Literature
Adaobi Ekwedigwe Nwoye is an indegene of Uzo Uwani Local Government area of Enugu State, but born and raised in Port Harcourt. She attended the University of Port Harcourt Demonstration Primary and Secondary schools, respectively. She obtained both her Bachelor and Master?s degrees in Education from the University of Port Harcourt and currently teaches Economics at the Department of Part Time Studies, Enugu State College of Education, Technical. In this interview with SUMAILA UMAISHA, she speaks about her writings and literary project.
NNW: You?ve been writing for quite sometime now; what works have you produced so far?
Adaobi Ekwedigwe Nwoye: So far I have produced four books - three novels, Destiny (2003); published by the University of Port Harcourt Press; Shadows (2002), also published by the University of Port Harcourt Press and reproduced by Paragraphics in 2007; Ugiri (2007) published by Paragraphics and a collection of short stories ? A woman?s Cross and Other Stories (2009) published by Paragraphics. Apart from these books some of my works have been published on Write From Wrong magazine, Drumtide magazine, Nigerian Fiction, Half Tribe, Authors? Den, among other online magazines and websites. I am rounding off my fourth novel which I hope to publish before the year runs out.
What informed your choice of the themes, such as joy and pain?
My environment. Sociey in general. My works stem from every day life?s issues, like joy and pain, as you rightly pointed out. I also write on themes such money, love, betrayal, greed, etc.
You have a literary-based NGO, what is it all about?
It is a community based organization, if you like. The Coal City Literary Forum was set up to revive the reading culture especially among young people in Enugu and as well help young and aspiring writers sharpen their writing skills and actualize their dreams of becoming published. In fact, the aim is basically to promote the reading culture among young people and by so doing keep them away from idleness. The overall effect will be a more informed and productive society and reduction in vices and criminal activities which these young people might otherwise engage in.
When and how was it set up?
It was set up in November 2009. I conceived the idea and talked with a few friends who are also writers and we started by having readings and critiquing each other?s works. Since then we have been organanizing other literary events like poetry evenings, workshops for young writers, etc.
What are you doing to achieve the aims for which it was set up?
We are trying to organize more frequent events. We are also going into schools to set up literary clubs so that we create a more vibrant reading society.
What are the major problems you encounter in your effort to fulfill these aims?
Funding and constraints of time.
How is it funded?
For now we fund the activities. Sometimes we receive assistance from a few corporate bodies who believe in what we are doing. We also get media support from Enugu State Broadcasting Service. Our last workshop was funded by Winpal Nigeria Limited 7UP and the Ministry of Information.
How would you describe the success of the recent workshop you held?
It was very successful. It was our maiden workshop on environmental writing. We got participants from almost all the higher institutions in Enugu. The aim of the workshop was to train writers to incorporate environmental issues into their works so that there would be an increased awareness of the present environmental challenges the world is faced with, such as climate change, global warming, desertification, etc. There is a lot of pressure on our environment which if left unchecked will result in total catastrophe. A lot of young people will not go out of their way to listen to the news or read environmental journals so we had to find a way to expose participants to these ever present issues so that they can weave their beautiful stories around them. That way we promote sustainable environmental development such that people make use of our abundant environmental resources without compromising the need for future generations to tap from the same resource base. The reader is educated at the same time he is being entertained. It was very fulfilling and the participants testified that it was the best encounter they had had in that regard lately. It was indeed an eye opener and they went to work immediately. We had dedicated and brilliant facilitators, Ifeanyi Ajaegbo, Uche Umez and Eghosa Imasuen. They gave our participants a thorough drill and Prof Damian Opata delivered a brilliant keynote on the writer and his environment. We are currently collecting manuscripts for a collection of short stories on environmental issues. I am still overwhelmed by the success of that workshop.
Considering the motarlity rate of similar NGOs, what is the future of this organization?
We are working very hard to ensure consistency and sustainability. Right now we are getting a lot of interest from corporate bodies and individuals and we are entering paternaships with some of them in our crusade to revive the reading culture in Enugu State. One of such paternerships is the one we recently entered with Becoming Vega magazine. We are very positive that in no time reading and writing will take centre stage in the lives of our youths whose present preoccupation is cyber crime and aimless loitering.
(c) Published in the 19/2/2011 edition of New Nigerian newspaper.
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Literature
Reading and writing as alternative to idleness
Adaobi Ekwedigwe Nwoye is an indegene of Uzo Uwani Local Government area of Enugu State, but born and raised in Port Harcourt. She attended the University of Port Harcourt Demonstration Primary and Secondary schools, respectively. She obtained both her Bachelor and Master?s degrees in Education from the University of Port Harcourt and currently teaches Economics at the Department of Part Time Studies, Enugu State College of Education, Technical. In this interview with SUMAILA UMAISHA, she speaks about her writings and literary project.
NNW: You?ve been writing for quite sometime now; what works have you produced so far?
Adaobi Ekwedigwe Nwoye: So far I have produced four books - three novels, Destiny (2003); published by the University of Port Harcourt Press; Shadows (2002), also published by the University of Port Harcourt Press and reproduced by Paragraphics in 2007; Ugiri (2007) published by Paragraphics and a collection of short stories ? A woman?s Cross and Other Stories (2009) published by Paragraphics. Apart from these books some of my works have been published on Write From Wrong magazine, Drumtide magazine, Nigerian Fiction, Half Tribe, Authors? Den, among other online magazines and websites. I am rounding off my fourth novel which I hope to publish before the year runs out.
What informed your choice of the themes, such as joy and pain?
My environment. Sociey in general. My works stem from every day life?s issues, like joy and pain, as you rightly pointed out. I also write on themes such money, love, betrayal, greed, etc.
You have a literary-based NGO, what is it all about?
It is a community based organization, if you like. The Coal City Literary Forum was set up to revive the reading culture especially among young people in Enugu and as well help young and aspiring writers sharpen their writing skills and actualize their dreams of becoming published. In fact, the aim is basically to promote the reading culture among young people and by so doing keep them away from idleness. The overall effect will be a more informed and productive society and reduction in vices and criminal activities which these young people might otherwise engage in.
When and how was it set up?
It was set up in November 2009. I conceived the idea and talked with a few friends who are also writers and we started by having readings and critiquing each other?s works. Since then we have been organanizing other literary events like poetry evenings, workshops for young writers, etc.
What are you doing to achieve the aims for which it was set up?
We are trying to organize more frequent events. We are also going into schools to set up literary clubs so that we create a more vibrant reading society.
What are the major problems you encounter in your effort to fulfill these aims?
Funding and constraints of time.
How is it funded?
For now we fund the activities. Sometimes we receive assistance from a few corporate bodies who believe in what we are doing. We also get media support from Enugu State Broadcasting Service. Our last workshop was funded by Winpal Nigeria Limited 7UP and the Ministry of Information.
How would you describe the success of the recent workshop you held?
It was very successful. It was our maiden workshop on environmental writing. We got participants from almost all the higher institutions in Enugu. The aim of the workshop was to train writers to incorporate environmental issues into their works so that there would be an increased awareness of the present environmental challenges the world is faced with, such as climate change, global warming, desertification, etc. There is a lot of pressure on our environment which if left unchecked will result in total catastrophe. A lot of young people will not go out of their way to listen to the news or read environmental journals so we had to find a way to expose participants to these ever present issues so that they can weave their beautiful stories around them. That way we promote sustainable environmental development such that people make use of our abundant environmental resources without compromising the need for future generations to tap from the same resource base. The reader is educated at the same time he is being entertained. It was very fulfilling and the participants testified that it was the best encounter they had had in that regard lately. It was indeed an eye opener and they went to work immediately. We had dedicated and brilliant facilitators, Ifeanyi Ajaegbo, Uche Umez and Eghosa Imasuen. They gave our participants a thorough drill and Prof Damian Opata delivered a brilliant keynote on the writer and his environment. We are currently collecting manuscripts for a collection of short stories on environmental issues. I am still overwhelmed by the success of that workshop.
Considering the motarlity rate of similar NGOs, what is the future of this organization?
We are working very hard to ensure consistency and sustainability. Right now we are getting a lot of interest from corporate bodies and individuals and we are entering paternaships with some of them in our crusade to revive the reading culture in Enugu State. One of such paternerships is the one we recently entered with Becoming Vega magazine. We are very positive that in no time reading and writing will take centre stage in the lives of our youths whose present preoccupation is cyber crime and aimless loitering.
(c) Published in the 19/2/2011 edition of New Nigerian newspaper.
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Late Ken Saro Wiwa, who was an author, television producer, environmental activist, and winner of the Right Livelihood Award and the Goldman Environmental Prize before his execution by the Abacha regime in November 10, 1995, will be celebrated by the...
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L ? R: Prof. Ayo Bamgbose, Miss Siene Allwell-Brown, Prof. Ben Elugbe, Mrs. Mabel Segun, Prof. Ayo Banjo and Malam Denja Abdullahi at the opening ceremony Why does a book considered by the author as a masterpiece at times fail to make it in literary...
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- Role Of The Writer In Environmental Protection (interview)
Aliyu Salisu Barau, who was born in the ancient city of Kano, holds a Master?s degree in Land Resources and Development and teaches Geography and Environmental Science at the Federal College of Education, Kano. He has attended national and international...