Association of Nigerian Authors, Rivers State Branch

 By Raphael Edookue (Publicity Secretary, ANA Rivers). The role of Activism in the upturning of oppressive norms across the world cannot be overemphasized. Associated with it's purest forms are names like Martin Luther King Jnr., Nelson Mandela, Ken Saro-Wiwa to mention but a few. However, over the years, Activism has been abused by the young and old through acts of personal aggrandizement so much so that it has given birth to some ugly derivatives like "cash-tivists." It is a robust approach to liberating a people from whatever noose retarding the full stretch of their necks hence, activism requires so many tools beyond ranting on radio and television, protests and vandalism. The late Ken Saro-Wiwa had relied much on writing. There will be another perspective to activism again as Th e Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation (KSF) is set to begin a new series of discussions captioned "Art and Activism",  perhaps, this initiative will among other things, considers how Art as a...

By Raphael Edookue (Publicity Secretary, ANA Rivers). In what seems to be a football team selection, the shortlist for the Nigerian Prize for literature, the most prestigious literary prize in Africa, sponsored by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) limited, features eleven best authors out of whatever number of entries received in a year. This year's prize is for prose fiction, it was supposed be administered in 2020 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  As this year's shortlist of  eleven was released by the Advisory Board of The Nigeria Prize for Literature on Saturday, 3rd July, 2021, out of the 202 entries received, the Rivers State Branch of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) was swallowed  by joy as it's member and former National Auditor of ANA,  Mr. Anaele Ihuoma, fondly called " Nobel " by some older members of the branch made the list with his much talked about novel: " Imminent River".  It will interest you to note th...