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A group of selected
writers underwent a week-long rigorous mentoring session with eminent
Nigerian writers at the University of Ibadan from January 17 to 21. The
workshop organised by the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) addressed
some of the issues that often discourage young writers from pursuing
their interest and offered tips on how to write well.

Matriarch of
Nigerian literature, Mabel Segun; Ayo Banjo, emeritus professor of
English; dramatist, Ahmed Yerima, and others gave tips on what it takes
to be a successful writer during the opening ceremony of the training
held at the conference centre of the university.

Segun highlighted
the qualities of a good writer; the need to be well grounded in the
behavioural patterns of a writer’s audience and other necessary tips on
writing a good story.Reiterating the importance of sensitivity, she
noted that “a good writer should be able to use all his five senses,”
adding that it is key to producing appealing materials to audiences.
Segun also advised that writers need to inject humour, idioms, correct
grammar and witty expressions in their works to effectively arrest the
attention of readers.

She urged the
participants to be imaginative, noting that “Without imagination, you
cannot write. Imagination goes beyond what the ordinary eyes can see.”
The writer renowned for her candour also spoke on how the Association
of Nigerian Authors (ANA) awards its annual prizes. She said a number
of prizes given out were obviously in error as some of the recipients
either lack the competence to be so honoured or their works are too
weak and substandard to clinch the prizes being presented.

Siene
Allwell-Brown, General Manager, External Relations, Nigeria LNG Limited
which sponsored the workshop challenged NAL to offer more solutions to
the problems of Nigeria in her address. “Unless you take your role
serious and begin to engage the society, every budding politician will
still be thinking that the qualification for an effective career in
politics is having a godfather or area father as the case may be.”
Allwell-Brown promised the company’s continued support for the
organisation and promotion of literature.

Lucky participants

Chair, organising
committee of the training, Dan Izevbaye told participants to consider
themselves lucky because about 240 applications were received out of
which 25 were selected. He explained that though the intention was to
be gender and geography sensitive, they had to settle for more men
because of the little time they had to select the participants.

He later shared the
workshop’s objective. “The workshop is organised to bring together
about 20 to 25 talented young writers of both sexes, in all professions
and from all parts of the country. We want to put them in groups under
the guidance of distinguished writers to help them find fulfilment and
realize their potentials. We deal with different aspect of creative
writing and also look at issues like language, difference between
printing and publishing. Issues in literature like tradition and
conventions in literature are also in focus.” Izevbaye, a professor of
English also described the opening ceremony as a huge success.

Inspiring programme

It was the same
story from participants when they were later divided into groups for
training. The beneficiaries of the training commended the exercise.

Kola Adeniyi, an
author and lecturer at the UI Distance Learning Centre, described the
programme as inspiring. “The fact that the best in the field of
literature were brought together to teach young writers in a very
friendly environment was in itself a feat only the Nigerian Academy of
Letters could have achieved.” Chioma Iwunze described his experience as
awesome. “My participation in the programme opened up new worlds for
me. I learned so much about publishing; stuff only Prof. [Festus]
Adesanoye could teach. I mean the man had so much experience from his
years at Heinemann, Ibadan University Press and others.” Representative
of ANA, Denja Abdullahi, noted that the workshop will help to produce
many more young writers.