By Henry Akubuiro
The 41st International Convention of Africa’s largest writers’ body, the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), taking place from October 26-30th, 2020, at the Chinua Achebe International Conference Centre, Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village, Mpampe, Abuja, will witness some August visitors.
Three presidential aspirants — Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC and Labour Party’s Peter Obi —have been invited by ANA as Special Guests.
The invite signed by the association’s president, Camillus Ukah, and secretary, Maik Ortserga, states that this year’s convention, the 41st since the association was founded by Prof Chinua Achebe and others, is built around “Literature and National Consciousness.”
“We also request that, as you come, you should address us on the topic of ‘Creativity in an Embattled Polity: Expectations, Constraints and Imperatives,’” the statement read.
The Abuja convention, said the organisers, “is, no doubt, another grand opportunity to showcase Nigerian literature as an indisputable testimonial of our country’s continental leadership and greatness.
Interestingly, a high-powered delegation from the Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA), based in Accra, Ghana, as well as delegates from many other countries, will be attending the convention, thus arguing the occasion as Africa’s leading literary event of the year 2022.