Poetess Cecilia Kato Tackles Gender Issues - Abdullahi Abubakar

The prolific poetess, Cecilia Kato, will read from her poems in print and work in progress at the highly-acclaimed Guest Writer Session on July 30, 2011. An initiative of the Abuja Writers Forum (AWF), now in its third year, the event holds at the Pen and Pages Bookstore, White House Plaza, Plot 79, Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja and has featured an exciting array of emerging and established writers. A lecturer at the University of Abuja, Mrs Kato is considered to be one of the leading female poets from Northern Nigeria, who brings a wonderful perspective to feminist poetry in Nigeria. She has published two collections of poetry Desires andVictims of Love. Her forthcoming poetry collections are Let Me Cry To Your Hearing, A Woman’s Song and Choices.

Born in Kagoro, Jama’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, she attended WTC Zaria, College of Education, Kano and did her first and second degrees at University Of Calabar. Currently undertaking a doctoral programme in the ELS department of the University of Abuja, Mrs Kato is an advocate for women’s emancipation and gender equity. She is also interested in Communications. On what inspires her poetry, Mrs Kato says: “Poetry is my passion. It is a natural consequence of my rural upbringing. Kagoro exudes poetry by its topography. The streams, the foliage, the wild game and birds sing through memories that have survived every (aspect) of western education that one has received. Other experiences stem from early marriage and the survival techniques life made available to provide an enabling environment for the prisoner of the world’s worst war, The turbulence caused by riots in my state has left a mark on each of us. This too is reflected in what I call ‘my stupid thoughts’, that is, the poetry I write.” The event which will include the usual side attractions of poetry performance, mini art exhibition, and a raffle-draw will also feature live music. The Abuja Writer’s Forum meets three Sundays each month and hosts a reading on every last Saturday at the International Institute of Journalism and Pen and Pages respectively.

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Six Make NLNG Literature Prize Longlist

Six home-based writers have made the initial shortlist of the 2011 Nigeria Prize for Literature. Philip Begho, a two-time contender for the prize, made the list with his ‘Aunty Felicia Goes to School'; runner-up for the 2007 edition, Uche Peter Umez with ‘The Runaway Hero' and Ayodele Olofintuade with ‘Eno's Story'. Other works on the list contained in a release from Ifeanyi Mbanefo, Manager, Corporate Communication and Public Affairs of Nigeria LNG, the sponsor of the highly coveted prize, are ‘The Missing Clock' by Mai Nasara, Chinyere Obi-Obasi's ‘The Great Fall' and ‘Red Nest' by Thelma Nwokeji. Mbanefo disclosed that although Nigerian writers from all over the world submitted entries for the prize, all six shortlisted writers reside in Nigeria. Professor of English at the University of Lagos and a past co-winner of the prize, Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, chaired the panel which judged the 2011 prize worth $100,000.

Other members of the panel include Lekan Oyegoke, Yakubu Nasidi, David Ker and Ini-Obong Uko, all professors. The six works made the final cut from the 126 books submitted for the 2011 edition awarded for children's literature. Akachi-Ezeigbo disclosed that "the judges were particularly careful to avoid poorly edited books, books with low moral thresholds, junk reads, thrillers or books which can be read on auto-pilot. The emphasis is on good books that stay with you long past the point at which you put them down." Established in 2004, the Nigeria Prize for Literature rotates annually amongst four literary genres: prose fiction, poetry, drama and children's literature. Past winners include Ahmed Yerima and the late Esiaba Irobi. A second shortlist of three books is expected in September while the award ceremony will hold in October.

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