Literature
It is a common knowledge that Children?s Literature is the least patronised literary genre in Nigeria. Nigerian writers tend to shy away from producing the genre while parents and teachers seem to care less. And those who care simply resort to foreign reading materials that inculcate alien cultures. The result of this is the prevailing poor reading habit and cultural alienation.
It is in view of this ugly trend that ANA/Atiku Prize for Children?s Literature was instituted by the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, and endowed by the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in 2003. This is aimed at raising the stake of writing for children by Nigerian writers and encouraging the flourishing of indigenous children?s literary materials.
Last week marked a milestone in this all-important crusade as a national workshop was held in Yola, Adamawa State, to promote Children?s Literature and celebrate the achievements of the annual prize.
Organised by ANA in collaboration with the sponsors of the ANA/Atiku Prize for Children, American University of Nigeria, AUN, Yola, and Adama Beverages, Yola, the workshop took place from Friday 16th to Saturday 17th 2009, at the AUN.
Participants at the event included ANA members and children from across the country while the resource team was made up of seasoned writers, publishers and lecturers who are experts in Children?s Literature.
The event began at 10 am, Friday, with a grand opening ceremony in the AUN Cafeteria. Setting the tone for the occasion, the Master of Ceremony, Abubakar Abba Tahir, who is the Director, Public Affairs of the AUN, introduced the university leaders and other dignitaries. This was followed by opening remarks by the Chairman of the ceremony, Professor Ben Oguzie.
Professor Oguzie, who is one of the leaders of the university, observed that the event was a clear testimony to Atiku?s concern for the future of Nigerian children. He also commended the efforts of ANA which has been successfully running the ANA/Atiku Prize and expressed the hope that the prize and the workshop would produce future Achebes and Soyinkas.
In his welcome address, the president of AUN, Mr. Conrad Festa, stressed the importance of education and the place of literature in the scheme of things. He reiterated the view he expressed when ANA executive members paid him a courtesy visit earlier in the day; "Reading and writing are spiritual exercises that uplift the soul." He observed that the aim of the workshop was quite in line with the mission of the university, which is to promote education for the overall development of man. "We are, therefore, proud to be part of the event," he stressed.
Mr. Festa, who is also a seasoned poet, commended the sponsors of the workshop and called on other institutions of higher learning to be involved in the promotion of children?s literature.
ANA president, Hon. Wale Okediran, went down memory: "In the last four years of the life of this current ANA executive council, we have organised about ten workshops in different literary genres such as poetry, drama, environment and travel writing. Today?s event will be the first workshop on Children?s Literature."
He explained that the workshop was aimed at providing opportunity to get support from experts about writing and serving as a venue for interaction with fellow writers in order to enrich one?s creative ability. He recounted how his participation in a similar workshop organised by ANA in Kaduna fifteen years ago resulted in his success as a writer of Children?s Literature as he subsequently won the 1987 ANA/MATATU Prize for Children?s Literature.
The president expressed gratitude, on behalf of ANA, to all those that have contributed to the actualisation of the event.
In his own speech, Atiku Abubakar commended ANA for ensuring that the Children?s Literature Prize is not only being successfully run but a workshop of this nature was being held to promote Children?s Literature.
The former Vice President, who was represented by the General Manager of Adama Beverages, Alhaji Ahmed Jarma, urged writers to take interest in writing Children?s Literature so as to preserve our cultural heritage which, according to him, is being eroded by foreign literary materials.
Other dignitaries who delivered goodwill messages at the occasion included the librarian of AUN, Ms. Martha Peirs, who underscored the place of her project, KARATU Library, for young children in Yola, and the university?s Direcvtor of Admission, Mr. Basil Fahmy, who launched the AUN Spring 2010 recruitment campaign video, highlighting the first AUN?s graduation ceremony.
The opening ceremony was rounded off with a keynote address by Professor Virginia Dike of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Titled ?Overview of Children?s Literature in Nigeria?, her 8-page paper focused on the historical overview of Children?s Literature in Nigeria, the right picture books and novels for young children. She concluded by emphasising the need for all hands to be on deck in the efforts to make children?s books available. "They need more books! While a good beginning has been made, much more is need," she said, hoping that workshops "such as this will lead to much literature of high quality Nigerian children and youth need and deserve."
Between the opening ceremony and the next programme, which was technical session, ANA executive paid a courtesy visit on the governor of Adamawa State. Receiving the executive members of ANA on behalf of the state governor, the deputy governor, Mr. Bala James, expressed delight at the choice of Yola as the venue for the workshop. "We are really overwhelmed and we hope that you will have a nice stay here and your mission of promoting children?s literature will be fulfilled," he said.
The technical session were held from 12 noon at Washington Hall of the AUN. The first session featured two topics: ?Dialogue, Vocabulary Control and Styles in Children?s Literature? and ?Words and their Usages in Children?s Literature?. The topics were delivered by Akachi Adimora Ezeigbo of the University of Lagos and Philip Begho also of the University of Lagos, respectively. The major focus of the two presentations was on the need for the writer of Children?s Literature to be selective in his choice of words and dialogue, bearing in mind, among others, the interest and mental ability of the child.
The second session featured a topic, ?Writing Poetry for Children? by John Aseidu Sarpong, Kaduina-based writer and motivational speaker, and practical writing in which participants were made to practise what they had just learnt.
After the day?s hectic activities, an atmosphere of relaxation was provided in the evening by way of cocktail and reading at the AUN?s Club House. The cocktail turned out to be a dinner as mouthwatering foods and drinks were served. It also turned out to be more than just poetry reading, the occasion also featured music and dance by the Adamawa State Cultural Troupe. Gifts were equally presented to sponsors of the workshop by ANA.
The second day of the event, Saturday 17th, witnessed yet other interesting activities. The day began with the third technical session, which featured "Writing Children?s Picture Book: Content, illustration and Packaging?. The topic was delivered by the Abuja-based publisher, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf.
The session was followed by the closing ceremony in which the president of ANA and the president of AUN expressed appreciation to all those who where responsible for the success of the event.
Thereafter, participants took a tour of the AUN facilities, Adamawa Beverages Company and Gotel Radio, which belong to the former Vice President. The tour was an exciting side attraction and an eye opener to the fact that Abubakar Atiku has done to Adamawa State what other Nigerian political leaders have failed to achieve.
Participants were indeed exposed to so many attractions that left lasting memories. The flight to and from Yola, for instance, was quite an unforgetable experience, particularly to those who were flying for the first time.
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Literature
ANA, Atiku promote children literature
It is a common knowledge that Children?s Literature is the least patronised literary genre in Nigeria. Nigerian writers tend to shy away from producing the genre while parents and teachers seem to care less. And those who care simply resort to foreign reading materials that inculcate alien cultures. The result of this is the prevailing poor reading habit and cultural alienation.It is in view of this ugly trend that ANA/Atiku Prize for Children?s Literature was instituted by the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, and endowed by the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in 2003. This is aimed at raising the stake of writing for children by Nigerian writers and encouraging the flourishing of indigenous children?s literary materials.
Last week marked a milestone in this all-important crusade as a national workshop was held in Yola, Adamawa State, to promote Children?s Literature and celebrate the achievements of the annual prize.
Organised by ANA in collaboration with the sponsors of the ANA/Atiku Prize for Children, American University of Nigeria, AUN, Yola, and Adama Beverages, Yola, the workshop took place from Friday 16th to Saturday 17th 2009, at the AUN.
Participants at the event included ANA members and children from across the country while the resource team was made up of seasoned writers, publishers and lecturers who are experts in Children?s Literature.
The event began at 10 am, Friday, with a grand opening ceremony in the AUN Cafeteria. Setting the tone for the occasion, the Master of Ceremony, Abubakar Abba Tahir, who is the Director, Public Affairs of the AUN, introduced the university leaders and other dignitaries. This was followed by opening remarks by the Chairman of the ceremony, Professor Ben Oguzie.
Professor Oguzie, who is one of the leaders of the university, observed that the event was a clear testimony to Atiku?s concern for the future of Nigerian children. He also commended the efforts of ANA which has been successfully running the ANA/Atiku Prize and expressed the hope that the prize and the workshop would produce future Achebes and Soyinkas.
In his welcome address, the president of AUN, Mr. Conrad Festa, stressed the importance of education and the place of literature in the scheme of things. He reiterated the view he expressed when ANA executive members paid him a courtesy visit earlier in the day; "Reading and writing are spiritual exercises that uplift the soul." He observed that the aim of the workshop was quite in line with the mission of the university, which is to promote education for the overall development of man. "We are, therefore, proud to be part of the event," he stressed.
Mr. Festa, who is also a seasoned poet, commended the sponsors of the workshop and called on other institutions of higher learning to be involved in the promotion of children?s literature.
ANA president, Hon. Wale Okediran, went down memory: "In the last four years of the life of this current ANA executive council, we have organised about ten workshops in different literary genres such as poetry, drama, environment and travel writing. Today?s event will be the first workshop on Children?s Literature."
He explained that the workshop was aimed at providing opportunity to get support from experts about writing and serving as a venue for interaction with fellow writers in order to enrich one?s creative ability. He recounted how his participation in a similar workshop organised by ANA in Kaduna fifteen years ago resulted in his success as a writer of Children?s Literature as he subsequently won the 1987 ANA/MATATU Prize for Children?s Literature.
The president expressed gratitude, on behalf of ANA, to all those that have contributed to the actualisation of the event.
In his own speech, Atiku Abubakar commended ANA for ensuring that the Children?s Literature Prize is not only being successfully run but a workshop of this nature was being held to promote Children?s Literature.
The former Vice President, who was represented by the General Manager of Adama Beverages, Alhaji Ahmed Jarma, urged writers to take interest in writing Children?s Literature so as to preserve our cultural heritage which, according to him, is being eroded by foreign literary materials.
Other dignitaries who delivered goodwill messages at the occasion included the librarian of AUN, Ms. Martha Peirs, who underscored the place of her project, KARATU Library, for young children in Yola, and the university?s Direcvtor of Admission, Mr. Basil Fahmy, who launched the AUN Spring 2010 recruitment campaign video, highlighting the first AUN?s graduation ceremony.
The opening ceremony was rounded off with a keynote address by Professor Virginia Dike of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Titled ?Overview of Children?s Literature in Nigeria?, her 8-page paper focused on the historical overview of Children?s Literature in Nigeria, the right picture books and novels for young children. She concluded by emphasising the need for all hands to be on deck in the efforts to make children?s books available. "They need more books! While a good beginning has been made, much more is need," she said, hoping that workshops "such as this will lead to much literature of high quality Nigerian children and youth need and deserve."
Between the opening ceremony and the next programme, which was technical session, ANA executive paid a courtesy visit on the governor of Adamawa State. Receiving the executive members of ANA on behalf of the state governor, the deputy governor, Mr. Bala James, expressed delight at the choice of Yola as the venue for the workshop. "We are really overwhelmed and we hope that you will have a nice stay here and your mission of promoting children?s literature will be fulfilled," he said.
The technical session were held from 12 noon at Washington Hall of the AUN. The first session featured two topics: ?Dialogue, Vocabulary Control and Styles in Children?s Literature? and ?Words and their Usages in Children?s Literature?. The topics were delivered by Akachi Adimora Ezeigbo of the University of Lagos and Philip Begho also of the University of Lagos, respectively. The major focus of the two presentations was on the need for the writer of Children?s Literature to be selective in his choice of words and dialogue, bearing in mind, among others, the interest and mental ability of the child.
The second session featured a topic, ?Writing Poetry for Children? by John Aseidu Sarpong, Kaduina-based writer and motivational speaker, and practical writing in which participants were made to practise what they had just learnt.
After the day?s hectic activities, an atmosphere of relaxation was provided in the evening by way of cocktail and reading at the AUN?s Club House. The cocktail turned out to be a dinner as mouthwatering foods and drinks were served. It also turned out to be more than just poetry reading, the occasion also featured music and dance by the Adamawa State Cultural Troupe. Gifts were equally presented to sponsors of the workshop by ANA.
The second day of the event, Saturday 17th, witnessed yet other interesting activities. The day began with the third technical session, which featured "Writing Children?s Picture Book: Content, illustration and Packaging?. The topic was delivered by the Abuja-based publisher, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf.
The session was followed by the closing ceremony in which the president of ANA and the president of AUN expressed appreciation to all those who where responsible for the success of the event.
Thereafter, participants took a tour of the AUN facilities, Adamawa Beverages Company and Gotel Radio, which belong to the former Vice President. The tour was an exciting side attraction and an eye opener to the fact that Abubakar Atiku has done to Adamawa State what other Nigerian political leaders have failed to achieve.
Participants were indeed exposed to so many attractions that left lasting memories. The flight to and from Yola, for instance, was quite an unforgetable experience, particularly to those who were flying for the first time.
PICTURE:
(from right) Prof. Akachi Adimora Ezeigbo handing ANA plague to interim president AUN, Dr. Conrad Festa.
(c) Reported by SUMAILA UMAISHA and published in the October 24, 2009, edition of New Nigerian.
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A blow by blow account of the Annual International Conference of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, held in Minna, Niger State, from 29th to 31st October, 2009.It was fun and excitement galore as the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, held its 28th...
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The 9th of July, 2009, could be described as ?The Abubakar Imam Day?. For it was the day in which the fond memories of the pioneer of Hausa Literature were ignited by the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, with an international colloquium in his honour....
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