ANA Abuja honours Ibrahim, Oke for award wins

Friday the 14th of December, 2017 will go down in the annals of the Abuja branch of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) as a day to be remembered as the association honored two of its distinguished members at a dinner.

The two celebrated literary gurus, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim and Ikeogu Oke made the association proud when they each emerged winners of Africa’s most prestigious literary prize, the Nigeria LNG Prize for Literature in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

The dinner, hosted by Mr. Chukwudi Eze, an architect and author, was held Friday night at the Samaritan Guest House, Gwarimpa, Abuja was held to honour the two writers for winning the Nigeria Prize for Literature for two successive years.

The event had in in attendance a select audience of writers and a number of politicians and literary enthusiasts.

In 2016, Ibrahim’s novel, Season of Crimson Blossoms won the Nigeria Prize for Literature. Over the years, the young and brilliant writer had gained fame as a literary master with series of feats to his credit that set him apart from the rest.

In 2014, his collection of short stories, The Whispering Trees was long listed for the Etisalat Prize for Literature. Abubakar Adam Ibrahim was also shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing just as his play had previously won the BBC African Performance Prize for Drama.

Both Seasons of Crimson Blossoms and The Whispering Trees were published by the young but dynamic literary outfit, Parresia Publishers.

He is also a recipient of the 2016 Goethe-Institute & Sylt Foundation African Writers’ Residency Award.

Ibrahim has for years been in the forefront of promoting Nigerian literature as a literary journalist with Daily Trust.

Ikeogu Oke, a former journalist, was also a one-time aide to Professor Bath Nnaji, a former minister of power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. An alumnus of both the universities of Calabar and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, he has published some collections of poems and a children’s book.

His latest collection of poems, Heresiad, a publication of Kraft Books, emerged the winner of the 2017 Nigeria Prize for Literature.

The event witnessed the presence of several literary heavyweights including Alhaji Denja Abdullahi (the National President of the Association of Nigerian Authors and a director with the National Council of Arts) and his wife, Seyi Adigun (medical doctor and former ANA Abuja Chapter Chairman).

Other literary gurus and top members of the association present included Spencer Okoroafor, Barrister Marthins Ezimano, the Association’s legal adviser - among others.

Also present were Friday John Abba, whose play was shortlisted for the Nigeria Prize for Literature, Eucharia Okoye, Seyi Olagundoye, Edith Jeff-Okoroafor, Prince Jerry Adesewo, creative director of the famous Arojah Theatre Group as well as Victor Anoliefo of the Abuja Literary Society along with several members of his group.

It was a night of get-together of who-is-who in the literary firmament of Abuja. Patrick Oguejiofor, a former chairman of the association who alongside with Seyi Adigun was shortlisted for the 2017 ANA Literary Prize (poetry category) coordinated the special event.

The event was graced with readings by the two honorees, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim and Ikeogu Oke to the applause of the guests.

Mr Ubiri, incumbent chairman of ANA, Abuja thanked the guests for making out time to attend the event, and thanked the chief host of the event, Arch. Chukwudi Eze for his benevolence in making the dinner a reality.

In the same vein, President of ANA, Malam Denja Abdullahi called on writers to commit more to their craft in order to excel, while urging government to support the creative arts by making policies that would create enabling environments for the creative arts to thrive.

The evening also witnessed a short speech in praise of writers by one of the special guests, Nze Ozichukwu, a former chairman of the People’s Democratic Paretic (PDP), South-East Zone.