Category Archives: Events

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Ndiritu Wahome and Ciku Kimeria for Goethe Nairobi

Kenyan writers Ndiritu Wahome and Ciku Kimeria will be the authors who will be discussing their books at the “Conversation with African writers” series at the Goethe Institut in Nairobi on Thursday March 19th. They will be facilitated by facilitated by Khainga O’ Okwemba.

I’ve talked about Ciku Kimeria on this blog before. She is the author who has been doing her darnedest to market her debut novel Of goats and poisoned oranges a tantalizing tale of betrayal, deceit, greed, corruption, love and revenge that will leave you reeling. Her efforts have seen her showing her work in Uganda and in West Africa, Ghana and Nigeria to be precise.

Then there is Ndiritu Wahome whose contribution to the African literature lexicon is “The sad artist and other fairy tales.” I interviewed him last year and he turned out to be quite the philosopher writer.

Then there is Khainga O’Okwemba. He is a Kenyan poet, journalist, writer of fiction, and critic – Khainga Okwemba. I have talked about his work here.

So these three folks will be talking books and you know you want in on the action. The best thing about is that the first 100 people to rsvp to the event starting at 6pm will be eligible for a KES 100 discount on the book price at the event.

 

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Nigeria’s Kate Ekanem to unleash debut novel at Authors Talk Lagos

Kate Ekanem

Kate Ekanem is a writer who started writing at the age of five and by age eighteen, the girl child activist, had started an initiative called The Kate Tales Foundation. It advocates for girl child education, curates art exhibitions and support emerging writers development and women empowerment. Malala who?

The Foundation will be hosting Authors Talk on the 18th of April 2015 at the Goethe Institut in Lagos, Nigeria on 18th April. The theme for the gig is “Writing, through the perspective of an unpublished writer.”

So what will be on offer? A hell of a lot. There will be book chats, spoken word performances, Highlife Music and a photography talk.

Who will be on the panels of the book chats? Well its a serious list; Toni Kan (Nights of the creaking bed), Dami Ajayi (Clinical Blues), Ukamaka Olisakwe (Eyes of the Goddess), Adebola Rayo, Abubakar Ibrahim (The Whispering Trees), Joe Dudun (Waiting for Sanity).

The photography talk will be done by award winning photographer Nseabasi Akpan.

And the piece de resistance? The launch of Kate Ekanem’s new book A Golden Heritage a story set in modern life of secondary school activities in Africa’s largest economy.

What do I love about this? Established authors supporting the next generation of authors. It is to be commended.

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Ugandan poet Harriet Anena showcases in Kampala

Harriet Anena

Femrite is one of the most organised female collectives in the publishing industry on the continent. It has been described as more than just a feminist publisher by some but in truth what they do is as feminist as it gets. In a good way.

This year, the organisation has been doing a series of events showcasing some of the best writers we have on the continent with a focus on the ladies. Last month, the author being featured was Kenyan Ciku Kimeria who wrote Of Goats and Poisoned Oranges and there was a pretty good turn out.

The author for February was Harriet Anena, a Ugandan born poet whose book A Nation In Labour was presented in conversation with Juliane Okot P’Bitek. The Special Projects Office with the African Centre for Media Excellence read some of here her poems and engaged with those who rocked up at the Femrite offices in Kampala.

For those who might want to know more about this books I recommend that you read the review from our from So Many Stories here —> A Nation In Labour | Three voices, one book by Richard Oduor, Grace Kenganzi and David Kangye.

You can also read more about Harriet at the following links;

:: Harriet Anena

:: The making of a budding poet

Here are some images of the event courtesy of the event organisers.

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Ciku Kimeria for Ghanaian launch

Ciku Kimeria

Kenyan writer Ciku Kimeria is one of the new novelists to watch in the continent. Her weirdly titled novel “Of Goats and Poisoned Oranges” is described as the tumultuous marriage of a middle-aged Kenyan power couple living in the hills of Mount Kenya as it is told by different parties in their life.

After a decent showing at the Storymoja Festival in 2014 the writer recently launched her book in Kampala, Uganda and got some good vibe from her sisters across the border.

It looks like West Africans are the next to get Kimeria’s special charm and plan for world domination. She will be launching book in Accra, Ghana on January 31st at the Accra Polo Club. For details for those who might be in Ghana and want to attend please read the poster attached.

 

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Images from the Association of Nigerian Authors Convention 2014

Nigerian President Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s Senior Special Assistant Ms. Molara Wood reads the opening speech on his behalf

Yesterday we gave a report from the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) convention that ended last weekend in the West African nation. The images here kindly submitted by the gang at ANA aren’t world class, they are writers after all, but they give a good feel for the event and the action. Enjoy.

Chief Librarian of Adeyipo Village hugging Presidential Representative, Ms. Molara Wood

Association of Nigerian Authors President, Prof. Remi Raji-Oyelade

ANA Financial Secretary, Chineyere Obi-Obasi, posing with the official convention tee shirt.

Richard Ali buying books at the Convention.

Guitar player Edaoto Agbeniyi opening the film, Yeepa.

Actor Ropo Ewenla welcoming guests to the Night of Palmwine and Poetry

Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan where the action was.

There was cake too.

There was a visit to the Adeyipo Village.

Chief Librarian Yeye Akilimali Funua with Richard Ali

ANA President, Prof. Remi Raji-Oyelade, personally accrediting the first delegates.

 

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Images from Oduor Jagero’s Kampala book launch

The handsome fellow on the right Jagero Oduor poses with a fan.

So last week Oduor Jagero did the launch for his book True Citizen in Kampala, Uganda. The author shared these images from his Ugandan adventure which happened at Plot 52 Bukoto Street, Kamwokya the other Thursday.

Oduor Jagero signs a few books.

It was a full house.

 

And there was class.

And there was intelligent musing.

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Beatrice Lamwaka in Johannesburg, Oduor Jagero in Kampala

Beatrice Lamwaka

For those in Kampala and Johannesburg there are some very cool literary events for you today. In Jozi, Caine Prize nominee 2011 Beatrice Lamwaka will be joining South Africans Mandla Langa, Makhosazana Xaba and Masande Ntshanga to read extracts from their latest novels and poetry collections. They will be discussing their work with Michele Magwood who is the contributing Books Editor for the Sunday Times and the host of TMLive Book Show. This will be at the Orbit Jazz Club, 81 De Korte Street from 7.30pm –8.30pm.

Beatrice for those not in the know was shortlisted for the 2011 Caine Prize for her story “Butterfly Dreams” and has had her stories in many anthologies including Butterfly Dreams and Other Stories from Uganda, New Writing from Africa 2009 and Queer Africa: New and Collected Fiction.

Oduor Jagero

For those in East Africa they can head to Kampala, of course Kampala is up the road from Nairobi eh, and meet up with Oduor Jagero whose claim to prose is his self published book True Citizen. His event will be happening at Plot 52 Bukoto Street, Kamwokya.

Now all we need is a South African doing a book event in Nairobi and the triangle is complete.

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Zimbabwe Writers literary evening moderated by Monica Cheru

Writer and newspaper editor Monica Cheru led the discussions in the literary evening featuring the work of three writers, Vitalis Nyawayaranda, Tinashe Muchuri and Virginia Phiri on Thursday evening. The event at the Book Café in Harare was organized by the Zimbabwe Writers Association saw the writers read from their works.

Tinashe Muchuri is the former secretary of Zimbabwe Writers Association. He is a performing poet, actor, writer, based in Harare, Zimbabwe. Been published in Jakwara reNhetembo (2008), State of the Nation: Contemporary Zimbabwean Poetry (2009), War Against War (2010), Visions of Motherland (2010), Daybreak (2010), Defiled Sacredness (2010), Mudengu Munei (2010) and also in the international journals and magazine: Rattlesnake Review, Warwick Review, Cosumnes River Journal, illuminations and his first Shona novel ‘Chibarabada’ will be coming out early next year. He used to write for Writers International Network Zimbabwe blogspot under the column, ‘The Regular Writer’. He took part in short films such as Tanyaradzwa, I want A Wedding Dress, NyamiNyami, Playing Warriors, The Husband, and it the following Television dramas: Suburb D, New Dawn, and Tiriparwendo. Has performed poetry at major platforms such as NGO events, Harare International Festival of the Arts, Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo, Dzimbahwe Arts Festival, Chimanimani Arts Festival, Arts Alive International Johannesburg, SADC Poetry Festival in Botswana among others. His first solo project ‘Zvipfuyo navana vazvo’ was published by Bhabhu Books end of 2013.

Vitalis Nyawayaranda is a university professor.

Bulawayo born Virginia Phiri is an accountant by profession who dabbles in the writing thing. Her first book Desperate, in which a woman bites and chews a rival’s ear in a love triangle, was published in 2002. Her second offering in 2006 Destiny was a story about a hermaphrodite girl. She has also co-authoring Zimbabwe Women Writers anthologies in both fiction and non-fiction and in various Orchid journals. Away from the actual writing she was writer-in residency at Le Chateau de Lavigny, Switzerland in Summer 2006 and Villa Waldberta in Germany in Summer 2008. His most recent book is the Highway Queen. a collection of five short stories (in English) about the trials and tribulations of women cross boarder traders of Zimbabwe during what has become known generally as ‘the Zimbabwean crisis’.

The three writers read from their works and also interacted with the audience. Monica Cheru anchored the discussion which uncovered the three writers’ varying motivations behind their works. You can check out the images from the evening at the Zimbabwe Writers website.

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Footnote Summit; Africa’s largest publishing event for Nairobi

I knew that blogging about African literature would come in handy one day. Turns out Africa’s “largest publishing event” the Footnote Summit is set to happen in Nairobi on 23th September 2014. It will be happening alongside the 17th Nairobi International Book Fair (24th September to 28th September 2014) so that means a lot of people in publishing will be in town anyway. Which means that there is a bigger incentive to be in Nairobi in two weeks than ever.
The first Footnote Summit in 2013 happened 6th November 2013 in South Africa at the Cape Town Lodge and brought together hungry-minds that were eager to get the digital content scene on par with the rest of world. You can read more about that event here, watch John Wheeler talk about the digital future here and Arthur Atwell talking about The tough truths about selling to publishers.
This year’s event will include speakers like David Waweru, Alex Poizyn, Wesley Lynch and Nivi Mukherjee and is sponsored by @snapplify, Digital Divide Data and @realmdigital.
If you are a member of the Kenya Publishers Association you are entitled to a 10% discount. For more information please visit http://kenya.footnotesummit.com/
Now why it is handy that I am happy to be blogging about African literature. As far as I can tell this is a JamesMurua.com exclusive. Very nice. I think.

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South Africa National Book Week now on

Minister Nathi Muthetwa opens proceedings

The South African National Book Week started out this weekend in capital city Johanessburg and will be happening for the rest of the week. The idea of the week is to celebrate book.

Proving that a serious government should be doing such things as standard the new guy at the ministry Bwana Nathi Mthethwa and his deputy minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi (Rejoice is her first name I kid you not). The media gig also saw the official bus launch. We shall be following the progress of the events her in Nairobi so that the day the government in Kenya decides to jump on the literary bandwagon. When literature becomes the next quails as we say in this town.

Deputy minister for Arts Rejoice Mabudafhasi reads to kids at the launch.

You can follow the events too at the events Facebook and Twitter pages.