Writers, Scholars Gather as ANA’s Book Party Rekindles Call to Preserve Stories Before They Fade

WRITERS, SCHOLARS GATHER AS ANA’S BOOK PARTY REKINDLES CALL TO PRESERVE STORIES BEFORE THEY FADE

 

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) on Saturday, 13 December 2025, successfully hosted the second edition of its Book Party at the Femi Osofisan Secretariat, Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village, Mpape Road, Abuja, drawing wide acclaim from across Nigeria’s literary community.

The event, themed “Footprints on Stones: Writing Our Stories Before They Fade,” convened writers, scholars, students, and literary enthusiasts in a shared reflection on the urgency of documenting personal and collective histories through creative writing.

Welcoming participants, the Coordinator of the Book Party, Mrs Ngozi Alutulu-Ebulum, described the gathering as a reaffirmation of ANA’s unwavering commitment to nurturing creative voices, preserving stories, and strengthening the literary ecosystem. She stressed that the initiative serves as a reminder of the need to write and archive lived experiences before time erases them.

A major highlight of the Book Party was the feature of acclaimed poet Yogiza Umar Jr. as Guest Author, with a special focus on his poetry collection, A Taste of Stone. Through readings and reflections, Umar Jr explored themes of memory, identity, resilience, and the enduring power of poetry as a vessel for both personal and communal history.

The programme was chaired by renowned Jamaican-Nigerian poet, essayist, and journalist, Mr Lindsay Barrett, who underscored literature’s role as a tool for cultural preservation and historical continuity. He commended ANA for sustaining platforms that foster literary dialogue and intergenerational creative exchange.

The Book Party was hosted by the ANA National President, Dr Usman Oladipo Akanbi, who was ably represented by Mr John Freeman Oondoma. In his remarks, Oondoma reiterated ANA’s dedication to promoting literary excellence and creating spaces where writers can engage meaningfully with audiences, while discussions were expertly moderated by Mr Husayn Zaguru.

The well-attended event concluded with lively audience interactions and a renewed collective commitment to storytelling as a means of preserving history, memory, and identity, further consolidating ANA’s position as a leading literary institution in Nigeria.