Category: Writing

E.E Sule

A novel takes its author to wherever it wants – E.E. Sule

E. E. Sule, Associate Professor of English at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, is no stranger to award winning, having won awards in literary competitions sponsored by Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, and shortlisted for the prestigious NLNG prize. But his recent winning of the Commonwealth Writers Prize with his novel, Sterile Sky, is certainly [...]

Can it be Cured?

It hurts like a blood disease That destroys blood cells of transparency And enzymes of credibility and reputation It restricts the flow of due process Veins are blocked with weak legislation And the drugs of court remain resistant Then the virus of corruption is injected   When the blood is contaminated And all signs appear [...]

Winner of the 2013 African Writer’s Residency announced

Chika Unigwe has been selected as the 2013 winner of the Sylt Foundation African Writer’s Residency Award Chika Unigwe from Nigeria is the recipient of the Residency Award which she’ll take up at the Sylt Foundation’s headquarters within the next few months. This new residency opportunity is to be awarded annually to writers of contemporary [...]

Four Nigerians make this year’s Caine Prize shortlist

Nigeria made history Wednesday when the judges of the Caine Prize for African Writing announced that out of the five writers on the shortlist of this year’s prize, four are Nigerians. They are Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Arts Editor of Trust Newspaper, for his short story ‘The Whispering Trees’ from the collection, The Whispering Trees, published [...]

Do or Die!

Senator Dambo took another look at the total amount spent so far, nodded his coconut, and put the notebook back into the cabinet. He felt happy about the decision he had taken. No decision could be wiser. The elimination of Alhaji Hamza was the only guarantee to his winning the election. He lumbered over to [...]

Prime of life

I sit and reminisce with ease The little time we spent Watching sailboats by the sea And fishermen spread their nets.   Time and time We would laugh at life, Its hazards as well. The thought of life together Toppled us down Upon the lushness of grasses, In an enchanting embrace.   Now I shudder [...]

Ex-Blueprint writer E.E. Sule wins regional 2013 Commonwealth Book Prize

A former member of the Editorial Board of Blueprint, E.E. Sule, has emerged winner of the 2013 Commonwealth Book Prize, Africa region. Sule, a professor at the IBB University, Lapai, Niger state, won the regional prize with his book, Sterile Sky. He had also written a weekly column in Blueprint until last year when he [...]

Shattered Dreams

Scattered on the stone-cold floor The residue of a broken heart – Shattered pieces done by the blast of rejection. I made my bed with soft, smooth sheets   And perfumes from ancient lands. I spiced the sheets for my love and Set his blazing flames on course To perpetuate the gospel of true love [...]

Achebe: The novelist as class teacher

From last week As though Achebe was keeping his house in order before embracing more global engagements, he packed much into the 1980/81 session. Thus he organized the Okochi (dry season in Igbo language) Festival to which he invited story tellers from the villages, in an attempt to make the university recognize the real oral [...]

A novel shouldn’t be just about one thing – Chimamanda

A novel shouldn’t be just about one thing – Chimamanda

Recently Chimamanda Adichie was at Tera Kulture to launch her new novel, Americanah. The novel, which is about Ifemelu and Obinze, how they changed when they both left Nigeria for abroad. For Ifemelu, she experienced race in America while Obinze involved himself in shody things which eventually led to his deportation back to Nigeria. The [...]