₦airaland Forum

RAN to hold tomorrow across Nigeria
The 2017 edition of the Read Across Nigeria (RAN) holds tomorrow in the following states, Abia, Anambra, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Ondo, Kwara, Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Jos, Abuja, Rivers, Niger, Kaduna, Oyo and Akwa Ibom State. Sokoto State will be holding her own on the 22nd of May 2017 with the celebrity in attendance. The Sokoto event will also be an avenue of unveiling our proposed “Hafsat Abdulwaheed Reading Correspondence Course” aim at promoting reading culture in the Northern part of the country.
This was contained in a press release made available to us by the National Coordinator of the Read Across Nigeria, Mr. Wole Adedoyin. According to him “Tomorrow’s edition will be honouring and celebrating Hajiya Hafsat Abdulwaheed, a Kano based author and the first published female Hausa Novelist. Abdulwaheed, uses her works to highlight the plight of women in Northern Nigeria. She was born in Kano and had her primary education in the City. She has written over 30 books since first novel published in the 1970s.”
Mr. Adedoyin who is also the National President of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers said the event would be a low key event as some of SYNW state branches of the Society are currently preparing for tomorrow’s event.
“Interested individuals across the country have also shown interest in organizing one reading event or another. And we are imploring Nigerians to observe the day as the country’s National Reading Day” Adedoyin said.
RAN last year successful debut featured a former National President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), former member of the Nigerian House of Representatives and the founder of Ebedi Writers Residency, Dr. Wale Okediran.
Read Across Nigeria (RAN) is an initiative powered by the Society of Young Nigerian Writers aimed at promoting reading in the country by showcasing eminent writers as role models to the young.

READ ACROSS NIGERIA SET TO HOLD IN 16 STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY
The Read Across Nigeria (RAN) 2017 edition has been scheduled to hold on the 5th of May, 2017 across 16 states in Nigeria.
According to a press statement made available to our reporters by the National Coordinator of the Project, Mr. Wole Adedoyin said that interested individuals and organization have shown interest in organizing one reading event or another.
This year edition will be showcasing Hajiya Hafsat Abdulwaheed, a Kano based author and the first published female Hausa Novelist. Abdulwaheed, uses her works to highlight the plight of women in Northern Nigeria. She was born in Kano and had her primary education in the City. She has written over 30 books since first novel published in the 1970s.
RAN last year successful debut featured a former National President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) and the founder of Ebedi Writers Residency, Dr. Wale Okediran.
Registration of reading events across the country are still ongoing, any individual or organization interested in organizing one reading event or another can visit the project’s blog for more information.
Read Across Nigeria (RAN) is an initiative powered by the Society of Young Nigerian Writers aimed at promoting reading in the country by showcasing eminent writers as role models to the young. This year edition will be taking place in Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Jos, Sokoto, Benue, Imo, Anambra, Delta, Abia etc.

PRESS RELEASE
OSUN 2018 - STOP ADOPTING APC AND PDP CANDIDATES, BUILD YOUR OWN PARTY HDP TELLS OSUN POLITICAL PARTIES
Unveils 5 Plan Revolution Blueprint for a New Osun State
The Osun State Chairman of the Hope Democratic Party, Mr. Wole Adedoyin through a press release sent out today has urged his fellow party Chairmen in Osun State to stop adopting and working for PDP and APC Candidates.
According to Mr. Wole Adedoyin, Both Parties have failed us. Innocent Osun state citizens are suffering and living in Poverty. Individual parties were registered with different vision and mission likewise party ideologies and philosophy. Samething during electioneering campaigns when candidates started showcasing their manifestoes and plans. There are parties and there are parties. Osun State election is one year away, parties should be preparing themselves by now not to be beggers or stooges for either APC or PDP.
Adedoyin further unveiled his party’s 5 PLAN REVOLUTION BLUEPRINT for a new osun state, which are (1) Agricultural and Industrial Revolution (2) Health and Educational Revolution (3) Economic and Political Revolution (4) Infrastructural and Leadership Revolution (5) Cultural and Security Revolution.
HDP developed this five plan Revolution Blue Print for its envisioned new Osun State. The execution of this well-articulated welfarist programme is expected to reverse in positive light the current or prevalent overtly negatively adopted capitalist tendencies that has over time bred corruption in Osun State and which also has over time grown into a cankerworm permeating all spheres of the life of our people in the state thereby stalling any sustainable developmental projects such as funds for world class infrastructural development, good roads, Steady jobs and general well fair of the Osun State citizenry are channeled to private accounts breeding social injustice in the land, mass poverty and disparities between the poor and the rich and which in turn breeds social misfit and ready hands for crime, terrorist, recruitment leading to insecurity in the land.

RAN 2017 showcases Hafsat Abdulwaheed
April 2, 2017 Arts and Culture
AFTER last year’s successful debut featuring a former national president of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Dr. Wale Okediran, all is set for the 2017 Read Across Nigeria (RAN) event.
An initiative aimed at promoting reading in the country by showcasing eminent writers as models to the young, the honouree this year is Hajiya Hafsat Abdulwaheed, the first published female Hausa novelist.
A statement from the National Coordinator of RAN, Wole Adedoyin, disclosed that the event will happen in May in venues across the 36 states but that the Ibadan, Oyo State affair will feature 20 public and private secondary schools.
He said that the students and other lovers of literature will read from the works of Abdulwaheed on the occasion.
Adedoyin added that organisers hope that showcasing the Kano-based author will encourage more female writers to write in Nigerian languages.
Abdulwaheed, who uses her works to highlight the plight of women in Northern Nigeria, was born in Kano and had her primary education in the city. She has written over 30 books since her first novel published in the 1970s.

20 schools to feature in RAN 2017
By Abubakar Adam Ibrahim | Publish Date: Mar 26 2017 3:00AM

Twenty secondary schools in Oyo State are set to participate in the forthcoming 2017 Read Across Nigeria (RAN) event, according to a statement by the National Coordinator of RAN, Mr. Wole Adedoyin.
Mr Adedoyin disclosed that the 20 schools are drawn from both private and public schools in about four local government areas of the state.
The focus of this year’s RAN will be the works of pioneer northern Nigerian novelist, Hafsat Abdulwaheed, whose 1970 novella ‘So Aljannan Duniya’ is widely viewed as the purveyor of the soyayya novellas.
Abdulwaheed, who uses her works to highlight the plight of the womenfolk in Northern Nigeria, was born in Kano and had her primary education in the city. Since the publication of her first novel, she has published some five titles since then and had even contested for governor of Zamfara State.
The event, which will come up in May, will see literary lovers read from the works of Abdulwaheed, while encouraging more females to take to indigenous writing.
Last year’s edition of RAN was in honour of Hon. Dr. Wale Okediran, a former National President of the Association of Nigerian Authors and the Executive Chairman of the Ebedi Writers Residency in Iseyin, Oyo State. The 2016 readings took place in 20 states of the federation.

Why young writers need their own association – Wale Adedoyin
By Abubakar Adam Ibrahim | Publish Date: Apr 1 2017 2:00AM

Wole Adedoyin is the president of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW) and the coordinator of Read Across Nigeria (RAN), which in 2016 organised a reading in honour of Wale Okediran in 20 states of the federation. In this interview with Bookshelf, the computer analyst, blogger and member of the National Young Writers Mentorship Scheme of the Association of Nigerian Authors talked about the ideas behind his literary interventions and plans for RAN 2017.

Bookshelf: You have been involved in numerous literary initiatives. Why do you think these initiatives are important?

Wale Adedoyin: For Nigeria to develop as a country literarily, we need more literary activities and events. Apart from my own literary initiatives, there are countless young literary enthusiasts across the country that are now organizing one literary event or the other and they are doing well. They are helping young Nigerian writers both at home and in the Diaspora to enhance and hone their creativity and even publish their works. To me, this initiatives are important because there are still more unknown young writers across the country who are talented but don’t know what to do to bring out the talent in them. Our major literary initiatives cut across reading, writing and publishing processes. If you take a glance through our annual literary initiatives, you will see that they are very important. Is it our Fagunwa Day event (which consists of Fagunwa Inter-secondary Schools Creative Writing Competition in Yoruba Language and the reading contest) which is aimed at testing the reading and writing skills of students of some selected secondary schools in Yoruba Language and Literature. What of our quarterly Workshop which we started in 2012 and has trained over 1,000 young writers. And of course Read Across Nigeria project with the major objective of promoting the reading culture across the country and lastly, our 2000 E-Books per school project (also known as Paperless Book Club project) aims at encouraging and assisting public secondary schools to build E-Library and Electronic Book Clubs in their schools.

Bookshelf: One of your most successful initiatives is Read Across Nigeria, which managed to inspire reading events in 20 states last year. How did the idea come about and what are the objectives of RAN?

Adedoyin: As I always say, the glory of that first edition should go to three people not me. Firstly, to God for giving me the brain and might to conceive and execute that idea. Secondly to Dr. Wale Okediran, whose popularity and personality helped in the execution of the project. And to my Egbon, Denja Abdullahi, the current National President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). I do tell people everywhere I go that ANA gave birth to SYNW. This dream Egbon Denja Abdullahi brought into manifestation. He didn’t see us as small or timid. He embraced us and gave us a sense of belonging to ANA. Read Across Nigeria was conceived when we did a reading sensitization project in some 30 selected primary schools in Osun and Oyo states in 2015. The major aim of RAN is to promote and enhance the reading culture across the country. It is also an avenue where writers meet readers and readers meet books.

Bookshelf: How did you get these readings to take place in 20 states?

Adedoyin: When I conceived the RAN idea, I listed 20 important literary personalities out of which one will be used for the project. Myself and other members of the committee like Idris Bankole, Marcus Ugboduma, Lanre Babajide, Tolulope Adedoyin, Olaitan Fadunni etc. did the SWOT analysis of each literary personality. There were 7 Professors and 3 Doctors on the list. All of them were rated well but the committee agreed on using Dr. Okediran for the first edition. From our research and findings, we would have failed had we used another person. The personality and the literary fame of Dr. Wale Okediran paved way for us. Those who organized readings last year did so because of the love they have for Okediran, a former president of the Association of Nigerian Authors. Six state chapters of ANA participated in the project last year. They did so to honour their former president. The remaining readings were done by interested individuals and state branches of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers which is the organization responsible for the execution of the project. SYNW has branches across the country too.

Bookshelf: Following the success of the programme last year, what do you envisage for your 2017 event?

Adedoyin: The first edition was historical. We documented the whole event on a blog and DVD. Firstly, we want to be gender sensitive. We think a woman should be the focus this year. Not an ordinary woman but the first female Hausa published novelist by the name of Hajiya Hafsat Abdulwaheed. This will be special because we are delving into indigenous writing. This development is also prompting me to know who the first published women authors in Igbo and Yoruba were. Some individuals, schools and SYNW state chapters have shown interests in organizing readings. Intending organizers are also welcome.

Bookshelf: Other than her gender what influenced the choice of Hafsat Abdulwaheed for this year?

Adedoyin: Hafsat Abdulwaheed writes indigenous literature in Hausa Language. Not only that, she is also the first published Hausa female novelist. The Read Across Nigeria initiative will be the first initiative to honour this great woman with readings across the country.

Bookshelf: As the president of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers, why did you think there was a need for a body like this?

Adedoyin: You are taking me back to when I was an EXCO member in Oyo ANA around 2006-2010 when I served as State Auditor and State PRO in those four years. I was the youngest of them all. There was a misunderstanding between myself and the then ANA Oyo Chairman in the person of Mr. Akin Bello (one time winner of the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature). I was not given a single task to do. He made me redundant and useless while I was ready to serve and selflessly work for ANA. I had ideas back then part of which is what I’m now using in SYNW today. They saw some of us as inexperienced and less educated. Then I also noticed that young writers between the ages of 17 and 28 then were reluctant to attend readings because they always described Oyo ANA as old writer’s club (mainly meant for and consisted of old people). There were other issues which I won’t like to make public. If you google, you will see my article titled “The Credo of Being and Nothingness in ANA Oyo” which I wrote then to express my disappointment. When I saw that they didn’t give us a chance to express our own literary ideologies, we created a new platform known as SYNW today. Though it was formerly known as the World of Poets and Literary Society. Today SYNW is the first young writers’ body in Nigeria.

Bookshelf: Some people might argue that writers are writers, irrespective of age, why exactly did you focus on this demographic?

Adedoyin: Writers are truly writers depending on experience and literary exposure. There are writers and there are writers. I think the difference should be spelt out. If writers are writers, ANA won’t be creating schemes like National Teen Authorship Scheme, which I once served national secretary and member of the committee under the Prof. Remi Raji-led ANA Presidency and the recently formed National Young Writers Mentorship Scheme by the Denja-led ANA presidency, in which I am also serving as a national committee member. Our organization only focuses on writers between the ages of 10 and 35. Especially those writers between the ages of 10 and 18 need to be tutored. This age bracket includes primary and secondary school students. That is where our quarterly workshop comes in.

Bookshelf: As a writer in the digital age, the future of books has been debated for some time now. Do you see young people moving away from books to digital reading devices?

Adedoyin: In SYNW, we also embrace digital publishing. Most of our anthologies were published in digital formats (PDF, TXT, PUB, AUD, MPEG). We have helped many of our members to publish online. We created 2000 E-Books per School project (also known as paperless book club project) mainly because of this purpose. We want secondary schools (both private and public) also to embrace digital books. That is why we’ve been going to schools since last year giving out e-books to their school libraries and establishing paperless book club in their respective schools.

Bookshlef: You have been keen on promoting writers in local languages with your annual celebration of D.O Fagunwa and now Hafsat Abdulwaheed. Why do you think this is important?

Adedoyin: I am a writer and lover of indigenous literature. When I was in secondary school my late Dad, Prince Albert Aderemi Adedoyin would ask me to read one of Fagunwa’s books per term. There I developed interest in the sage’s work. There was a Yoruba radio programme where I was invited to speak about yoruba literature and my interviewer asked me to mention my three favorite writers. He expected me to mention Wole Soyinka and Achebe but I mentioned Pita Nwanna, D.O. Fagunwa and Abubakar Imam as my three favorite writers (though I have not read the translated works of Pita Nwanna and Abubakar Imam but I have heard and read a lot about them.) He then asked me why? I told him because they wrote their works in their mother tongues. I am happy that today, I am a D.O. Fagunwa Scholar. And a friend of Fagunwa’s family. The sixth edition of Fagunwa Day is holding this year

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/bookshelf/why-young-writers-need-their-own-association-wale-adedoyin/191636.html

20 schools to feature in RAN 2017
By Abubakar Adam Ibrahim | Publish Date: Mar 26 2017 3:00AM

Twenty secondary schools in Oyo State are set to participate in the forthcoming 2017 Read Across Nigeria (RAN) event, according to a statement by the National Coordinator of RAN, Mr. Wole Adedoyin.
Mr Adedoyin disclosed that the 20 schools are drawn from both private and public schools in about four local government areas of the state.
The focus of this year’s RAN will be the works of pioneer northern Nigerian novelist, Hafsat Abdulwaheed, whose 1970 novella ‘So Aljannan Duniya’ is widely viewed as the purveyor of the soyayya novellas.
Abdulwaheed, who uses her works to highlight the plight of the womenfolk in Northern Nigeria, was born in Kano and had her primary education in the city. Since the publication of her first novel, she has published some five titles since then and had even contested for governor of Zamfara State.
The event, which will come up in May, will see literary lovers read from the works of Abdulwaheed, while encouraging more females to take to indigenous writing.
Last year’s edition of RAN was in honour of Hon. Dr. Wale Okediran, a former National President of the Association of Nigerian Authors and the Executive Chairman of the Ebedi Writers Residency in Iseyin, Oyo State. The 2016 readings took place in 20 states of the federation.

Read Across Nigeria 2017 Posters

Read Across Nigeria 2017 Posters - Wole Adedoyin - National Coordinator

PETITION ON MISAPPROPRATION OF IPAC FUNDS AND DECEIT BY HON. EMEKA OKAFOR LED ADMINISTRATION IN INTER- PARTY ADVIOSRY COUNCIL ABIA CHAPTER AND FOR INVSTIGATION AND PROBE

l write for and to ask the investigation/ probe of some actions by the leadership of the inter-party Advisory council Abia state chapter .
I am drawing attention to the following
(1) Misappropriations of fund
Issue of fund management in IPAC Abia state is unbecoming with lack of accountability the order of the today.
(2) To be proved by Hon. Emeka Okafor that am been sponsored by Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and Chief Chikwe Udensi to destabilize Hon. Okafor’s Leadership of IPAC as claimed by him.
(3) (a) To examine the leadership style of in organizing inter-agencies relationship, such as organizing press briefing without the pre-knowledge of those involved.
(b) Organizing a zonal meeting of IPAC to be hosted in Abia State and only to inform the Abia IPAC 48Hrs to the programme.
(4) Threat to life and physical attack on Hon. David Kalu.
(5) To examine his leadership if it is in line with the IPAC code of conduct.

(a) The code of Conduct of IPAC “structure” article 3 which states “prepare and monitor the implementation of IPAC annual budget” such has never happened in IPAC Abia since the inception of the chapter.
(b) The IPAC Abia, visited Governor Okezie Ikpeazu the State governor and while leaving the Governor gave the group N3,000,000 (three million) as was announced by Hon. Emeka Okafor the IPAC chairman who led the delegates to the visit.
(c) He did the announcement in the premises of the protocol office within the government house after the group had left the executive chamber of the government house.
(d) Right in every one’s presence he gave N100,000 to the protocosl department N200,000 to the government House media N50,000 each to two private media people.
(e) The group then left fot a restaurant owned by somebody whom he appointed as the admin secretary of IPAC in the state, which is contrary to the code of conduct of IPAC and undermining the office of Secretary in the state, as there is no provision for the post of admin secretary in the code of conduct.

While in the restaurant ,each of the party chairmen was given 90,000 and they are 14 in number .
The chairman Hon. Emeka Okafor then told the group that N300,000 would l be used to return the bag with which the money was brought in.

When l questioned such action he said he was under instruction from the Government House and he took the money away.

The bag in which N300,000 was purportedly said to have be used returning the in cannot cost more than N1,000 in the market.

It was resolved that the sum of N1.5 Million should be kept in the bank, but to our greatest surprise we came to meeting and saw generating plant and an air conditioner without such being discussed and approved by the general assembly of Abia IPAC.
From the N1.5 Million naira Which Hon. Emeka Okafor and three others made up of the secretary, treasurer and publicity secretary attended a meeting in Jos organized by the Nigeria Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies Kure, the chairman Hon. Emeka took money from the account of IPAC without the approval of the General Assembly and till date nobody can say that this how much was taken from the account.
For now nobody can say how much is left of the N1.5 million in the account.
As since after the day each member received the N90,000 nobody had any penny either for transport allowance or refreshment. With this action of Hon. Emeka Okafor he has thereby undermined the of office and authority of the General Assembly or body of IPAC in Abia State.

The articles 3 “structure” it’s a General Assembly or body item 4 (iv) states that approve the working documents on IPAC”, the interpretation of this clause simply means that neither the chairman nor any executive can do anything without the approval from the general assembly.

The buying of generator, Air conditioner, or travelling to Jos were all done without approval from the general assembly .Hon. Emeka Okafor will want to rely on article (Vii) of the Responsibilities of the Executive Committee Members which state as follows: “ Approve expenditures and financial Commitments on behalf of IPAC” , but that did not over rule the power of the General Assembly as empowered on articles 3/4/5 on the responsibilities of the General Assembly, which must discuss all issues of the body before the Executive can implement.

Deceitful actions
(1) During the last Abia Local government election in Abia State in one of the IPAC meeting a decision was taken that political parties should should boycott the fielding of candidates with ABSIEC, yet his party PPA went ahead and fielded candidates;
This made most of parties not to field candidates during the election, as they could not meet the deadline of ABSIEC in collecting and submitting of forms.
(2) When they came back from Kure Jos, on an NIPSS/IPAC meeting and during Hon. Emeka Okafor’s briefing on their trip he told the General Assembly that they were not given any money, rather they were asked to drop their bank account details for N15,000 (Fifteen thousand Naira ) to paid in later.
He told us lies, because what did happen in Jos was that each delegate was given N15,000 cash and their account details collect as to remit the main allowance to them and which NIPSS had done.
It could be recalled that about 2 years ago when l, Hon. David Kalu went to Kaduna to represent IPAC Abia during a UNDP and IPAC national programme, Hon. Kalu was paid N75,000, How come that a programme in Jos is now N15,000 to be paid into the account.
When l Hon. David Kalu raised objection to his briefing of the IPAC General Assembly as l called it a deceit, what Hon.Okafor did was to set a committee to which he tagged a committee to interrogate me on my source of information and the committee is to be Chaired by the Vice Chairman IPAC who is also the State Chairman of Independent Democrat, l refused to honour the invitation of the committee but rather advised the committee to reach NIPSS or the National Secretariat of IPAC in Abuja, which the committee did and found out that Hon. Emeka Okafor was economical with the truth in his briefing to the General Assembly of IPAC in Abia, the matter died off like that.


UN-NECESSARY ACCUSATION OF PEOPLE
Time without number during meetings instead of Hon.Okafor focusing on agenda of meeting, he will spend half of the meeting period talking about Orji Uzor Kalu and Chikwe Udensi calling them names. Several times he had told me that orji Uzor Kalu sent him to desterilize IPAC and which several times l had challenged,. Emeka Okafor to prove such and which he couldn’t.
Let me state it, that never have l discussed for one day with either Orji Uzor Kalu or Chief Chikwe Udensi who was the Governorship Candidate of PPA during the last election in state.
I can take any oath to defend this statement of mine, rather Hon. Emeka Okafor has being singing it as song that l have been paid by the aforementioned to destabilize his IPAC leadership.
Hon. Emeka Okafor forgot that his political relevance in Abia State was made possible by Orji Uzor Kalu

PRESS BRIEFING SAGA
Hon. Emeka Okafor called a meeting of IPAC and without any pre discussion on the issue to be addressed to the press. He invited the press made up of 15 media houses, both print and electronics. .
He did this without any pre-information with the general house of IPAC.
I Chairman CPP objected to the action of the IPAC chairman and even queried the source of the funding for the press briefing .
In his response stated that the source for the funding was from him and Hon. Donatus Nwankpa of the APC. The question is why must Hon. Okafor do such without the approval of the General Assembly.
Does it not sound ridicule and lack of good leadership that an organization as IPAC that is made up of chairmen of political parties and their representatives should be summoned to a meeting and asked to face the press without pre-briefing.
This also contradicts the early quoted articles 3 “structure” item 4 (iv) which states that the General Assembly will have to approve the working documents of IPAC, before implementation by the Executive Committee.
IPAC SOUTH EAST MEETINGS IN ABIA.
(1) Part of the briefings that Hon. Okafor gave to the Abia IPAC on his return from Kure, was that he was nominated by the IPAC delegates at the Kure meeting as the South-East Chairman of IPAC.
He called a meeting of IPAC South-East in Abia, without carrying the state chapter along, what he did was to send a text message to state IPAC members requesting for N10,000 from each member who want to attend the meeting. This led over 90% of state members not to attend the meeting, as members were asking on why they should pay N10,000 when there supposed to be N1.5million Naira in the organization’s account, being savings from the N3Million gift from Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
(2) On the 5th of March 2017 a text message for a meeting was sent to IPAC members in Abia,for 7th March 2017 and instead of the meeting being held at the IPAC office, Hon. Emeka Okafor slated the meeting for N0. 4 Macaulay Street Umuahia and there was no agenda for the meeting.
After the opening prayer, Hon. Chairman began by informing the General Assembly that there would be an IPAC Southeast retreat in Umuahia Abia State on the 9th March 2017 and that is to say 48hrs to the meeting, if Hon. Emeka Okafor has any respect to other political parties in the state that made up IPAC how can he inform them of such meeting only 48hrs to the event.
At the meeting of 7th March, after some other members had made some observations and l Hon. David Kalu in my own submission l told the him that the issue of the Southeast should not be the main topic as there were an outstanding matters that have to do with the account of Abia IPAC which it was agreed that an account would made available and be treated in any next meeting.
I requested that we should do that before the issue of the Southeast, at this juncture Hon. Emeka rose up from his seat and started hitting me and he did the hitting 4 conservative times and destroyed my Telephone Handset(Microsoft Nokia 430 model).
While Hon. Emeka Okafor was hitting Hon. David Kalu in the presence of other members of IPAC, l never raised his hands on him, knowing very well that am not motor park area boy.
The question is this, if Hon. Okafor feels that l am either laying false accusation or tarnishing his image why did he not go to the law for protection and call for my prosecution?, Rather prefers physical attack on my person. This an indication that he is guilty of whatsoever accusation leveled against him and he started the physical attack as a cover up.

Threat to Life/ Physical Attack, My Life in Danger.
(1) Not once or twice in a meeting that Okafor had been threateing to deal with me, because of my objection to his one man show kind of leadership. Hon. Okafor had in a meeting told me that he will put me in the bout of his car and drove me to a place where l will never been seen again.
(2) In a meeting Hon.Okafor had threatened to call his police boys to deal with Hon. David Kalu and have even boasted that the police in the state are under his control, and that he can use them any how he wants.
And gave an example of how he used them to deal with Orji Uzor Kalu during the re-run senatorial election with Moa Ohuabunwa.
Truly in one of the meeting by political parties held at Felina Hotel, Aba Road, in order to deliberate on the senatorial election, over 10 police men came to the hotel to see him in preparation of the election against Orji Uzor Kalu senatorial ambition.
(3) With physical attack on me it is obvious that my life is in danger.
(4) On the 9th March Morning, while l was in a bus on my way to Aba, Hon. Okafor rang my phone and when l picked he told me that he is watching me, now l don’t understand what that statement indicates. Is the watching means my been kidnapped, assassinated or what?

My Request as follows:
(1) That Hon. Okafor should be made to account for the N300,000 which he said he was asked to return with the bag which the governor gift was brought. The question is who was this money given to and for what purpose.
(2) That Hon Okafor should account for the N1.5 Million that was left in the account of IPAC from the N3 million brought by the Governor.
(3) How much did Hon. Okafor buy the generator , air-condition and should account for other expenditures’ as claimed by him.
(4) That Hon.Okafor should explain to the world why he should physically attack me both through threat of words and physical attack in meetings.
(5) Hon. Okafor, presently have no Political party affiliation, as PPA have removed him as their Abia State Chairman , so what he is still doing in IPAC I don’t know. The Government of Abia State, individuals and cooperate bodies is hereby advised not to have any more dealings with Hon. Okafor. On behalf of IPAC in the State.

Call for Protection:
Am using this forum to call on all Security agencies and the general public, that in any event of anything happening to me, either been kidnapped, assassinated or missing that Emeka Okafor should be held responsible, this becomes necessary based on his actions against my person.
Thanks.
David kalu
Chairman
Citizens Popular Party(CPP).
Abia State.

2017 READ ACROSS NIGERIA ADS

UNVEILING RAN 2017 HONOUREE

RAN set to honour Hafisat Abdulwaheed, first Hausa female author

THE Read Across Nigeria (RAN), an organisation promoting the reading culture in the country, will be honouring Hajiya Hafisat Abdulwaheed, who in early 1970s, became the first female Hausa writer to have her novel published.
The event, which will come up in May, will see literary lovers read from the works of Abdulwaheed, while encouraging more females to take to indigenous writing.
Abdulwaheed, who uses her works to highlight the plight of the womenfolk in Northern Nigeria, was born in Kano and had her primary education in the city. Since when she got her first novel published in the early 1970s, she has written over 30 books till date.

Why we celebrate D.O Fagunwa annually —Wole Adedoyin

Wole Adedoyin is the president of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW), which organises the annual Fagunwa Day Celebration. In this interview with Adewale Oshodi, the literary enthusiast speaks on the forthcoming edition of the celebration of the literary exploits of the late Yoruba indigenous writer, D. O. Fagunwa, as well as the need for Yoruba parents to pass the language to the coming generation. Excerpts:

This year’s edition of the Fagunwa Day will be coming up next month, how prepared are you now for the event?
We are fully prepared for the event, which will be coming up on March 25, 2017, at the school premises of Immanuel College, Ibadan. We have notified participating schools and individuals. The event promises to showcase arts exhibition, knowledge of Yoruba culture among our youths, readings from the five books of D.O. Fagunwa, paper presentations, as well as presentation of awards to outstanding schools and individuals that have contributed greatly to the growth and development of Yoruba Language and literature.

The forthcoming event will be the sixth edition; have you been able to achieve your objectives of coming up with the Fagunwa Day in the last five years?
I want to say that since we started the Fagunwa Day celebration, we have published not less than 40 students who write in the Yoruba Language through our electronic publishing platform. Apart from that, we have been able to create a platform where students read the five works of the late Yoruba literary genius. This platform eventually gave birth to the Fagunwa Literary Society, an initiative commited to reading and promoting the five works of Fagunwa.
Also we have featured great Yoruba literary personalities like Professor Akinwumi Isola, Professor Bayo Adebowale, Professor Dotun Ogundeji, Chief Tubosun Oladapo, as well as the late poet, Chief Supo Kosemani, among others.. We have developed a correspondence course aimed at testing the abilities and knowledge of the students that have read at least a work of the author.

Now, how will you access the promotion of the Yoruba language through the Fagunwa Day event?
Presently, our governments are paying lips service when it comes to the issue of promoting our local languages. Today, you will hear them say they would do this, but implementing the promise is always a big problem. I want to urge the governors of the South West states to give more attention to the promotion of the Yoruba Language. It is so unfortunate that some schools, particularly the private ones, no longer take Yoruba subject serious. It is high time something was done about this. We need to pass on our culture to the coming generation.
In fact, with what we are doing, we ought to have been given the necessary support from all quarters, but this is not the case. Both the government and corporate organisations are not forthcoming in supporting us. That, therefore, tells you how much they value our tradition. It is only the goodwill of publishing and media firms that we are enjoying.

Apart from the event, in what other ways have you been promoting Fagunwa’s works?
We have really achieved a lot in this area. Apart from the correspondence course, we are also working on developing a database of Yoruba writers across the Yoruba speaking states. Presently we are developing graphical charts and posters of some eminent Yoruba writers. For example, many only hear the names of great Yoruba writers like J.F. Odunjo, Olabimtan Afolabi, Akinwumi Isola, Adebayo Faleti, but can’t pin a face to the names, so we are coming up with the posters soon, which will be distributed across the South Western states of the country. However, there is little we can do, particularly with little support. It is, therefore, important for the governors of the South West states to also wake up from their slumber and support the revival of the Yoruba Language. Our children are no longer speaking the language. Parents should also know that when their children cannot speak their mother tongue, then they have lost their culture and history; nothing stops a child from learning English and Yoruba languages. In fact, linguists have said that a child can learn up to five languages at a time, so why are we relegating Yoruba to the background? Through the Fagunwa Day celebration, we are working towards making Yoruba the envy of other languages.

http://tribuneonlineng.com/celebrate-d-o-fagunwa-annually-wole-adedoyin/

SOCIETY OF YOUNG NIGERIAN WRITERS (SYNW)

IN COLLABORATION WITH
DEMOCRATIC WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (DWAN)
CALL FOR ENTRIES


BUHARI, WE HAIL THEE.
(A Collectanea in honour of Muhammadu Buhari GCFR)
Young Nigerian Writers at home and abroad are invited to contribute their works in the ongoing call for entries in honor of our current president Muhammadu Buhari GCFR.
We are calling on all his lovers, admirers and fans to submit entries in form of art works, poems, articles, essays on his political philosophy and life.
Muhammadu Buhari GCFR (born 17 December 1942) is the President of Nigeria, in office since 2015. He is a retired Major General in the Nigerian Army and previously served as the nation's Head of State from 31 December 1983 to 27 August 1985, after taking power in a military coup d'état. The term Buharism is ascribed to the Buhari military government.[8][9]
He unsuccessfully ran for the office of President in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 general elections. In December 2014, he emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the March 2015 general elections. Buhari won the election, defeating the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. This marked the first time in the history of Nigeria that an incumbent president lost to an opposition candidate in a general election. He was sworn in on 29 May 2015.
Entries are welcome from other countries.
Submission Guidelines
1. Medium of entries: poetry, playlet, short story, essay and articles.
2. Minimum of one and maximum of three Works per
entrant.
3. Participation opens to writers between the ages of 10 and 45
4. Works can be poems, essays, articles and short stories.
5. The following information should be submitted alongside their entries: Name of entrants, Age, State, Where you heard about the call for entries, short profile about yourself, telephone and e-mail address.
6. Closing date for submission is 25th of March, 2017.
7. Completed works should be submitted to
societyofyoungnigerianwriters@gmail.com and copy woleadedoyin@gmail.com
Benefits of Participation
1. Issuance of Certificate of Participation and Achievement
2. Shortlisted entries will be published in our proposed printed and electronic anthology.

SOCIETY OF YOUNG NIGERIAN WRITERS

CALL FOR ENTRIES

SONGS AND LETTERS OF REMEMBRANCE
(A Collectanea to the memory of the Late Florence Onyebuchi "Buchi" Emecheta OBE and the Late Chief Elechi Amadi)
Young Nigerian Writers at home and abroad are invited to contribute their works in the ongoing call for entries in honor of the Late Florence Onyebuchi "Buchi" Emecheta OBE (21 July 1944 – 25 January 2017) and the Late Chief Elechi Amadi (12 May 1934 – 29 June 2016).
Florence Onyebuchi "Buchi" Emecheta OBE (21 July 1944 – 25 January 2017) was a Nigerian-born British novelist, based in Britain since 1960, who had also written plays and autobiography, as well as for children. She was the author of more than 20 books, including Second-Class Citizen (1974), The Bride Price (1976), The Slave Girl (1977) and The Joys of Motherhood (1979).
Elechi Amadi (12 May 1934 – 29 June 2016) was a former member of the Nigerian Armed Forces. He was an author of plays and novels that are generally about African village life, customs, beliefs, and religious practices prior to contact with the Western world. Amadi is best regarded for his 1966 debut novel, The Concubine, which has been called "an outstanding work of pure fiction".
Entries are welcome from other countries.
Submission Guidelines
1. Medium of entries: poetry, playlet, short story, essay and articles.
2. Minimum of one and maximum of three Works per
entrant.
3. Participation opens to writers between the ages of 10 and 45
4. Works can be poems, essays, articles and short stories.
5. The following information should be submitted alongside their entries: Name of entrants, Age, State, Where you heard about the call for entries, short profile about yourself, telephone and e-mail address.
6. Closing date for submission is 15th of March, 2017.
7. Completed works should be submitted to
societyofyoungnigerianwriters@gmail.com and copy woleadedoyin@gmail.com
Benefits of Participation
1. Issuance of Certificate of Participation and Achievement
2. Shortlisted entries will be published in our proposed electronic anthology.
For further enquiries call: Amarachi – Wole Adedoyin on 08072673852

READ ACROSS NIGERIA (RAN)

NATIONAL READING DAY
2017 EDITION
CALL FOR READING ACTIVITIES
The National Coordinating Committee of the Read Across Nigeria (RAN) hereby call the attention of those who are interested in organizing reading events in their cities, towns, states, offices, schools, churches, mosques this year are to notify us of their interest by sending us their following details:
Name:
State:
Phone Number:
E-mail Address:
Our 2017 RAN Honouree and the national reading date will be unveiled soon.
Interested participants are to send their details or call Wole Adedoyin – 08072673852, 08142693764, societyofyoungnigerianwriters@gmail.com, woleadedoyin@gmail.com

CALL FOR MEMBERSHIP
OSOGBO WRITERS FORUM
Are you a writer resident in Osun State?
Here is an opportunity for you to submit your profile/data in our ongoing compilation of Directory of Writers in Osun State which will be printed and published online for public access.
If you are interested, kindly send the following information to: societyofyoungnigerianwriters@gmail.com and woleadedoyin@gmail.com.
Name
Gender
No and Title of published works
If unpublished, send No and titles
Address
Phone Number
E-mail
Blog/Web Address
Awards
For enquiries call Wole Adedoyin – 08072673852, 08142693764

2017 NIGERIA NATIONAL DEMOCRACY AWARD

(ANNUAL NATIONAL POLITICAL PARTY MERITORIOUS HONOR AWARD)
Overview
The Democratic Writers Association of Nigeria (DWAN) in conjunction with the Conference of Young Nigerian Democrats has created eight different national awards to recognize the outstanding efforts of Nigerian politicians and democracy activists/promoters. The awards are:

Albert Macaulay Prize for Quality Party Leadership
This award recognizes an individual or organization who has made significant contributions to the promotion of democratic practices and principles in the country.
Gani Fawehinmi Prize for Outstanding Political Activism
This award recognizes an individual for his or her outstanding contributions to advancing the country’s democratic agenda.
Best Political Party of the Year Award
This award recognizes one political party that has made a significant and largely unrecognized contributions to the growth of democracy in Nigeria.
Most Outstanding National Chairman of the Year Award
This award recognizes a national chairman of a registered political party for demonstrating outstanding democratic leadership to his or her party.
Most Outstanding State Chairman of the Year Award
This award recognizes one state chairman of a registered political party for demonstrating outstanding democratic leadership to his or her party.
Most Outstanding Woman Leader of the Year Award
This award recognizes a woman leader of any registered political party for her outstanding contributions to advancing women agenda in the country’s democratic settings.
Most Outstanding Youth Leader of the Year Award
This award recognizes a youth leader of any registered political party for his or her outstanding contributions to advancing youth agenda in the country’s democratic settings.
Awards Committee
The awards will be determined by a committee consisting of eminent democrats who have made significant contributions to the promotion of country’s democracy. Their names shall be made known to the public soon.
Once members of the committee see the award nominations, they must declare any conflicts of interest. Those seen to be in a conflict by the Chair will be excused for all deliberations concerning awards related to the conflict.
Awards
For each award (regardless of the number of recipients) the awardee(s) will receive a plaque recognizing the awardee(s)'s accomplishment(s), Certificates of Achievement and Excellence and a gift.
The award winners will be announced in mid-September and the awards will be presented on the same day.

To apply or nominate
Send your CV, samples of your innovation/work addressed to the Coordinator - Wole Adedoyin – P.O. 6332, Agodi Gate, Ibadan, Oyo State. E-mail- woleadedoyin@gmail.com. You can also call – 08072673852, 08142693764

2017 Yoruba Literature Award
EGBE ODO ONKOWE EDE YORUBA (ASSOCIATION OF YOUNG YORUBA WRITERS)
In Conjunction with
CENTER FOR YORUBA LITERATURE RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND DOCUMENTATION
PRESENTS
2017 YORUBA LITERATURE AWARD
AWARD CATEGORIES
1. Fagunwa Prize for Yoruba Fiction
2. Akinwumi Isola Prize for Playwriting
3. Afolabi Olabimtan Prize for Essay Writing
4. Adebayo Faleti Prize for Yoruba Poems
RULES FOR PARTICIPATION
1. All entries must be in Yoruba Language
2. Only for Writers of Yoruba Expression
3. Individual entrants are to submit six copies of their works for any category of award
4. Entrants should send their entries alongside the following details: age, address, email, phone number, where you heard about this notice and short profile about yourself
5. Entry closes on the 31st of September, 2017
6. All entries should be sent to societyofyoungnigerianwriters@gmail.com and olaase10@yahoo.com
PRIZES TO BE WON:
1st Prize – Certificate of Participation + Certificate of Achievement + Yoruba Factfinder CD + Fagunwa Enquirer CD.
2nd Prize – Certificate of Participation + Certificate of Achievement + Yoruba Factfinder CD
3rd Prize – Certificate of Participation + Certificate of Achievement + Yoruba Fact finder CD + Yoruba Dictionary
For more information contact – Wole Adedoyin on 08072673852