Onwueme, The distinguished Professor of Cultural Diversity and English for her contributions to the literary world. It was such a wonderful occasion that attracted many scholars and dignitaries, including His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR,who was represented by Molara Wood, (Special Assistant to the President on Documentation).

Another great event of the year was the global celebration of Albert Chinuanulumogu Achebe’s Arrow of God which turned 50. Achebe was one of Africa’s best novelists and story teller, though he joined his ancestors in 2013, but his footprints are still here and would live forever.

The book, his third novel after Things Fall Apart and No Longer at Ease was first published by HEBN in 1964. The novel is adjudged as one of the most widely read novel in modern African literature, a feat that has given it a place in the world literary table.

It featured an international Colloquium with the theme: Arrow of God@50: Literature, Leadership, and National Unity which was held between April 23 and May 3, 2014 in seven cities. The cities include Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, Sokoto, Awka, Ogidi with the grand finale at the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State.

Also in the same year, The city of Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers state, Nigeria entered into the history book as it became the first sub-Saharan African City to be named UNESCO World Book Capital. At an elaborate ceremony which was witnessed by literary icons and dignitaries within and outside the country including the former President, Abdusalam Abubakar (Retd) in Portharcourt, the deputy governor of Bangkok, Mr Ammorn Kitchawenghui formally handed over to Rivers state governor, Rt Hon. Rotimi Amaechi the right and title of the UNESCO World Book Capital 2014, with this feat the city will bear the title from April 23rd 2014 till April 22nd 2015 when it will eventually hand it over to Incheon (South Korea).

The Rainbow Book Club (RBC), organisers of the annual Garden City Literary Festival (GCLF), now known as Port Harcourt Book Festival (PHBF), was not left out as they also brought the whole world to Nigeria for the 2014 literary festival.

There was also “An Evening with Prof Ayo Banjo at 80” organised by Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd (NLNG) to celebrate the erudite professor who was inducted into the octogenarian club. It was a heart-warming moment for all as distinguished friends, colleagues, former students, family members and admirers thronged the prestigious Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos to celebrate him with fond memories.

Another literary giant, Prof Eko Ebele who retired as a Professor of English from the University of Calabar turned 70 and the industry also put up events both in Calabar and Lagos, to celebrate her. She utilised the opportunity to present a book she edited which was titled, Masterpieces of African Literature.

Although she hasn’t yet clocked 80, Prof Akachi Ezeigbo was not left out of the accolades as the English Department of the University of Lagos, presented a Festchrift in her honour. The event which took place at the Afe Babalola Hall, attracted many Academics who joined in the celebration.

The Macmillan Youth Cultural Day and the 12th Macmillan Literary Night held in May and November respectively. Both literary events were a huge plus to the development of Literature in the country.

The 16th Lagos Book and Arts Festival (LABAF)which held in November, was another major event that made the industry worth speaking about. It was organised as part of activities put together to celebrate Prof Wole Soyinka’ 80th birthday.

Aside the numerous celebrations, there were so many new books that made it to the market which is an eloquent indication that more and more writers are joining the trend and making more impact on the transformation of the industry.

The out-gone year was also made interesting with the literary prizes that held. The Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa, a pan-African writing prize in the year 2014 which went to Akin Bello. He was announced winner in July, at a grand ceremony at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. Akin Bello’s The Egbon of Lagos beat the two contenders Toyin Abiodun and Othuke Ominibohs to clinch the prize money of $20,000. The prize was established in 2005 by the The Lumina Foundation in honour of Africa’s first Nobel Laureate in literature, Wole Soyinka.

Akin Bello, the former Chairman of the Oyo State chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), was selected by a panel of five judges.

Next was the Nigeria Prize For Literature sponsored by Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG). Prof. Sam Ukala was announced winner of the 2014 edition of the biggest literary prize in Africa which comes with a $100,000 cash prize. He was among a short list of 3 that included Friday John Abba and Jude Idada. He won for his play Iredi War.

Interestingly, the prize for literary criticism was awarded for the first time since it was instituted in 2012. The award is given to the most outstanding piece of literary criticism in the last four years. Isidore Diala emerged winner for his article “Colonial Mimicry and Post-Colonial Remembering” in “Isidore Okpewho’s Call Me by my Rightful name” published in the Journal of Modern Literature Vol.36. No. 4.

In the search for Africa’s best début fiction writer for 2014, Etisalat Nigeria in December 2014, announced a shortlist of three very strong writers. The shortlisted writers and their works are Nadia Davids, An Imperfect Blessing published by Random House Struik-Umuzi; Chinelo Okparanta, Happiness Like Water published by Granta Publication and Songeziwe Mahlangu, Penumbra published by Kwela Books, Imprint of NB Publishers.

Sadly, the industry suffered a huge loss with the passing of one of its own, celebrated dramatist, teacher, theorist editor, writer and critic, Professor Adedapo Adelugba at 75. Prof. Dapo Adelugba spent his last teaching years as Emeritus Professor at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, from where he retired finally two years ago.

The Nobel Prize-winning South African author and anti-apartheid activist, Nadine Gordimer also, joined her ancestor. The widely read author of the July’s people co-incidentally, died in July at the age of 90. Gordimer who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1991, was reported to have died peacefully in her sleep.