DEMYSTIFYING MASCULINE GIMMICKS IN ASABI ALAKARA BY AKEEM LASISI

Title: Asabi Alakara

Poet: Akeem Lasisi

Timing: 7:42 minutes

Directed by: Sanjo Adegoke

Reviewer: Olutayo Irantiola

Campaigns against sexual harassment, rape and other feminine associated vices are raving issues of the moment .In order to add a creative twist to the campaign, Akeem Lasisi, the award winning poet who fuses both Yoruba and English languages into all his performances, has come up with an ethno-poetic-musicology tagged “Asabi Alakara”.  

Masculine gimmicks were demystified in this new piece. As characteristics of Lasisi, the poem is a fusion of dance, music and verses that has made him evolve another mode of poetry that is distinct from those of Lanrewaju Adepoju, Olatunbosun Oladapo and Ogundare Foyanmu genre as he instructs in danceable tunes.

Some of the cultural elements in the video include the playing of ayo olopon, the game typically played by men to relax; bata drums; the traditional kitchen which symbolises where the good delicacies are prepared and also pretty ladies plaiting their hair to bring out their beauty.

The various ladies depicted to be at risk of sexual harassment in a very subtle manner are hawkers, students, female members of a religious congregation while the baits include money; examination grades cum extra tutorial classes and special anointing. These objects have driven many people in perdition. However, the list is not exhaustive but it instructs everyone adequately.

The Yorubas are known for speaking in parables because it is unfolded by the wise and this was evident in the video. Animals used to carry the import of the narration are the Tortoise which is always associated with corny spells; the hawk which preys on the chicken; the squirrel that escapes from the pellets of the hunter. The poetry is full of post-proverbial sayings making it the poems full of contemporary vibes.

Kudos to team that made it happen, the Director, Sanjo Adegoke; the folklorist, Edaoto Agbeniyi, Ropo Ewenla and others for putting together a nice performance that the Yorubas can gladly call theirs and to the songbird, Akeem Lasisi, may your wisdom not wane.

Commonwealth Writers Call for Writers

adda is Commonwealth Writers’ online gathering of stories, a place where writers and readers can talk to each other across global and geopolitical divides.

We are looking to commission a number of stories for adda in the coming months. Each commission will be given detailed editorial attention to ensure a level of quality in the stories published and also to offer the writers – especially those less experienced – a process to develop their writing.

We are looking to select a broad range of stories, particularly those which haven’t been heard before.

 We are offering one-off commissions:  

Fiction – short stories

Nonfiction – which can include creative nonfiction, memoir, photo or narrative essay

 There are no subject restrictions.

No previously published work will be considered, including work published in anthologies, chapbooks or online.

For fiction submissions please send:

Your short story (1500 – 5000 words), or a completed first draft

A description of your writing history (300 words max)

Your contact details (including postal address, email and telephone number) and nationality. Please note, we can only accept submissions from citizens of Commonwealth countries

 For nonfiction submissions please send:

Your nonfiction piece (1500 – 5000 words), or an outline of what you want to write and why (750 words max), plus a sample of your nonfiction writing (2000 words max)

A description of your writing history (300 words)

Your contact details (including postal address, email and telephone number) and nationality. Please note, we can only accept submissions from citizens of Commonwealth countries

If we offer you a nonfiction commission, there may also be a small expenses fund available to help you to research your piece e.g. local travel. Please state in your submission if you would need us to help with research expenses and what these would be.

You are welcome to submit the same piece of fiction to adda and the 2017 Commonwealth Short Story Prize (which opens for entries on September 1st). If we decide to commission your story for adda you will have the choice to accept and withdraw your entry or reject the commission and keep your story in the prize process.

At the moment, we can only accept work/proposals written in English.

Please send your submissions to commonwealthwriters@gmail.com by 11:59pm (any time zone) on 29 August with the subject heading ‘adda submission’.

You’ll hear back from us by 7th October 2016.

The Theatre Republic to host the Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka

The Theatre Republic hosts the Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, next month as he opens, formally, the performing arts venue and discusses his artistic journey of six decades with presenters, performers and supporters of the arts at the Republic's Ideas Café.

(5 invitations will be made available to selected students of any discipline who write to info@renegadetheatreng.com and state in 200 words why this event would be of benefit to them)

Artistic Director - Wole Oguntokun

POETRY SUBMISSION TO CELEBRATE THE NIYI OSUNDARE @ 70

Gardener of Words, Warrior of Lights: A Special Publication in Honour of Niyi Osundare

Niyi Osundare, internationally acclaimed and multiple award-winning Nigerian poet and essayist, was born on March 12, 1947. He was educated at the Universities of Ibadan, Leeds and York. His importance for African poetry, earlier noted in his Songs of the Marketplace and Village Voices, became more established with the publication of The Eye of the Earth, winner of the Commonwealth Poetry Prize in 1986, the same year that Wole Soyinka became the first African winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. 

Osundare is one of the most celebrated living Nigerian poets today, serving as poetry mentor, judge and motivator to individuals, institutions, literary groups and organisations all over the world. He taught for many years in Nigeria’s premier varsity, the University of Ibadan, where he served as Chair of the Department of English from 1993 to 1997. Osundare is currently Distinguished Professor of English, at the University of New Orleans, USA, and Honorary Professor-at-Large, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

IBPF, in collaboration with the University of Ibadan, is putting together a collection of poems to celebrate Niyi Osundare, unique gardener of words, man of letters, on his seventieth birthday.

This is an open call to all, to submit original poems which celebrate and reflect the vision and values of Niyi Osundare. Interested contributors are invited to send in a maximum number of three poems, including a brief biodata of not more than 150 words.

Please send submissions to ibadanpoetryfoundation@gmail.com, copy a.rajioyelade@ui.edu.ng

Deadline of submission: October 10, 2016

Remi Raji
Jumoke Verissimo
Emman Egya Sule

CALL FOR ENTRIES: ANTHOLOGY OF NIGERIAN WOMEN POETS

Picture from- The Guardian newspaper, Sunday 26th June 2016.

LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD & MAN: REVIEW OF ‘THE VOW’ BY IBUKUNOLUWA IDOWU

Album: The Vow

Number of tracks: 6

Year of album: 2016

Produced by: Abiodun Oni

Name of Reviewer: Olutayo Irantiola

The Yoruba genre of gospel music had been in dearth of originality in the recent past, however, Ibukun Idowu in the album titled ‘The Vow’ demonstrated her understanding of the gospel using Yoruba culture and language.

The first track opens with a short praise chant which was led by bata drums. Then, the track opened properly in a well orchestrated rhythm. The track is a description of the need to rejoice in the Lord at all times. The dexterity of the singer was shown in her ability to add some English twist to the track and it flowed with ease with the support of the talking drum. The 14 minutes long track is a transition from why God should be praised; to the staunch believe in God and the pleasure derived from consistently worshiping God.

The second track titled ‘Omo Oba’ is of the highlife family that is garnished by the horns as required. The track is an encouragement despite the challenges experienced in the world. The artiste motivated her listeners to rejoice which is a sign of hope by praying to be victorious and successful regardless of the storms. As evident in reality, it is only a motivated person that can stand up to confront the enormous challenges of life.

What is the gospel if there is no call to salvation, Idowu in the third track titled ‘Ireti Ogo’ appealed to people to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ because the Lord’s appearance is fast approaching. With faith and assurance, she affirmed her goal of being with the Lord at his coming. Some of the good things that are experienced in Jesus include heavenly hope, eternal life, eternal joy and eternal rest.

The fourth track titled ‘Ibukunoluwa’ can be called a realisation of her name which means God’s blessing. According to the track, after much toil, God has granted her abundant blessing and victory. People can stare at her because of the blessings that have come her way. There was rap in Yoruba that further reinforces the blessings of God all-around the artiste which was only done by God.

The fifth track titled ‘E darasimi’ can be considered as the aftermath of experiencing the blessing of the Lord which is the resolution of the artiste to tell the world of how good the Lord has been to her. Just like Joshua, she made her vow that, ‘as for Idowu and her household, they would worship the Lord’. She concluded the track by imploring people to rise and join her in praises to God.

After experiencing her love and commitment to God, Seun and Ibukunoluwa Idowu came together to discuss their ‘Vow’ to one another in a duet; the last track is short but insightful. The track is like a conversation between them, the song states the duty of both parties. They reminded themselves of the love, commitment, promise and vow that they have started.  They ended by encouraging one another not to allow a third-party into their relationship.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. You can enjoy the lyrics, the rhythm, the encouragement, the love and the firm belief in God, if you get a copy of the album. I recommend it to those interested in pure and original gospel songs that uplift the soul.

Download track here

FINE DINING & DINING FINE THE AFRICAN WAY AT NOK BY ALARA

Photo credit: Olutayo Irantiola

The heart of the Island is experiencing a culinary difference at the moment. It is the Nok by Alara restaurant, a natural space to enjoy your African fine dining at its best. Nok by Alara is located at 12, Akin Olugbade Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The ambience of the restaurant is all African and it looks quite rustic at every time of the day. The waitresses are dressed in traditional iro and buba while there are an array of drinks to order and different meals across West Africa from Senegal to Lagos. The wall has different pictures showcasing the metropolitan city of Lagos.

The outdoor area of the restaurant is artistic; the setting is less formal with stools made of iron and wood. The plants on the exterior also make it the ideal place to relax after a day’s job with an ample supply of oxygen. There is also a table top football soccer board game to play with as you await your orders.

Why not give yourself a treat by visiting this restaurant that gives you a memorable day and a desire to visit whenever you have the opportunity. You will dine fine at Nok by Alara!

HUMOUR, LOVE AND HISTORY IN GHANA MUST GO BY YVONNE OKORO

Titile of Movie: Ghana Must Go
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Production company: Desamour Productions Limited
Movie Release Date: June 10 2016
Reviewer: Olutayo Irantiola

Ghana Must Go is such an interesting romantic comedy about Ama and Chuks, a Ghanaian lady who met a Nigerian man in London while they were both on postgraduate studies. The father of Ama who is a  retired Army Brigadier General, Alex Scanda, vehemently opposed the marriage of the duo who had gone to a registry in London. The General drove him to the airport in Accura in annoyance.

Both Chuks and the Army General discussed the history of the Ghana Must Go.  Chuks explained that the Ghanaian government pushed Nigerians out of the country in 1969 while Nigeria did same in 1983. The army general expressed his  his rage whenever he sees those bags.

Osofia in his usual comic nature got into the scene to appease to the impending in-law in Accura where he called Ankara while his wife corrected him that they are in Akara. He went in hundreds of Ghana Must Go bags, a goat and chicken.

The play changed its course when Osofia and his wives met their father in-law, Alex. The General told his daughter that he was not happy with the turn of events. Chuks appealed to his father in-law about what he has brought on the family.

Ama prepared banku and tilapia soup. Osofia made jest of the food that eventually purged the entire family. That caused an issue between the two fathers who engaged in physical combat while the children came to separate them. After Osofia learnt that the General 's anger was based on his animosity for Nigerians, he also flared up but was appeased by emotions expressed by his daughter in-law.

The humour is great, the love between Ama & Chuks is obvious, the acrimonious relationship between the fathers and the historical antecedent cannot be overlooked. Visit the cinemas in Nigeria from June 10 2016 to have a feel of this intriguing movie.

Herein are pictures from the Lagos media screening

Brunel University African Poetry Prize Announces 2016 Winners

The Brunel University African Poetry Prize
in partnership with Commonwealth Writers

PRESS RELEASE – WINNERS 2016   

The joint winners of the 2016 Brunel University African Poetry Prize are Gbenga Adesina(Nigeria) and Chekwube O. Danladi (Nigeria). 

Gbenga AdesinaGbenga Adesina lives and writes in Nigeria. His poetry, essays and reviews have been featured or are forthcoming in Harriet’s Blog for the Poetry Foundation and in Jalada, Premium Times, Brittle Paper, Africanwriter.com, One Throne, Vinyl, Prairie Schooner andSoar Africa. In 2015, he was an Open Society Foundation Resident Poet on Goree Island, off the coast of Senegal. His first chapbook, Painter of Water, will be published by APBF in the spring of 2016. Follow him @Gbadenaija. The judges said: ‘Adesina’s poems are powerfully political, beautiful and truly searing. This is a poet with a compelling voice addressing concerns of injustice, memory, migration and family.’

Chekwube O. DanladiChekwube O. Danladi was born in Lagos, Nigeria and raised there, as well as in Washington DC and West Baltimore. A Callaloo Fellow, her writing prioritizes themes of teleological displacement, navigations and interrogations of gender and sexuality, and the necessary resilience of African and Afro-diasporic communities. She is currently working towards an MFA in Fiction at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. The judges said: ‘Danladi’s poems are glorious, risky, ambitious and fresh. There is a powerful sense of social justice and serious engagement with contemporary and historical African concerns.’

This is the fourth year of The Brunel University African Poetry Prize, a major poetry prize of £3000 aimed at the development, celebration and promotion of poetry from Africa. The prize is sponsored by Brunel University London and Commonwealth Writers. It is open to African poets worldwide who have not yet published a full poetry collection. Each poet has to submit 10 poems to be eligible.

The judges this year are the poets, critics and academics: Dr Kwame Dawes (University of Nebraska), Dr Tsitsi Jaji (University of Pennsylvania), Dr John Keene (Rutgers University), Dr Helen Yitah (University of Ghana), and Chair and founder, Dr Bernardine Evaristo, Professor of Creative Writing at Brunel University London. Out of a record-breaking 900 entries, the judges came up with a shortlist of ten poets. These were: Gbenga Adesina (Nigeria); Victoria-Anne Bulley (Ghana); Mary-Alice Daniel(Nigeria); Chekwube O. Danladi (Nigeria); Amy Lukau (Angola); Ngwatilo Mawiyoo(Kenya); Momtaza Mehri (Eritrea/Somalia); Saradha Soobrayen (Mauritius); Warsan Shire (Somalia) and Chimwemwe Undi (Zambia/Zimbabwe/Namibia)

Previous winners2013   Warsan Shire (Somalia)
2014   Liyou Libsekal (Ethiopia)
2015   Safia Elhillo (Sudan) & Nick Makoha (Uganda)

The Prize works closely with the African Poetry Book Fund (APBF) at the University of Nebraska. The winners and most of the shortlisted poets of the past three years have had poetry pamphlets published with APBF in their ‘New Generation African Poets’ series of box sets, in partnership with the publishers Slappering Hol Press and Akashic Books in the USA.

The poets are available for interview and can be contacted via

UPDATE ON THE CAINE PRIZE FOR AFRICAN WRITING

The Caine Prize for African Literature received a record breaking number of entries which included 166 short stories from writers representing 23 African countries.
The 2016 judges, who were announced in London last month, are billed to meet in early May to decide on the shortlisted stories, which will be announced shortly thereafter.

Leading the panel of judges this year will be distinguished author and broadcaster Delia Jarrett-Macauley. She will be joined by the acclaimed film, television and theatre actor, Adjoa Andoh; the writer and founding member of the Nairobi based writers' collective, Storymoja, and founder of the Storymoja Festival, Muthoni Garland. Also on the panel are Associate Professor and Director of African American Studies at Georgetown University, Washington DC, Dr. Robert J Patterson and South African writer and 2006 Caine Prize winner, Mary Watson.

Commenting on the entries, Caine Prize Director Dr. Lizzy Attree said: "Once again we have received a record number of entries and we are delighted that so many of the best writers and publishers in Africa chose to submit their work. We are also excited to see an increase in the number of countries represented among the work submitted. Alongside nations with long histories of representation in both our shortlist and the roll call of winners, countries like Ethiopia, Burundi, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Gambia, entered work which our judges now have the onerous task of reading and judging."

The 2015 edition won by "The Sack" and written by Zambian Namwali Serpell has been included in the Caine Prize 2015 anthology Lusaka Punk, which includes all shortlisted stories and others.
Once again, Blackwell Hall, Bodleian Libraries, in Oxford, UK, will host the Caine Prize award ceremony on Monday 4 July 2016.

SUBMISSION FOR 2016 GOLDEN BAOBAB PRIZE

The 2016 Golden Baobab Prize was launched on April 2, 2016 as we commemorated the International Children’s Book Day. This is a very special launch, because we are also celebrating the 7th anniversary of the Prize. To mark this anniversary and the growth of the prize, we have introduced a refreshed identity for the the Golden Baobab Prize and refined award categories and guidelines.

The Golden Baobab Prize is committed to discovering, celebrating and nurturing talented African writers and illustrators. The prize has received nearly 2000 entries since its beginning and its jury has included notable literary personalities such as Meshack Asare, Bernadine Evaristo, Nii Ayikwei Parkes and Paul O. Zelinsky. Funding for the prize has come from organizations such as Echoing Green, Tigo Reach for Change and the African Library Project.

This year there are 4 prizes to be awarded: The Golden Baobab Prize for Picture Books, the Golden Baobab Prize for Early Chapter Books, the Golden Baobab Prize for Illustrators and the Golden Baobab Lifetime Achievement Prize. They come with $20,000 in prize money and publishing opportunities for winning stories.

The Golden Baobab Prize is committed to discovering, celebrating and nurturing talented African writers and illustrators. The prize has received nearly 2000 entries since its beginning and its jury has included notable literary personalities such as Meshack Asare, Bernadine Evaristo, Nii Ayikwei Parkes and Paul O. Zelinsky. Funding for the prize has come from organizations such as Echoing Green, Tigo Reach for Change and the African Library Project.

If you are an African writer, illustrator/artist, get excited and ready to submit! And spread the word among other authors and illustrators you know. For more submission details – www.goldenbaobab.org

Culled from Golden Baobab

2016 WINNERS OF THE REGIONAL COMMONWEALTH STORY PRIZES RELEASED

The 2016 Prize attracted nearly 4000 entries from 47 countries. After an initial sift by a team of international readers, the global judging panel, representing each of the five regions of the Commonwealth – Helon Habila (Africa), Firdous Azim (Asia),  Pierre Mejlak (Canada and Europe)  Olive Senior (Caribbean), and Patrick Holland (Pacific) – chose the shortlist. From this shortlist, the judges selected the five regional winners below.

Chair, South African novelist and playwright Gillian Slovo, said of the regional winners:

“From Faraaz Mahomed’s ‘The Pigeon’ with its playful tone and unreliable narrator, Parashar Kulkarni’s ‘Cow and Company’, a witty satire that engagingly immerses the reader in its world, and ‘Eel’, a simply told and moving story of childhood by Stefanie Seddon to Lance Dowrich’s comedic ‘Ethelbert and the Free Cheese’ and Tina Makereti’s ‘Black Milk’, which impressed with a lyricism that takes the reader into another world while keeping us always on earth, these were all worthy winners and show how well the short story is flourishing in the Commonwealth.”

The regional winners will now compete to be selected as the Overall Winner of the 2016 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, to be announced at the Calabash International Literary Festival in Jamaica on 5 June.

Commonwealth Writers has partnered with Granta magazine to give regional winners of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize the opportunity to be published by Granta online. One story will be available to read every Wednesday until 1 June. At the same time, a conversation between the regional judge and the regional winner will be available as a podcast below.

Pacific Regional Winner – ‘Black Milk’ by Tina Makereti (New Zealand)

"It's a wonderful surprise to win the regional prize with this strange little story. It couldn't have existed without Fiona Pardington's photography, which requires us to see in a different way. Good fiction makes us see in a different way also, so it makes me very happy that 'Black Milk' might have achieved that."

Tina Makereti

"The Pacific shortlisted stories evoked a marvellous sense of place – that is, their settings seemed inevitable, essential – and they were gripping tales. ‘Black Milk’ stood out from the pack as an incredibly strange and powerful tale of a culture – at least one phase of that culture – in its twilight."

Patrick Holland, 2016 Judge

Patrick Holland in Australia speaks over Skype to Tina Makereti in New Zealand about her winning story 'Black Milk'.

'Black Milk' will be available to read on Granta shortly.

The Birdwoman came into the world while no one was watching. It was her old people who sent her, the ones who hadn’t chosen to make the transition, who stayed in their feathered forms, beaks sharp enough to make any girl do what her elders told her.
“It’s time,” they said. “They’re ready.”

READ AN EXTRACT

Asia Regional Winner – ‘Cow and Company’ by Parashar Kulkarni (India)

"I have been trying to write for many years now and I feel encouraged to continue. I am thankful for the opportunity to share my work with Commonwealth Writers, and with Granta. I am also looking forward to reading new and exciting voices that emerge from this initiative."

Parashar Kulkarni

"The Asian stories were really remarkable, representing a wide array of themes and styles. Humour, which is always a difficult mood to convey in a short span of time, was also one of the hallmarks of the stories from the Asian region. Congratulations are due to Parashar Kulkarni as ‘Cow and Company’ embodies all the best qualities in the stories. It is politically grounded, funny and keeps the reader engrossed as the story twists and turns and shows the connections between culture and commercial interests."

Firdous Azim, 2016 Judge

Parashar's winning story 'Cow and Company' will be available to read on Granta from 11 May.

‘Cow and Company’ is about four men in search of a cow. Eventually they do find one and take her to their office. It is part of a larger project set in colonial India.

READ AN EXTRACT

Africa Regional Winner – ‘The Pigeon’ by Faraaz Mahomed (South Africa)

"I am an unseasoned writer, who continues to struggle with the insecurities and anxieties of inexperience. Winning the Commonwealth Prize for the African region is more than an accolade, it's a prompting to continue down this path."

Faraaz Mahomed

"The Africa region included stories on almost every conceivable theme, accentuating the endless complexity and beauty of the continent; a testament to the inexhaustible talent that abounds there. 'The Pigeon' is a carefully and patiently woven tale about love, lust, guilt, and escape. It illustrates just how, as humans, we will always come short of our ideals, and we must learn to live with that."

Helon Habila, 2016 Judge

Faraaz's winning story 'The Pigeon' will be available to read on Granta from 18 May.

The story of a brief and turbulent affair, reflected through the narrator’s close relationship with a peculiar confidant.

READ AN EXTRACT

Canada and Europe Regional Winner – ‘Eel’ by Stefanie Seddon (UK)

"'Eel' is a very personal story to me. Its 'rite-of-passage' theme is a universal one, and its setting is the South Island of New Zealand, where I spent the first half of my life. I think you never really lose the view you grow up with, and when you see it through a lens of time and distance, it can be a great source of inspiration for fiction writing."

Stefanie Seddon

"With Hemingway-esque simplicity, ‘Eel’ tells the unforgettable story of a boy on an eel-fishing trip with his friends. It is a story about childhood slowly making way for adulthood through an experience many readers can relate to. It is an exceptional short story, full of insights into life, beautiful imagery and heartfelt emotions, meriting the title of regional best."

Pierre Mejlak, 2016 Judge

Stefanie's winning story 'Eel' will be available to read on Granta from 25 May.

On the West Coast of 1920s New Zealand, a boy battles eels and older brothers on a quest for independence.

READ AN EXTRACT

Caribbean Regional Winner – ‘Ethelbert and the Free Cheese’ by Lance Dowrich (Trinidad and Tobago)

"Winning the Regional Prize celebrates the simplicity of laughter that is so commonplace in Caribbean life. As small states we typically look outwards for references including humour. This prize says that not only can we laugh at ourselves but we can allow others to laugh with us. As we laugh we remain confident that we are talented and that we can impact the world."

Lance Dowrich

"Ethelbert and the Free Cheese' captures the carnivalesque spirit of Trinidad street life where a born loser's destiny is everyone's topic. While the tale is rooted in the Caribbean’s strong oral storytelling tradition, the author's command of his material - character, plot, pace and the authenticity of language - leavened with a delicious wit, lifts the story into the pantheon of exuberant comic tales."

Olive Senior, 2016 Judge

Lance's winning story 'Ethelbert and the Free Cheese' will be available to read on Granta from 1 June.

Ethelbert, son of Tantie Lucy, lives in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago and has committed himself to his working class job in a deliberate attempt to mask his loneliness and loveless life. In a chance encounter he recognizes the power of cheese to win him love, status and a brand new life.

READ AN EXTRACT