The Chinua Achebe International Conference Centre
By Munyal Markus Manunyi
Forty years is surely a landmark to celebrate and unwind as such, the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) marked the epoch with a grand dinner, followed by a meritorious award of Nigerian Writers Fellowship conferred on seven well-deserving literary icons within the Nigerian literary sphere. They are Professor Joe Ushie, Professor Mabel Evwierhoma, Professor Sonny Ododo, Mallam Denja Abdullahi, Architect Chukwudi Eze, Bina Nengi Ilegha and Hajiya Hafsat Abdulrasheed.
The theme for this year’s international convention was tagged “Resilience and Nation Building-The Role of Nigerian Literature,” held from November 3 to 6, 2021. The keynote speaker was Professor Adimora Ezeigbo, while the anniversary lecture was delivered by Professor Emeritus Femi Osofisan. It was indeed a convention of great writers and literary giants like Professor Razinat, Professor Idris Amali, Dr. Wale Okediran and invited guests from Ghana among a host of many others.
Part of the event was the commissioning of the Chinua Achebe International Conference Centre in Mammam Vatsa Writers’ Village, at Mpape, Abuja. There was also the cutting of the 40th Anniversary cake, a beautiful display of Gbagyi culture by the Benue Poetry Troupe of the performance of the book “Abuja Nunyi” [ This is Abuja] – A collection of poems written by Mallam Denja Abdullahi.
There was also a delightful cultural/religious display of Seriya by Prof Abdulrasheed Na’Allah, Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja.
The convention was concluded with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) where Mr. Camillus Ukah re-elected as the National President by consensus with other fifteen exco members, except for some few offices which were contested like the offices of the National Treasurer, Public Relations Officer (PRO) South and ex-officio.
