The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) which Chinua Achebe the Immortal founded over four decades ago concluded its 44th Convention on Saturday, November 1, 2025. The Convention held for four days: from Thursday, 30, to the aforementioned Saturday, November 1st – although the official date of departure was Sunday, November 2. They were boisterous days of boisterously boisterous events cheerfully cherished by several groups of boisterous lads – aspiring and would-be authors, energetic, lively would-be writers already dreaming of being maestros of a generation of a lively new crowd of tomorrow.
Dr Usman Oladipo Akanbi, the youngishly young President of ANA who was the conjurer-in-chief of the 44th Convention which held at the Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village, Mpape, Abuja was a chief host who was a chief host and a motivator who was a motivator. His calmness throughout the events never betrayed the sense of joy he was filled with.
But I could discern the high spirits he was in. Senior – or, better, veteran/almighty – pushers of the pen such as, for example, professors emeriti Femi Osofisan and Olu Obafemi, two past National Presidents of ANA, were visibly visible to play their roles as rambunctious elders especially right from the evening of Friday, 31st November when ANA College of Fellows had its inaugural Fellows’ Dinner strictly for (us) Fellows only. What an evening of lively liveliness!
I am not appointing myself as an exuberant reporter, but I must not omit my observation of Dr Usman Oladipo Akanbi and of Dr Camillus Ukah, the immediate Past President of ANA, when the Very Eminent Personage, Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, majestically entered the main hall (of the Chinua Achebe International Centre) of events on the official opening ceremony of the Convention. They were delightfully delighted as they and Professor Osofisan welcomed our Nobel Laureate and ushered him to his seat.
Of course, Wole Soyinka’s appearance at the Convention sent a huge message that was really a huge message to all ANA faithful who understood the import of his appearance at the Convention as Special Guest of Honour who equally honoured Dr Akanbi’s Exco by commissioning the new elegant building, the edifice, that is now standing as a credit to ANA’s positive president positively rocking rockingly our continent’s foremost writers’ body. So why should Dr Akanbi and his predecessor (and their team) not experience sensations that were marked by the intense reality of a dream – or, better put, of the surreal?
As already indicated, I did not see my good self as an enthusiastic reporter (or chronicler) of the 44th ANA Convention. So I should gloss over (and I am glossing over) more than several aspects of what I saw or did not see. As the events happened as they happened sequentially and unsequentially, my mind entered my memories, and my memories entered my mind. As a matter of fact, they strolled in and out of the respective chambers in my mind and memories and in my memories and mind.
ANA Bendel streamed and flowed and flowed and streamed and streamed to me. The immortally Immortal Chinua Achebe appeared as he exactly did on three occasions at different times in Benin City when ANA Bendel hosted him. On the first two occasions which were in the early and mid-eighties, ANA Bendel which was in its fledgling and fledging states hosted ANA National.
The venue of the first hosting if my recollection is hosting me well now was the University of Benin, Faculty of Engineering Board (of Studies) Room. Then the total number of participants did not exceed twenty-five or thirty participants or so. I remember vividly that the late immaculate frontline theorist-and-critic Professor Abiola Irele was present. Odia Ofeimun, the first National Secretary-General was also present. As I pen this I can remember the jest Abiola Irele made of Odia Ofeimun in respect of the quarrel between him and the equally now late JP Clark with respect to Odia Ofeimun’s first poetry volume, The Poet Lied, which JP Clark the Great hounded out of circulation for a pretty long time.
“Hounded out of circulation.” I hope this phrase is not an abnormal one to employ here…. The late Dr Catherine Achonolu, the feminist and poet, and now Professor Tess Onwueme, the playwright presently based in the United States, were the only two female personages at the event. I remember their artistic Igbo dancing steps that entertained the audience to enliven the evening that strolled into late dusk. Only four of us – Drs Festus Iyayi, Tunde Fatunde, Odun Balogun (all of whom are now non-beings of our earth plane) and this penner the penner were the key and sole local hosts. At that time the ANA Convention was essentially a national event.
Of the local ANA Bendel writers-hosts, this columnist is the only one living to record what he is now recording in shaping ANA’s history. But he is beating the gun which he is jumping! The glister and stirrer is jumping and beating the umpire’s gun with the encouragement in the not distant past of Professor Sonny Awhefeada of Delta State University, Abraka.
To be continued.
Afejuku can be reached via 08055213059.
