The Options of a Woman

Thanks, O, for the link to this beautiful article by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie that neatly captures the dilemma of the modern Nigerian woman. Or rather the modern Nigerian woman who is frustrated by the pervasive system of gender inequality that typically relegates her several places behind her menfolk.

Do you react angrily to every attempt to 'put you in your place' or do you demurely defer to others?

Social Sector Management Program

As part of the Transformational Leadership Program (TLP), The Coca-Cola
Foundation, through the Africa-America Institute is providing scholarships for NGOs and Entrepreneurs in Nigeria to attend a certificate program in Social Sector Management. The TLP will help organizations and entrepreneurs in the social space operate more sustainably and create more value to the society.

This is open for NGOs and entrepreneurs operating in the following sectors: Health,
Water Management, Education & Entrepreneurship.

Click on the flier to enlarge or visit eds.com.ng for more information. The deadline is January 29, 2010.

This & That. Plus Chimamanda Adichie Events

I have woefully neglected this blog. I really cannot believe that it's been close to a month since I last posted. And I am not really sure that I could tell you what I was doing in that time that prevented me from blogging. Well, I can, but it just doesn't sound very impressive to tell it.

There were countless arts events that I wanted to announce and blog about, but many have passed. Alas!
So, looking forward....

This Saturday (July 11) at 4PM, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie will be reading from her latest book the Thing Around Your Neck at the Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Lagos. I read it a few months ago and it was a tight collection of stories, which deftly wove the immigrant experience with tales of being on the outside. I have also attended a book reading with Ms. Adichie in January 2007 when Half of a Yellow Sun came out and it was a rich and enlightening afternoon for me.

If you are a budding writer, then perhaps you will want to apply for the Farafina Trust Creative Writing Workshop to be held in September 17 - 16, 2009. The workshop will feature Chimamanda along with fellow writers Binyananga Wainaina, Nathan Englander, Jackie Kay and Zoe Heller.

To apply, send an e-mail to udonandu2009@gmail.com (subject should read 'workshop Application'). The body of the e-mail should contain:
- Applicant's Name
- Applicant's Address
- A few sentences about applicant
- A writing sample of between 200 to 800 words (fiction or non-fiction)

Deadline: July 30, 2009

See nbplc.com/newsdetails3.php?action=viewnews&n=35 for more info.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The Thing Around Your Neck

I really enjoy Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's writing and so I was very pleased to learn that she has a third book out; a collection of short stories this time called The Thing Around Your Neck. I look forward to reading it sometime soon.

I was also drawn to this Guardian article because of the fabulous twist out that Chimamanda rocks in the accompanying photo (above).

Chimamanda Wins MacArthur Genius Grant

Old news now. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was awarded a 'genius grant' from the MacArthur Foundation. The fellowship, which comes with a grant of $500,000 spread over the next 5 years, is awarded annually to "support individuals across all disciplines who show exceptional merit and promise of continued creative work".

More info is available on the Guardian and MacArthur Foundation websites.

Creative Writing Workshop with Chimamanda Adichie, Binyavanga Wainaina, Dave Eggers and Marie Elena John

I was recently telling a budding writer about this program and now can't remember who.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie will be organizing a creative writing workshop in Lagos from August 19 to August 29 2008. The workshop is sponsored by Fidelity Bank.

Guest writers who will co-teach the workshop alongside Adichie are the Caine Prize Winning Kenyan writer Binyavanga Wainaina (author of Discovering Home), the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award nominated Caribbean writer Marie-Elena John (author of Unburnable) and the Pulitzer Prize nominated American writer Dave Eggers (author of A Hearbreaking Work of Staggering Genius).

Workshop participants will be expected to read and discuss a wide range of fiction and non-fiction, as well as complete short writing exercises. The aim of the workshop is to encourage published and unpublished Nigerian writers by bringing different perspectives to the art of storytelling.

Participation is limited to those who apply and are accepted. A symposium open to the public will be held at the end of the workshop.

Application
To apply, send an e-mail to Udonandu2008@gmail.com
Your e-mail subject should read ‘Workshop Application.’

The body of the e-mail should contain the following:
1. Your Name
2. Your address
3. A few sentences about yourself
4. A writing sample of between 200 and 800 words. Please indicate whether your sample is fiction or nonfiction. Acceptances will be based on the quality of the writing sample.

All writing material must be pasted or written in the body of the e-mail. Do NOT send any attachments. Applications with attachments will be automatically disqualified. Deadline for submissions is July 12 2008. If accepted, you will be notified by August 5, 2008.

Thanks Musing Naijaman for the link.

What To Write and What Not to Write

I was reading one of the articles about Chimamanda Adichie's Orange Prize win last week and a section caught my eye caught my eye.

Literary editor of Nigeria's Weekly Trust, Odoh Okonyedo:

"As the new leading light in this Biafra renaissance, the task on the table of Adichie is to clarify what Biafra is about, rather than her newest nostalgic and superficial romance," Mr Okonyedo told the BBC News website.

While Ms Adichie says she wanted to write a story about love during the war, Mr Okonyedo feels she should have tackled the subject more seriously.

And I ask Why? Why should she not tell the story that she wants to? I feel that I can understand the thinking that certain people, by virtue of their education, position, wealth, connections or plain good fortune, should contribute positively to society. However, sometimes so many expectations are placed at the feet of some that it is tantamount to a shifting of responsibility. In many cases, it is simply placing burdens that the person in question simply is not interested in shouldering.

In this particular case, I don't see why Ms. Adichie shouldn't write about whatever she damn well pleases. Writing is hard enough without having to take into consideration what other people expect to read from you.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Reads

I attended a reading of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's book Half of a Yellow Sun.

Friday's reading was held at Quintessence. I wondered where we would all sit. The store is filled with books, arts and crafts. I found out soon enough. In the inner room, where most of the paintings and woodwork are displayed, is where we sat. Stools had been arranged around and in-between the merchandise. In many cases, we were actually sitting on the merchandise (beautifully carved stools).

Chimamanda read from the beginning of the book - to my great relief. I was worried that she would read from somewhere near the end or from the second half of the book that I had not gotten to yet. It's always such an interesting experience to have an author read aloud the words that he or she has written. Sometimes it makes you interpret a particular passage in a different way from how you saw it when you read.

It is always so fascinating to discover the variety of perspectives on a single book. 'Yellow Sun was no exception and in the Q&A session and discussion that followed, we realised how so many aspects of the book were subject to interpretation. You'd have one reader saying "I saw it like this ......" and others shaking their heads in vigorous disagreement. "No, not at all! I thought what was happening was this ....".

Chimamanda was sharp, funny and insightful, I thought. She was also very warm. I commented that it was obvious that she had done a lot of research for the book and wondered how she managed to convert so much research into something so readable. She replied that there was so much she had that wanted to use, but had to throw out. Ultimately, the characters had to drive the story and not the research drive the story and that meant many, many re-writes. The book took 4 years to write and she doesn't think she will be working on any more historical fiction.

Afterwards, we talked about hair (but, of course). We both have natural hair and I had just done mine into kinky twists. We talked about the types of reaction we get from hairdressers, who express anything ranging from dismay to disgust and utter bewilderment at our decision to wear our hair natural.

"But, Aunty, why you no wan pam ya hair?"

Like natural hair isn't what we were born with? Why should it be so difficult to understand a decision to stay that way?

Back to Chimamanda, the book has been a great read so far (Yes, still reading it. I'm not a slow reader usually. Just so many things to do lately.) And the reading was loads of fun. If you have read the book or even if you haven't - but like Chimamanda's work, or are interested in the Biafran War, or just want to discover a new writing talent - then I urge you to go if you can.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Book Readings

Just learnt about new book readings on Molara Woods blog.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie will be reading from her second novel Half of a Yellow Sun

Lagos:
Quintessence, January 5, 4pm
Jazzhole, January 11, 5pm
Lagos State University (LASU), January 12, 10am
Bookworm, January 12, 5pm

Port Harcourt:
Novotel, January 6, 12.30pm

Abuja:
The British Council, Abuja, January 13

I still haven't finished reading it, although it's really good so far. Well, I have a free week ahead of me with lots of nothing to do. Yipeee!!!