Literature
AS part of the regular interactive sessions for its students, the Department of English and Drama, Faculty of Arts, Kaduna State University, Kaduna, hosted Zaynab Alkali, last week. Zaynab is the first Northern Nigerian woman novelist in English language and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Nasarawa State University. The two-day interactive session took place in the Faculty of Arts Lecture Room from Monday 27th to Tuesday 28th, October, 2010.
Tagged ?Special Author for Special Topic?, the interactive session was in two parts. The first part, involving only the English and Drama students, focused mainly on Zaynab?s books while the second part, which took place the following day, was a general session involving all interested students. The session featured, in addition to the main guest, Chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of Association of Nigerian authors, ANA, Friday John Abba, literary editor of New Nigerian, Sumaila Umaisha and literary editor of Weekly Trust, Diego Odoh Okenyodo. The three handled the literature-and-media aspect of the discussion.
The programme began with a visit to the Vice Chancellor?s office, where Dr. A.K. Babajo, organiser of the event, introduced Zaynab to the Vice Chancillor, Professor E. M. Abdulrahman. After general discussions on literature and other related issues, Zaynab presented some of her latest works to the Vice Chancellor.
The interactive session started at about 11.30 am with a welcome address by Dr. Babajo, in which he explained the main objective of the exercise. According to him, it was in fulfilment of the requirement of parts of the students? course, which is aimed at inculcating in them the values of creativity through interaction with writers across the globe. Under this programme, he said, the institution had earlier hosted writers like Abubakar Gimba, author of several literary works and former President of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, and Labo Yari, first Northern Nigerian novelist in English lanuage.
Dr. Babajo further explained that in compliance with the mission and vision of establishing Kaduna State University, the programme is, for now, focusing on Nigerian writers, with emphasis on Northern writers.
After the introductory speech, Zaynab gave a brief biography of herself and went down memory lane, recounting her writing experiences. Born in the early fifties at Garkida, Gombi Local Government Area, Adamawa State to parents of Borno State, she went to Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, Ilorin, Kwara State. She did her B.A. English and M.A. African Literature in English, ABU Zaria, in the 70s and 80s, Ph.D in African Literature, BUK in 1995. Her career is mostly in the University system from the early 80s to date. Between the years 2000 ? 2003, she was with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency as an editor of a health magazine. She joined the Nasarawa State University, September, 2003 and she is, apart from being the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, currently a Professor of African Literature and Creative Writing.
Speaking on her two new books, The Descendants and The Initiates, she said they highlight the changing circumstances of women; the major characters at the end of the day are now directors and ministers. According to her, The Initiates is nothing like any of her previous works because, for once, the major characters are men.
The dominant question that came from the students during the question and answer session was on feminism; whether feminism was a correct label for her kind of writings or not. In response to the question she said, ?Assigning a label to an artist is not only intimidating, but limiting. I would rather not be labeled a feminist, because I would like to tackle any issue and project any kind of character at any given time. Labeling me a feminist is like putting me in a cage.
She then explained the real meaning of feminism and what the genre generally intends to achieve. According to her, the word feminism derives its root from Women?s Revolutionary Movement which started in the16th century. The movement was fully nurtured on sentiments based on the need for the woman rights to be respected. With time, it assumed a different facet, a kind of radical feminism where some women are advocating for their rights based on ?what man can do women can do?. She is not for this kind of feminism, she said. ?Rather, feminist writing, I believe, intends to engender an understanding between the two genders for peaceful co-existence.?
Her discussion on the second day was generally advice to the students, particularly those who wish to write. ?My advice to you is that you should read a lot, if you want to be a writer. And rather than try to be like me, or any other writer, you should try to be yourselves. Every author has his style, his own identity. The secret is to discover oneself, that way; a writer becomes the best of himself, not any body?s copy.?
The event was wrapped up with some advice from Diego, Umaisha and Abba on how the media could be exploited towards making one a better writer.
Reported By Sumaila Umaisha.
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Literature
Zaynab Alkali chats with KASU students
AS part of the regular interactive sessions for its students, the Department of English and Drama, Faculty of Arts, Kaduna State University, Kaduna, hosted Zaynab Alkali, last week. Zaynab is the first Northern Nigerian woman novelist in English language and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Nasarawa State University. The two-day interactive session took place in the Faculty of Arts Lecture Room from Monday 27th to Tuesday 28th, October, 2010.
Tagged ?Special Author for Special Topic?, the interactive session was in two parts. The first part, involving only the English and Drama students, focused mainly on Zaynab?s books while the second part, which took place the following day, was a general session involving all interested students. The session featured, in addition to the main guest, Chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of Association of Nigerian authors, ANA, Friday John Abba, literary editor of New Nigerian, Sumaila Umaisha and literary editor of Weekly Trust, Diego Odoh Okenyodo. The three handled the literature-and-media aspect of the discussion.
The programme began with a visit to the Vice Chancellor?s office, where Dr. A.K. Babajo, organiser of the event, introduced Zaynab to the Vice Chancillor, Professor E. M. Abdulrahman. After general discussions on literature and other related issues, Zaynab presented some of her latest works to the Vice Chancellor.
The interactive session started at about 11.30 am with a welcome address by Dr. Babajo, in which he explained the main objective of the exercise. According to him, it was in fulfilment of the requirement of parts of the students? course, which is aimed at inculcating in them the values of creativity through interaction with writers across the globe. Under this programme, he said, the institution had earlier hosted writers like Abubakar Gimba, author of several literary works and former President of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, and Labo Yari, first Northern Nigerian novelist in English lanuage.
Dr. Babajo further explained that in compliance with the mission and vision of establishing Kaduna State University, the programme is, for now, focusing on Nigerian writers, with emphasis on Northern writers.
After the introductory speech, Zaynab gave a brief biography of herself and went down memory lane, recounting her writing experiences. Born in the early fifties at Garkida, Gombi Local Government Area, Adamawa State to parents of Borno State, she went to Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, Ilorin, Kwara State. She did her B.A. English and M.A. African Literature in English, ABU Zaria, in the 70s and 80s, Ph.D in African Literature, BUK in 1995. Her career is mostly in the University system from the early 80s to date. Between the years 2000 ? 2003, she was with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency as an editor of a health magazine. She joined the Nasarawa State University, September, 2003 and she is, apart from being the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, currently a Professor of African Literature and Creative Writing.
Speaking on her two new books, The Descendants and The Initiates, she said they highlight the changing circumstances of women; the major characters at the end of the day are now directors and ministers. According to her, The Initiates is nothing like any of her previous works because, for once, the major characters are men.
The dominant question that came from the students during the question and answer session was on feminism; whether feminism was a correct label for her kind of writings or not. In response to the question she said, ?Assigning a label to an artist is not only intimidating, but limiting. I would rather not be labeled a feminist, because I would like to tackle any issue and project any kind of character at any given time. Labeling me a feminist is like putting me in a cage.
She then explained the real meaning of feminism and what the genre generally intends to achieve. According to her, the word feminism derives its root from Women?s Revolutionary Movement which started in the16th century. The movement was fully nurtured on sentiments based on the need for the woman rights to be respected. With time, it assumed a different facet, a kind of radical feminism where some women are advocating for their rights based on ?what man can do women can do?. She is not for this kind of feminism, she said. ?Rather, feminist writing, I believe, intends to engender an understanding between the two genders for peaceful co-existence.?
Her discussion on the second day was generally advice to the students, particularly those who wish to write. ?My advice to you is that you should read a lot, if you want to be a writer. And rather than try to be like me, or any other writer, you should try to be yourselves. Every author has his style, his own identity. The secret is to discover oneself, that way; a writer becomes the best of himself, not any body?s copy.?
The event was wrapped up with some advice from Diego, Umaisha and Abba on how the media could be exploited towards making one a better writer.
Reported By Sumaila Umaisha.
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14TH July, 2011 could be described as a very special date for the students of Niger State Polytechnic, Zungeru, particularly members of the school?s chapter of Gamji Memorial Club, as they organized a memorial lecture to commemorate the literary icon,...
- Ana Salutes The Pioneer Of Hausa Literature
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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The Write Sutff, the weekly literary column edited by Sumaila Umaisha in the New Nigerian Weekly, has once again brought garlands to the stable of New Nigerian Newspapers when it was conferred with a Media Merit Award for sustained excellence. The award...
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SUMAILA ISAH UMAISHA who is currently the literary editor of the New Nigerian Weekly is one of the pioneer staff of the paper. Our reporter, JOHN EWAOCHE GABRIEL, interviewed him, as the paper clocks ten. NNW: Sir, when did you assume the role of the...
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