The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Abuja chapter has launched the maiden, annual ‘ANA Abuja Anthology’ titled ‘Flights of Imagination’, alongside the conferment of awards on contributors to the literary organization’s growth, to round off the year.
A long time in the making, the anthology consists of poems and short stories drawn from members submissions via several literary initiatives as ‘Poem of the Week’, ‘The Short Story of the Bi-weekly’ and the ‘Initiative for Young Writers’ which selected the best of each literary genre on a weekly and bi-weekly basis over a period of one year.
Published by the ANA Abuja, the 219 paged anthology, divided into sections, comprises 84 poems and short stories, and was edited by Ifeoma Mabel Onyemelukwe, Uthman Qasim, Rukayyah Bayero, Olufunke Adelaja, Esther Adelana, Tomisin Juliet Faoye, Yemi Mercy Enoch, Abdulmalik Yahya.
As part of the association chapter’s effort to promote literary reading and writing among the younger generation, ANA Abuja Chairman, Architect Chukwudi Eze said it’s begun to absorb into its membership, as well as mentor and publish works by children and teenage writers.
“We spend time to mentor them and read through their manuscripts. Its their story, written at their level. What we do is teach them the best writing practices, to ‘show rather than tell’ rule, to deliver a well-structured story.”
Addressing the deterioration in reading amongst Gen Z’s and Alpha, author and wife of ex-governor of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, noted that reading platform and access that has changed rather than absence of reading interest amongst younger generation.
“If young people can spend hours online doing one challenge or the other on Tik Tok or Instagram, they might as well as spend that time accessing free publications online. We simply have to encourage them to use the opportunities and tools that they have, which we didn’t have.
Erelu who had launched three books early this year ‘Demand and Supply’, ‘A Tray of Locust Beans’ and ‘Where Is Your Wrapper?’, was among the awardees at the event.
Other awardees include Professors Emeka Aniagolu and Udenta O. Udenta, both awarded alongside Fayemi for their contributions to the growth of the chapter. Recipients of the Certificate of Merit for their service to the association include immediate past chairman of the ANA Abuja chapter, Taiwo Akinrele, ANA National President, Usman Akanbi, Senator Shehu Sani, Dr Tunde Olusunle, ANA Mamman Jiya Vatsa Writers Village developer, Colonel Kolawole Shaw.
