Nigerian Folklore Society holds conference and congress in Kano

Nigeria Folklore Society, in collaboration with Centre for Research in Nigerian Languages and Folklore, Bayero University, Kano, is set to hold its fourth yearly conference and 13th congress at Musa Abdullahi Auditorium at Bayero University, Kano, Kano State. The event, which will run for three days, will open on April 29 through May 2, 2018. The theme for this year’s conference is ‘Folklore and Folklife in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges in 21st century.’

A statement from the president of Nigeria Folklore Society and author of many books on folklore, culture, history and development economics, Dr. Bukar Usman stated, “The revival process for the Nigerian Folklore Society is to all intents complete now and it is therefore worthwhile to revisit oral poetry practice in Nigeria being the very matter which gave birth to the NFS in Zaria in 1981.The Zaria conference produced the first and most authoritative book [now out of print] Oral Poetry in Nigeria [1982), edited by Uchegbulam et al, and published by the Federal Department of Culture. It’s about time now to host a major conference on this important subject and issue a solid book from a selection of the papers to be presented, which are also to be considered for publication in the revived Journal of Nigerian Folklore. We are delighted to invite all interested scholars and researchers to prepare thoroughly-researched and well-written papers on any of the sub-themes detailed below.”

The sub-themes are ‘Fieldwork in Nigerian Folklore,’ ‘Folklore and Globalization,’ ‘Uses and Functions of Folklore,’ ‘Gender Issues in Folklore,’ ‘Genres of Folklore,’ ‘Folktales,’ ‘Folksongs/Oral Poetry,’ ‘Proverbs,’ ‘Riddles,’ ‘Jokes, Anecdotes and Tongue-twisters, etc.,’ ‘Theatre Arts, Film and Drama,’ and ‘Folklore and Traditional Medicine.’ Others include ‘Folklore and Language,’ ‘Games, Festivals and Ceremonies,’ ‘Folklore and Nationalism,’ ‘History and Folklore,’ ‘Folklore and the Economy,’ and ‘Folklore and Tourism.’

Keynote speaker for the conference is the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission, Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed. Other lead paper presenters include Prof. Angela Miri, Prof. Abdu Yahya Bichi, Prof. Segun Adekoya, Prof. Aliyu Muhammed Bunza, Prof. Sani Abba Aliyu, Prof. Sa’idu Babura Ahmad, Prof. Nkem Okoh and Prof. Muhammed Inuwa Umar Buratai.

Chairman of the occasion is Nigerian Ambassador to Egypt and Eretria, Prof. Dundatti Abdulkadir. Host for the event is president of the society, Usman, while the Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Prof. Muhammed Yahuza Bello, is chief host.

The society has called on literary lovers to participate fully by sending a 300-word abstract with their name, institutional affiliation, phone number and e-mail address to the society at nigerianfolkloresociety@gmail.com. Deadline for the registration and submission of abstract is March 31, 2018.