Four writers storm Ebedi for residency
Four writers made up of three Nigerians and one Ugandan have arrived Iseyin, Oyo State Nigeria for the March-April 2017 edition of the Ebedi International Writers Programme.
The quartet of four women are Chinyere ObiObasi, Yinka Adeboye, Safiya Ismaila Yero and Lillian Akampurira Aujo.
Lillian Akampurira Aujo is a Ugandan Lawyer and Writer. In 2009, she won the inaugural BN Award with her poem ‘Soft Tonight’.
In 2015, she also won the inaugural Jalada Prize for Literature with her story “Where Pumpkin Leaves Dwell”.
She’s an attendee of the Caine Prize workshop 2013, with her short story “Red” published in the Caine Prize Anthology 2013 ‘A memory this size’. Her work “The Eye of Poetry” and “Getting Nowhere” have been published in Suubi, an African Writers Trust online publication. She has also contributed to ‘Bakwa Magazine’, ‘The Revelator Magazine’, and two Femrite anthologies.
Lillian plans to use her time in Ebedi to finalize work on two manuscripts, a Poetry collection and a book of short stories. She will also mentor secondary school students in Iseyin on poetry writing and public speaking.
Safiya Ismaila Yero, a native of Adamawa State, holds a Master’s degree in Literature in English from the University of Abuja where she currently works as an Administrative Officer. Her fictional novella, ‘When There is Life’ was published in 2013 by ALMAAZ Books.
She intends to use her time in Ebedi to complete work on another fictional manuscript while working with Iseyin students on fiction writing and public elocution.
The third writer, Yinka Adeboye holds a Master’s degree in Communication Arts from the University of Ibadan. A native of Osun State, Yinka is a published author of five books written in English and one book in her native Yoruba language. She hopes to use her time at the Ebedi Residency to complete two novels. She would also mentor the Iseyin students on Yoruba drama and poetry writing.
The fourth writer, Chinyere Obi-Obasi who hails from Imo State, is an Ebedi Fellow, having previously attended, the Ebedi Residency about two years ago. She is an Abuja-based lawyer, banker and author. Her latest book, ‘The Great Fall’ made the NLNG shortlist three years ago. She currently has over ten books to her credit and would be using her stay at the residency to complete another novel while also interacting with Iseyin students in the areas of Public Speaking and Cookery.
The Ebedi International Writers Residency Program is a private initiative for creative writers wishing to complete their works in a conducive environment at no cost. The program which is affiliated with several international literary bodies including the Belgium based ARTS MOVES AFRICA as well as the Wole Soyinka Writers Residency in Abeokuta has hosted over 70 writers from seven different countries since it was established seven years ago.