Association of Nigerian Authors

Organization promoting Nigerian literature

Association of Nigerian Authors

Association of Nigerian Authors

Area served in green

Abbreviation| ANA
Founded| June 27, 1981; 44 years ago (1981-06-27)
Founder| Chinua Achebe
Legal status| Active
Purpose| To nurture and encourage literature in Nigeria
Headquarters| Mamman Vatsa Writers' Village, Mpape
Location|

* Abuja, Nigeria

Origins| Nsukka, Nigeria

Region served

| Nigeria

Official languages

| English
Owner| Nigerian Government

General Secretary

| Maik Ortserga

President

| Camillus Ukah

Vice-president

| Farida Mohammed

Key people

| Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu (Patron)

Main organ

| Ministry of Education

Parent organization

| Nigerian Government
Award(s)| Nigeria Prize for Literature
Website| Official website

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) is a non-profit organization that promotes Nigerian literature. It represents Nigerian creative writers at home and abroad. It was founded in 1981 by Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe as its president.[1][2] The immediate past President is Alhaji Denja Abdullahi. The incumbent president is Camilus Ukah and the Vice President is Hajiya Farida Mohammed.[3]

Niger State Governor Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu has been a supporter of the association. In January 2008, he said to a delegation from the Association of Nigerian Authors, Niger State, "I think Niger State will be the most published state in 2008. We want to publish you; we shall publish you..." The state was to publish at least twenty titles in 2008 alone.[4] Speaking in October 2009 at a convention of the Association of Nigerian Authors, Aliyu said that more than 90 per cent of Nigerian politicians have criminal intentions, spending huge amounts to gain office for their own benefit rather than to serve the public.[5]

## History

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The organization was founded on 27 June 1981, ten years after the Nigerian Civil War, at a conference at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The conference was attended by two Kenyan writers, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o and Gacheche Wauringi. Afterwards, the organization was registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria in accordance with the now 1990 vide Companies and Allied Matters Act no 1.

ANA's founding members include Kole Omotoso, Mabel Segun, Ernest Emenyonu, Labo Yari, Femi Osofisan, J. P. Clark, Niyi Osundare, Jerry Agada and T. M. Aluko.[3][2][6][7]

## Prizes it has sponsored

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In 2004, the ANA awarded the following prizes:[8]

* ANA/Atiku Abubakar Prize for Children Literature — Sola Alamutu and Dawodu Peju: Cate Saves the Ikopi Rainforest (winner); Lawal–Solarin, Tunde: Lanre and the Queen of the Stream; Olajire Olanlokun: Children Poetry for Pleasure.
* ANA/NDDC Drama Prize (In honour of J. P. Clark) — Yahaya Dangana: The Royal Chambers (winner); Chetachukwu Isaacs-Iroegbu: Ezewanyi; Leke Ogunfeyimi: Sacrifice the King.
* ANA/NDDC Prize (In honour of Gabriel Okara) — Ohaeto Ezenwa: Chants of a Minstrel (winner); Emeka Agbayi: Stars Die; Segun Akinlolu: King’s Messenger.
* ANA/NDDC Prose Prize (In memory of Ken Saro-Wiwa) — Arthur-Worey: Fola: The Diaries of Mr Michael (winner); Philip Begho: Jelly Baby; Brisibe-Dorgu: Gesiere: Love So Pure.
* ANA/Spectrum Prize — Tayo Olafioye: Tomorrow Left Us Yesterday (winner); Ifeoma Chinwuba: Merchants of Flesh; Toni Kan: Ballads of Rage.
* ANA/Cadbury Prize — Simbo Olorunfemi: Eko Ree (winner); Nnadi Amu: Pilgrim’s Passage; Joe Ushie: Hill Songs.
* ANA/NDDC Flora Nwapa Prize for Women Writing — Njere Chydy: Ordinary Women. (The judges noted that there was no superlative submission for the category, hence, no entry is worthy of mention.)
* ANA Literary Journalist, 2004 — Ohai Chuks (Daily Independent, winner); Sumaila Umaisha (New Nigerian, winner).

## References

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1. ^ "Association of Nigerian Authors". Bambooks.io. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
2. ^ a b Edoro, Ainehi (5 November 2013). "Are You A Nigerian Writer? Why Join The Association of Nigerian Authors?
 Brittle Paper Q&A with Richard Ali". Brittle Paper. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
3. ^ a b "History | Association of Nigerian Authors". Snanigeria.org. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
4. ^ B. M. Dzukogi (27 January 2008). "Day Gov Babangida hosted writers in Minna". Daily Sun. Archived from the original on 6 February 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
5. ^ Ayegba Israel Ebije (31 October 2009). "Nigerian Politicians Are Criminals - Gov Babangida Aliyu". Online Nigeria Daily News. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
6. ^ Diala (2020). "A Writers' Body and the Nigerian Literary Tradition". Research in African Literatures. 50 (4): 121–141\. doi:10.2979/reseafrilite.50.4.08. JSTOR 10.2979/reseafrilite.50.4.08. S2CID 226487570.
7. ^ "'At 40, we are poised to celebrate our founding fathers'". Thenationonlineng.net. 21 February 2021. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
8. ^ [1] [dead link]

## External links

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* ANA official site Archived 2014-02-07 at the Wayback Machine
* ANA Official Listserve Archived 2012-07-17 at the Wayback Machine a forum for the discussion of Authorship in Nigeria