PICTURES TAKEN DURING IBADAN BOOK CLUB MARCH READING
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
African Human Rights Essay Competition: IHRAF Unveils Judges
AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS ESSAY COMPETITION: IHRAF UNVEILS JUDGES
The International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF), organizer of the African Human Rights Essay Competition has announced the selection of two judges for the ongoing Essay competition aimed at addressing human rights issues and promoting human rights culture and ethics in Africa.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Ibadan, the Coordinator of IHRAF in Africa, Wole Adedoyin disclosed that they have received outstanding entries from five different countries within Africa. The countries are: Malawi, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana.
To evaluate and select outstanding entries for the top prizes in the competition, the organizer of the African Human Rights Essay Competition has unveiled two distinguished individuals with diverse experiences and expertise in Essay Writing.
The two selected judges are Izunna Okafor and Tom Block.
Izunna Okafor is an award-winning Nigerian Novelist, Poet, Journalist, Essayist, Editor, Translator, Publicist, Igbo Language Activist and an Administrator who hails from Ebenator in Nnewi South L.G.A of Anambra State Nigeria.
He is graduate from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, where he studied Public Administration. He also holds O.N.D in Public Administration from the same school.
A published and best-selling author, Izunna has written globally applauded books. He is the author of: 'Ikem's Adventure' (his first book) published in Nigeria in 2012, during his secondary school; 'The Curse of A Widow' (his second book), published in 2013; 'The Faithful Children' (his third book), published in 2014, and received outstanding recognition in the Ezenwa Ohaeto Prize for Young Nigerian Novelists 2015; 'Ajo Enyi,' his debut Igbo novel and fourth book, published in 2015.
With 'Ajo Enyi', he won the 2015/2016 Nigerian Writers Award/Indigenous Writer of the Year; the 2015 Society of Young Nigerian Writers Award/Pita Nwanna Award for Igbo Literature; and also got shortlisted for the 2015 Young Nigerian Writer of The Year, and the 2017 Nigerian Writers Award.
His other books include "African Blood" (A Short Story), "Nzúzù M Egbuo M," (Igbo novel), "Educated Illiterate," and "Teach Me Grammar."
He has been published in many magazines, anthologies, journals, etc, both nationally and internationally; has thousands of articles/essays as well as poems and short stories published online to his credit.
A diglot writer, Izunna writes perfectly in Igbo and English languages and has published widely in both languages.
He has won and been nominated for many awards which include: The Nigerian Writers Award/Indigenous Writer of the Year 2015/2016; Pita Nwana Prize for Igbo Literature 2015; Society of Young Nigerian Writers Award Nigeria; Heritage Icon Award/Young Writer of the Year Federal Republic of Nigeria 2016; Merit Award from the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (2016); Award of Recognition from Students Union Government, Unizik (2017); Nigerian Writers Award/Young Writer of the Year 2015/2016; N.Y.S.C. Essay Competition 2012; SLAM Hero Youth International Award/Innovative Youth of the Year 2016; Anambra Exclusive Youth Choice Award/Youth Writer of the Year 2016; Award of Academic Excellence from The National Association of Public Administration Students (2016); Inspire Award /Outstanding Youth in Academics 2017; NAPAS Academic Icon of the Year 2017; Anambra Campus Award 2017/Campus Writer of the Year 2017; Award of Excellence from the Society of Young Nigerian Writers 2016; Anambra Exclusive Youth Choice Award/Outstanding Youth of the Year 2017; Youth Writer of the Year 2016 NAPAS Essay Competition 2017; Starlett Entertainment Award/Creative Writer of the Year 2016; Young Author Award, 2018;Creative Crew Africa/Young Talent of the Year 2018, among others; Campus Best Writer 2018/Campus Best Journalist of the Year 2018; Best Secretary General of NAPAS (2018);Young Achievers Award/Best Young Writer of the Year 2019; National Light Staff of the Year 2019; Anambra Media Excellence Award/News Reporter of the Year 2019; Recognition Award, Anambra Through A Lens, 2020; He also has numerous Certificates of Merit, Award, Recognition, the most recent of which include:; Certificate of Recognition from the ImpactField Global Initiative (2018); Certificate of Award from the Applex Art and Creative Crew Africa (2018); Certificate of Completion for the SprinNG Advancement Fellowship, 2020; Certificate of Participation, Naija Haiku Poetry Workshop, 2020, among others.
At the age of 21, Izunna was nominated for The Future Award Africa 2016/African Prize For Education, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious African youths awards.
He has been published in many literary magazines, anthologies, websites, and newspapers, and many other platforms.
Aside being a creative writer, Izunna is also an Igbo Language Activist who has played and continued to play great roles in sustaining and promoting Igbo Language and culture. He preaches and takes the 'gospel' of Igbo language and the need for its sustenance to every nook and cranny, ranging from schools to churches, radio/television stations, and to other public places, being part if his own contribution and strategic measures to ensure that the Igbo Language does not go extinct as predicted by the UNESCO in 2012.
He has also been featured in many radio and television stations across the country on this mission.
In addition to these, Izunna is also a renowned journalist and columnist currently working with Anambra Newspaper and Printing Corporation, the publishers of National Light Newspaper, Ka Ọ Dị Taa (which is the only Igbo Language Newspaper in Nigeria) and Sportslight Xtra.
He also writes for Igbo Radio which is an online Igbo Language news hub with its headquarter in Canada, and also freelance for other media/publishing houses, both the online and print media.
Izunna is the Coordinator of Society of Young Nigerian Writers, Anambra State Chapter, which is a literary body that hosts Chinua Achebe Literary Festival, which is an annual literary event held in memory and honour of Late Prof. Chinua Achebe, since 2016.
He is the Editor-in-Chief of Chinua Achebe Poetry/Essay Anthology which is an international anthology annually published in honour of Achebe.
In April, 2020, Izunna was appointed the Project Coordinator, Writers Against COVID-19 Movement. He is the editor of the COVID-19 Poetry/Essay Anthology, titled 'Ripostes of Locked Down Voices', which is the first international anthology of poems and essays on COVID-19.
He is also an alumnus and 2020 Fellow of the SprinNG Advancement Fellowship, being championed by the SprinNG Literary Movement.
He edits and publishes an annual Special Valentine Poetry Collection, which are all available online for free download. During his undergraduate days, he was part of the editorial team of the FAMASSA Magazine.
He is Ambassador of TFA Africa in Nigeria; the ambassador of Read Across Nigeria in Anambra State.
An alumnus of Unizik, he is also a former Secretary General of the National Association of Public Administration Students (NAPAS), as well as the current National Secretary General of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers.
In 2019, Izunna met and discussed literature with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, at a literary evening that climaxed the 2019 Purple Hibiscus Creative Writing Workshop, organized by the international literary figure, Adichie.
Tom Block is a playwright, author of five books and 20+ year visual artist. His plays have been developed and produced at such venues as the Ensemble Studio Theater, HERE, Dixon Place, Theater for the New City, IRT Theater, Theater at the 14th Street Y, Theater Row, A.R.T.-NY and many others. He was the founding producer of the International Human Rights Art Festival (2017), the Amnesty International Human Rights Art Festival (2010) and a Research Fellow at DePaul University (2010). He has exhibited his artwork and spoken about his ideas throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Turkey and the Middle East. www.tomblock.com
The longlist of 10 outstanding entries are expected to be announced on the 10th of April, 2021.
Friday, March 26, 2021
Writers Shouldn’t Write for Money or Award - Busayo Fakunle
WRITE NOT BECAUSE OF MONEY OR AWARD BUT BECAUSE OF PASSION, LET YOUR WORKS AFFECT THE SOCIETY POSITIVELY – BUSAYO FAKUNLE
Busayo Fakunle is a Phonics consultant, poet, publisher, seasoned English language tutor, an editor, author of children's literary texts and the CEO, Hope Alive Educational Consultancy. Some of his creative works have appeared in both national and international anthologies cum journals of high reputation. Busayo Fakunle is the winner of The Poetry Court contest to celebrate Prof. Wole Soyinka’s 81st birthday. In this interview with Wole Adedoyin, he shares with him details about his writing and his latest book, “Tomi’s Trials”.
WA: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START WRITING?
FAKUNLE: My unending love for children and the desire to cause a change from this unpleasant state of the society to a better one actually are the two main reasons why I started writing. I feel responsible for every child. As an adult, I constantly believe I have a responsibility to every child and that's to put their feet on the right path with a quest to cause a drastic change in the society.
WA: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WRITING?
FAKUNLE: I started writing while in UNAD (where I obtained my first degree) after taking a creative writing course taught by Dr Adeseke. That should be over twelve years ago. But then, I became a published author in 2013, with the book, 'The Faces of Life'. 'The Faces of Life' eventually made the list of literary texts recommended for public schools by Oyo State Ministry of Education in 2014. That achievement encouraged me to write the more.
WA: HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A WRITER?
FAKUNLE: Yes. And I give the credit to my late father. He allowed me to choose the department of my choice (Arts) while in secondary school. There, I read works from Camara Laye, Richard Wright, Femi Osofisan, Niyi Osundare, JP Clark, Elechi Amadi, Ola Rotimi and to fully make me fall in love with writing was when I encountered our own WS in 'The Lion and the Jewel’.
WA: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A NEW WRITER, SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT?
FAKUNLE: Be real. Read deeply. Write not because of money or award but because of passion. Let your works affect the society positively. Write so humanity can feel your absence when you leave here.
WA: HOW DO YOU HANDLE WRITER’S BLOCK?
FAKUNLE: Writer's block is caused by many factors. For me, there are so many things that distract me when writing; books to read, works to edit, classes to teach, family needs etc. But then whenever any of these happen, I take time to attend to them and also sometimes go for walks, listening to my favourite artistes, in fact I do house chores to stop thinking about writing, for a while.
WA: HOW MANY BOOKS HAVE YOU WRITTEN?
FAKUNLE: Just last month, the list clocks ten.
WA: WHAT IS THE MOST SURPRISING THING YOU DISCOVERED WHILE WRITING YOUR BOOK(S)?
FAKUNLE: That the first thing is to start. Once I start, I may not be able to predict the end. Also, I see a part of me in most characters.
WA: WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE CHARACTER?
FAKUNLE: While I love how I have developed all characters, my favourite character is in my first book, 'The Faces of Life’. His name is Toro. I see myself the more in this character each time I read it. He's blunt with truth. He's honest and sincerely loves everyone. He values his culture. Hear what he says;
'Foreign culture has sent ours to its grave. It has killed the richness in our culture. It has made us a nonentity.'
Wait for it, I'm not saying civilisation is bad but can't we also see into modernizing things that are ours too? Can't we find ways to make what's ours more appealing? Kudos to Prof. Okonjo Iweala who just showed some people that our Ankara isn't bad to resume in an international office.
WA: WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION?
FAKUNLE: Nature inspires me. So also my daily encounter and experiences especially with children. Yes, reading inspires me.
WA: WHERE CAN READERS PURCHASE YOUR BOOKS?
FAKUNLE: My books are in some selected bookshops. You can also easily access them from my publisher, Pethant publishers, 47 Bashorun Road, 2nd Floor, Titlas Building, Opposite BCOS Bashorun, Ibadan, Oyo State. I can also be reached on 08164776627.
WA: WHERE CAN READERS FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BOOKS?
FAKUNLE: https://www.facebook.com/Possibilitybooks/
WA: HAVE ANY OF YOUR BOOKS BEEN MADE INTO AUDIOBOOKS?
FAKUNLE: No
WA: WHICH OF YOUR BOOKS WERE THE MOST ENJOYABLE TO WRITE?
FAKUNLE: I enjoyed writing all of them.
WA: TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRST PUBLISHED BOOK?
FAKUNLE: 'The Faces of Life' captures different stinking phases of the society through the story of a particular family that has been grounded on poverty. Wole, the breadwinner couldn't survive the hostile condition, leaving Toro in such a corrupt society caused by bad governance, poor system and betrayals in turns.' Here is also what a renowned journalist has to say about 'The Faces of Life's : At a critical time in Nigeria when writers need to be the voice of reason in the society, Busayo Fakunle's 'The Faces of Life' presents everyday existence and reality of Nigerians as a perfect social commentary. It is certainly beautiful to note that a young writer such as he has recognised the need to make every work of art a voice that seeks to highlight and improve everything that is wrong in the society.- 'Kunle Falayi, Journalist
WA: WHAT WAS THE JOURNEY LIKE?
FAKUNLE: It's been fun and I feel fulfilled seeing the reactions of people towards my works. And it will be appropriate now to say that I don't write to compete with others or for awards cum prizes, I just want a better humanity as I focus on the concept of family. Reason being that families have become bad streams that flow into a polluted river.
WA: WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF GOOD WRITING?
FAKUNLE: I think content; the message in a piece of writing is the most important element. Messages or lessons should be coherent enough for readers. And this can only be achieved once the writer has a targeted audience.
WA: WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE AUTHOR OF ALL TIME?
FAKUNLE: Wow. Favourite author? Of course our own WS. Wole Soyinka. This love is further cemented when my role model, Prof Remi Raji-Oyelade was the University of Ibadan's orator in oration for Wole Soyinka, in 2015 I think. I mean the 'Enu dun ju'yo'.
WA: ON YOUR LATEST BOOK TITLED “'TOMI'S TRIALS'”, CAN YOU SHARE WITH US SOMETHING ABOUT THE BOOK.
FAKUNLE: 'TOMI'S TRIALS' presents an image of the road to success. It teaches that diligence, perseverance, persistence and prayer are ingredients to becoming victorious.'
WA: HAS A BOOK EVER CHANGED YOUR LIFE?
FAKUNLE: So many of them.
WA: WHAT GENRES DO YOU LOVE?
FAKUNLE: All
WA: ARE THERE ANY GENRES YOU DISLIKE?
FAKUNLE: No
WA: WHAT AUTHOR (WHO IS STILL LIVING) WOULD YOU DEARLY LOVE TO MEET?
FAKUNLE: Wole Soyinka. I want to meet him a thousand times.
WA: DO YOU LIKE TO DISPLAY YOUR BOOKS ON A BOOKSHELF OR KEEP THEM IN A VIRTUAL LIBRARY?
FAKUNLE: I display. I sell them out offline. In fact, for each of the published books, I've sold a considerable number.
WA: DO YOU PREFER FLASH FICTION, SHORT STORIES, NOVELLAS, OR NOVELS?
FAKUNLE: I'm actually in love with all. But then I write more of short stories and Novellas.
Thursday, March 25, 2021
Ibadan Book Club set to host Busayo Fakunle as Guest Reader/Writer for her March Book Reading
IBADAN BOOK CLUB SET TO HOST BUSAYO FAKUNLE FOR HER MARCH BOOK READING
Ibadan Book Club (IBC) has set aside this coming Saturday, March 27, 2021 to host Busayo Fakunle as her Guest Writer/Speaker for the month of March.
A statement from Wole Adedoyin, the founder of the Club, said that the event will take place at the Press Council Hall, Beside Olori Hostel, North Campus of The Polytechnic, Ibadan by 12p.m.
Busayo Fakunle is a Phonics consultant, poet, publisher, seasoned English language tutor, an editor, author of children's literary texts and the CEO, Hope Alive Educational Consultancy. Some of his creative works have appeared in both national and international anthologies cum journals of high reputation.
Busayo Fakunle is the winner of The Poetry Court contest to celebrate Prof. Wole Soyinka’s 81st birthday. He is currently the Public Relations Officer of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Oyo state chapter.
Some of Fakunle’s publications include, Too Big To Be Beaten, Tomi’s Trials, The Blacksmith, Daddy’s Advice, The Faces of Life, I am a good child and My Storybook.
The upcoming book reading event promises to be an avenue for reading creative works such as poetry, fiction, book sales and signing, contacts with other readers and book writers in all corners of the state of Oyo, the statement added.
Prospective writers who have works in poetry, short stories and novels can also attend to read their works to other writers and readers. Membership forms and certificate of membership will be available at no charge to first timers.
Ibadan Book Club is an initiative of the Nigerian Young Writers Society. It was founded in 2011 by SYNW in order to contribute its own quota to the growth and development of the Reading Culture in the State of Oyo.
The Ibadan Book Club consists of a group of people who meet, meet periodically to discuss the book they have read and exchange those books. Club members encourage each other and learn to read with a critical mind, articulating their opinions about a particular book with others. Certain types of books not available or read receive attention through the book club.
Some of the publications published by Ibadan Book Club are: Olubadan Centennial Anthology: a collection of essays, articles, poems and works of art in honor of Oba (Dr.) Samuel Odulana, Odugade 1, Voices from Oja Oba Market and Finally, Senator Abiola Ajimobi: Memories, Dreams, Reflections of a Mind Always in Motion.