Date: March 30, 2024 from 4:30-6:30 PM (UTC)
Panelists:
● Prof. Razinat Muhammed, HoD, Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Abuja.
● Dr. Wale Okediran, Founder, Ebedi International Writers Residency, Nigeria; and Secretary-General, Pan African Writers Association (PAWA).
● Dr. Uthman Akanbi, Founder, Imodoye Writers Residency, Nigeria; and President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).
● Mrs Chinyere Obi-Obasi, Writer and author of many children’s books.
● Prof. Albishak, Writer and Critic, Department of Literary Studies, Nasarawa State University, Lafiya.
● Mr Makama Shekwoaga, National Coordinator, HIASFEST; and Trustee, Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation, Minna.
Curators: Ibraheem Uthman & Olumide Ojo Emmanuel
Discussion
Ojo Olumide:
Today, we will be having an interesting time here, I’m Ojo Olumide Emmanuel and my co-curator is Ibraheem Uthman. In the course of today, we hope we’ll be having an awesome ride together as we’ll dissect analyze and look through art residencies in Nigeria where they are, what they should be, and how many should we have and in the course of today we have about seven panelists here who will be discussing together. The first person I have is Professor E.E Sule, who is also a distinguished scholar and the director of, the Center for Arts and Indigenous Studies, that’s in IBB University, Lapai. We also have Professor Razinat Mohammed, who is the HOD of English and Literary Studies at, the University of Abuja. We’re expected to also have Dr Wale Okediran, who is the founder of the Ebedi International Writers Residency and also the Secretary-General Pan-African Writers Association, PAWA. We also have Dr Uthman Akanbi, who is also the founder of the Imodoye Writers Residency and the President Association of Nigerian Authors. We also have Mrs. Chinyeire Obiobasi, who is also a writer, an award-winning writer, and the author of many children’s books. We have Professor Al-bishak, who is also a writer and a critic. He’s from the Department of Literary Studies, Nassarawa State University, Lafiya. We also have Mr. Makama Shekwo’aga, who is the National Coordinator and Trustee, at Hill-Top Creative Art Foundation, nationally and everywhere in the world. And then we have our father, Sir BM Dzukogi, who is the founder of Hill-Top Creative Art Foundation and also the mentor to a lot of writers across Nigeria.
So today it is a full house, as I can see a couple of people also around for this wonderful panel discussion this afternoon. Before I begin to talk to our guest, I quickly want to give us a background on what we are going to discuss so that, for knowledge’s sake, it is important we know that a writing residence is a place where you can spend time writing and engaging with peers while learning from established authors and publishers. So the purpose of a writing residency is just for you to escape from the daily responsibilities and have an uninterrupted time to work on your work. So this is what a writing residency is. And now that we have a background on that, there are a couple of top residencies in the world, we have the Woodleza Foundation Artist Residency that’s in New Mexico, US. We have the Global Air Residency in Berlin, Germany. We have the Lord Evan Residency and Artist Residency. This one is even fully funded, but you have to pay $20 as an application fee. We have the Anaphora Writing Residency in Los Angeles. They pay about $2,400 for writers of colour, that’s black people and then we have the National Centre for Writing Residency in Slovenia. They pay about 1,250 Euros. So these are top residencies around the world. And then here in Nigeria, we also have a couple of them, but I will not let the cat out of the bag since we have some of the pioneers and owners of these residencies on this call this afternoon. So I would just like to discuss it with them.
So before we go ahead, let me start with Mr. Makama Shekwo’aga. Recently or yesterday, the Hill-Top Creative Art Foundation closed the application for the Muktar Aliu Writers Residency. Tell us why residency is for teenagers and then professionals. I want to begin with you since you are readily available as I wait for the other people. Tell us why residency for teenagers at this point. You are just starting and we know that residency is usually for the big artists out there, but this one is particularly starting with teenagers, so why residency for teenagers? What’s the philosophy behind it? What do you stand to achieve with this epoch activity that you’re about to start?
Mr Makama Shekwoaga:
Thank you very much. Thank you members of this esteemed discussion. At the Hill-Top Creative Art Foundation, our philosophy has always been about teen authors. Whatever we do, our festivals are about teen authors, even though there are some categories that we include the big ones. However, we focus mainly on teen authors, mainly because we feel they should be allowed to strive. At present, we are the largest publishers of teen authors in Nigeria, with over 50 publications of teen art authors in the country. Our mentorship facility at the Hill-Top Creative Art Foundation here is a centre of mentorship. We mentor them in various aspects of art. And if you watch our activities at the foundation, especially at the art centre, it is centred mainly on mentorship. We established the residency in our strive to further institutionalize our love, for the teen artists, it’s like a continuous education capacity building of the teen authors. And that is why we specifically made the age limit between 18 and 25 years so that we can get the youngest of them to come. The residency is not only about the teen ones. We have other residencies like the regular ones, the paid-out residencies, and the school’s residencies but we decided to commence with the teenagers because we want to allow them to fortify their writings and then also to mentor others. Students and those who will come around will also be mentored by the residents who will come here. And to encourage them also, we are going to pay for their stay. It’s just like a continuation of school, where the parents would take the children to school, drop them off at the end of class, and then go and pick them up. So we will pay for their stay and then in return, the mentor or the mentees that are at the centre. Thank you.
Ojo Olumide:
Okay, thank you for that very important point you raised on the philosophy behind the writing residency. I can see Dr. Shehu Uthman Akanbi and I am glad that you are here, sir. And since you are here, I want to talk about your writing residency. Since the question says, where are these writing residencies? Where are they? And what should they do? So, for someone who does not have a background in the arts, I keep wondering what is pushing you to do this noble thing for writers. And that’s why I want to know sir, what is the philosophy behind the Imodoye writers’ enclave, seeing that you are not even in the art as far as what you studied. You are an agriculturalist and then now you are in the arts and not just in the arts, you are contributing largely in the arts. So, sir, what is the philosophy behind the Imodoye Writers’ Enclave and what would you consider your greatest progress so far?
Dr Uthman Akanbi:
Thank you. Actually, I come from a background, family background that tends to favour the arts. And virtually every one of my siblings is in the art world. And sort of in the family background, even my mom, my dad, my siblings, everybody is actively into the arts. Because books are what flourishes in our house. So you are always in contact with books. So it’s something that has a background. Then I went to a unity school and in the first two years, you are exposed to a lot of literature. And we have a lot of books in the library, books which are supposed to procure as our standard text. So this exposure had no doubt given me a background to whatever I did in the arts despite having studied agriculture. I’m an agricultural economist and agricultural economics also when we look at economics, the behavioural sciences that study people either for useful or frivolous purposes. So in that field, you also come across a lot of images. You also have a lot of exposure when it comes to communication, but not for those who read agricultural extension. So naturally is a discipline that interfaces very largely with the arts.
I came to Minna in 1997 and I had an interface with somebody when I showed him a piece which I wrote. Initially, I was writing essays, but I discovered that in writing essays, some people just keep glossing over it; they don’t bother to read it. But when you put out a story, people are more inclined to read it. So I decided to share my thoughts through stories. I wrote a very beautiful work that I thought was so good. And I took it to them and somebody recommended it under ANA, Niger chapter. And when I joined them, oh, they applauded my work and they let me know that I have promise in the writing world, but there’s still a lot for me to do. By the time they went through the work, I knew that I had a lot to do. And that’s how my journey, all this thing in the world of arts began earnestly, beyond reading, moving into the writing world. So by the time I went to Lagos in 2021 in ANA, I came to Ilorin and started the literary circle, which I felt that it gives me a kind of joy, and passion, sitting with fellow writers, and discussing works. And that’s how I became much involved in the arts. And from three years ago, I moved into a new location. So I decided to dedicate one of the buildings around, where writers can gather and meet, trying to frame along what I saw that Mallam Baba Dzukogi was doing with Hill-Top. When we wanted to commission it, the then-president of ANA Camillus Ukah was in town, with his predecessor, Denja. I invited them all over to see my writers where I was. And that place I named it Imodoye. Imodoye is one of the mythical figures in the Ògbójú Ọdẹ nínú Igbó Irúnmọlẹ̀ written by D.O Fagunwa. The reason why I picked Imodoye was that when I went to the Netherlands in 2014, I was sponsored by an organization called Knowledge Platform. And when I came back home, my dad was asking, what did you benefit? Who sponsored? I said Knowledge Platform. He said, can’t we have a Knowledge Platform also in Ilorin? And today, to the glory of God, we established a small place called Knowledge Platform. And that’s where ANA has been meeting when they are doing their conferences of chairman and secretaries. It has also served as a meeting place for many other organizations. But because what belongs to all belongs to none, what belongs to none belongs to all, is a family property. So when I moved into my own property, I couldn’t take Knowledge Platform alone. So the easiest way for me to do so was to create a concept that would be similar to knowledge. In Yoruba, knowledge means imo, oye means wisdom. So knowledge turns to wisdom. And that is the philosophy, Imodoye. And also taking cue from my mentor, Dr. Wale Okediran, who has been in that field. So I decided that if he has the Ebedi Residence, I can have Imodoye, writer’s residency, IWE, the acronym is IWE, which means book in Yoruba. So when it was commissioned, it was commissioned principally for writers to meet and gather from time to time there, but most of those who came from Mr. Camillus Ukah, Denja, Yogiza, everybody was insisting, why don’t you turn that place into a residency? I thought I was ill-prepared, but with the encouragement from fellow writers, that’s how we were able to birth in modern writers. And so I was so encouraged that I put up a story building. Funnily enough, it was my inheritance that was given to me then that I used to put up a story building which now has what you call Imadoye writer’s residency. As soon as then we have had four cohort sessions because we hold it twice a year in January and in July. About four to five people are present. Before my own coming on board, it was only Ebedi residency that was active, but we also had Rosebud Residency, we had Soyinka Forest Residency, and we also had Osofison Residency. They are not too active. And I’ve recently discovered that the University of Ilorin is also coming up with its residency. But I’m delighted that I was able to beat Hill-Top to it by coming up with my residency, at least the first in the whole of Northern Nigeria to the glory of God.
I believe they’re going to be moving from strength to strength. So, I believe that people will now see that there are a lot of things you can invest your money into, not into frivolous things. So it’s going to be a better thing than what we see. You know, we have Big Brothers; this thing is going to influence the moral compass of those who are influenced by a certain energy. So that’s what’s brought me on all along. It is just the grace of God, that’s all I will say, that I found myself struggling with disciplines, literature and the sciences.
Ojo Olumide:
Thank you. Well, that’s quite amazing and selfless. Our father too, Sir BM Dzukogi, does not have a background in the arts too, for someone in physical science, with a PhD, and then doing the arts. This thing is quite mysterious to some extent, that those who do not even have background are the ones leading the charge. Thank you for your point. I’m still going to come back to you because I need to ask about the progress so far. Anyway, I have Mrs Chinyere, she’s here with us and she joined us quite early. So I would want to know, Ma, what impact would a residency have, especially for those involved in the sub-genre of children’s literature, I understand that this is a particular aspect that you are quite passionate about. So for someone who writes for children, what impact do you think a writing residency will have on your writing?
Mrs Chinyere Obi-Obasi:
First and foremost, a residency is what it’s called, and that’s why the beauty of it is none of the people who have founded it excluded any genre. So I think it just goes beyond what you are writing for. I think the main thing is getting a space, a place to be able to articulate and work without disturbance, you know? I have been to Ebedi Residency two times. I’ve been there two times. One when I was in the bank and then another time again. I’m one of the very few people who have had the privilege of staying in the residency, and having a second opportunity to stay in the residency. And that was because of the beauty of the whole process. It helped me a lot because, okay, now let me even answer your question. So I’m answering it, but not the way it is. I think residencies are just like how you say gender-free. Residencies are genre-free because no genre is more important than the other. I mean, look at right now what’s happening. We have a children’s literature category and it’s still the same hundred thousand dollars. So if you have to go to a residency to think out this story that will move the world and move the judges and give you a hundred thousand dollars, then that’s good. But of course, we’re not writing for Frizz. I’m just using that as an example. So I think it’s not just that as a children’s writer, no, as a writer.
Because I remember when I got to the finals of NLNG, Soyinka was called to present their award to the winner. And he said to us that children’s literature was one genre that he never operated in. He said; I operated in every genre, but you see children’s literature, it was very technical and very, very different for me. I couldn’t do it. Recently, the Academy of Letters organized a workshop that I facilitated for one week on children’s literature because it has its unique features. What some people call children’s literature is not even children’s literature. So it’s even because of its technicality, that someone needs such an environment to be able to articulate what they’re doing. But I think all in all, the residency is a place where you are not disturbed because if a woman, naturally we know the role of the woman in the house. If you’re a man, even if you give all the warnings, nobody should knock on this door; I’m not coming out for war. They’ll come, my daddy, the light is off, daddy, and we need to do this. And then of course you’re talking, if you’re working, you’re taking leave from the office and you’re dedicating those days. When I was preparing for this dialogue, one of the things I said to myself, that I didn’t see anywhere was that a residency makes you accountable because you left your family, you left your business, you left making money within this period just to come to the residency. So at the end of every day, you’re asking yourself, what have I gained? What have I learned? You’re not a fool to leave the residency without achieving any result because that would be bad, you know, suicidal. Don’t be surprised if you see me with my book of short stories and other genre. I do a lot of other genres too, prose and children’s literature. I’ve published some of my prose works in places and I have full-length novels, I have not dared to publish them, but for right now, I do a lot of children’s literature. I want you to see the residency as a place where anybody who is a writer can go. It does not matter the genre that you are creating. And that’s why I told you I was in Ebedi residency twice, courtesy of Dr. Wale Okediran. That’s why nobody asked me, are you a children’s writer? If so, we don’t want you at the residency. That’s why it’s open to everyone. The thing is do you have something that you’re working on and you need the space to work on it? Please come. That’s what the residents do more or less, you know, for example, I have this work, but I don’t have the time. I don’t have the presence of mind because the way the residency is, you don’t have a roommate. You’re just there in your room with all the facilities to make you happy, to make you comfortable, with a cleaner and a cook, so you don’t have to cook or clean, except if you want to, but you know women will find a way of squeezing it in. But you don’t have to do that. So that you can concentrate on your writing and so that’s one of the main things that I loved, the accountability nature of the residency; that kept me on my toes. I didn’t see any reason why I would leave Abuja and travel so many kilometres and I didn’t achieve anything. It just wasn’t it for me. Thank you.
Ojo Olumide:
Okay, thank you very much for that. I think the greatest point I took from what you said is that residency makes you accountable and of course, someone who is not accountable cannot go far in life. So I get that point. Thank you very much, Ma. So Professor Razinat, I introduced her earlier. She was one of those who joined quite early. So I understand from your bio that you’ve had residency outside the country, especially because of your writing, which centres on feminism and other aspects of literature. So I’m interested in knowing how residency is done abroad. What’s the experience like? And would you also want to tell us how you got there?
Prof. Razinat Muhammed:
Good afternoon, everybody. Sorry, you are not going to be seeing me because I’m having some technical hitches here. Yes, but at least if you can hear me, that should be good enough, right? So, yeah, thank you very much for having me on this program. Yes, I’ve had the experience of being part of some residences abroad and I think anybody who undertakes a residency at least that is the founders or the mentors for residences is quite a unique human being. In the residency that I attended in Ebedi, I consider our provider as a philanthropist, because these residencies are not excesses of one’s wealth. I don’t see it like that. Because I know that Okediran is still working and I know that the ANA president is also still working as a university lecturer. And these two particularly and Wole Soyinka, well you may say Wole Soyinka is in a different class of his own, but for these two people to embark on residences that we have in this country, I think it is very laudable because they are making personal sacrifice.
You know, some of those residences when you attend them, when you’re part of them, they pay you money. Imagine somebody calling you out of your comfort zone and saying, come, I’m providing you with everything. The meals are usually buffet meals, you know, breakfast, buffet, lunch, buffet, dinner, buffet, things that most people won’t even have in their homes. And then you find somebody in his magnanimity providing you with that just for you to come and write for yourself. You know, it is something that I usually sit back to wonder, is it that it’s out of the excesses of the resources that they are doing this or just for passion for literature? My mentor, whom I had in Elbuna, was the owner of the Mobinil in Egypt, for instance, and in part of the Arab world. He was not in the literary field. He is not interested, but his old, aged mother, who loves literature, made him open that residency in Elbuna. And she decided that she needed to see one person from Africa, one person from the US, one person from all the continents, Asia, Australia, and so on. And I went from Africa, you know? So six of us were in that residency and it was a beautiful experience, a very beautiful experience. Everything and they will pay you at the end of every week, you know? Nothing can be better than that. So I applaud Dr. Okediran, I applaud the ANA President, and I’m just hearing that the HIASFEST is already also embarking on the teen residency. It is a very, very beautiful humanitarian service, as far as I’m concerned. And it’s selfless, because to provide feeding for people, give them stipends as a lot. I have enjoyed all the residences that I have attended. Thank you.
Ojo Olumide:
Okay, thank you, Ma. Now, let’s talk about the application. Usually, here in Nigeria, I think the application is easier. Just submit your writing sample, your CV, and one or two things. So how did you get there? I’m talking about how we young writers can access these opportunities, especially the residency. Since the ones in Nigeria are quite close to us a bit.
Prof. Razinat Muhammed:
I think it’s the same procedure. A work in progress, and usually when you are applying for such residences, you send the art that will excite whoever is reading that your story. So you send, even if it is in the middle of the work, you send that part that is exciting to make them interested in knowing what you have to present to the world. And especially from our Nigerian culture. Our culture is something that excites people outside of the country. So when you take an excerpt from such writing and you send it to them, most times, it’s just that I have not been applying, most times you send such writings to them, they want to know what kind of culture you come from. So you send an excerpt of your work, they will review it, compare it to other people’s submissions, and then most of the times you find out that you are picked because you are touching on a particular culture that they don’t know much about. And they want to know how far you can continue to develop this work while in their residence. And these residences, especially the one I went to in Elbuna, at the end of every week, the community, will gather an audience for you to present your work so far at least from the start to the middle. Most of these residents can be one year, six months, three months, none less than three months. If you are leaving the country, you go for a residency, three months makes sense because within three months you can finish a full-fledged novel.
Ojo Olumide:
Okay, thank you very much, Ma. I got the part where you said in not less than three months you can finish a novel if you get a residency abroad. Let me now come to BM Dzukogi as one behind the scenes and just this recently introduced the Muktar Aliyu Writers’ Residency. I have gotten the philosophy behind these but, residency for young writers, especially teenagers. What do you aim to achieve when the adults are also scouting for opportunities?
Bm Dzukogi:
Okay, it’s also like what Mr. Makama has said. The issue is in the production of new writers in Nigeria or Africa; we have to continue to develop higher spaces for them to also function at the maximum level. If in the beginning, we wanted students or teenagers to write books, to write poetry, short story and the rest of it, or novels, to paint, to undertake photography, to dance and the rest of it. Now we have them. So what is next? And they are still young people. That’s why we say, okay, let’s also be moving to the next level for them. So that we know before they are even 25, they are already big names in the arts. It’s in Nigeria that only adults achieve greatness, but elsewhere, you see young people, children, teenagers, and youth also achieving what adults are achieving. So that’s the essence. The essence primarily is to see to the production of excellent artists from childhood or who are in their prime. And since they now have books, if you look at people like Testimony, Pachella, Zakiyyah, Ibraheem Uthman, you have Mahmouda in Lagos, you have Saheed in Ogun State, you have Yehuza, you have Mainah in Gombe. They have written the book, so what is next for them is to also do the other things that adults are doing. That’s why we say, okay; let’s also continue to create platforms for them in which they can attend such a quality production of art. That’s why we have the Muktar Aliyu Art Residency. The Muktar Aliyu Art Residency is not going to be focusing on only teenagers. We are going to have four in a year, and in these four, we will be exchanging between adults and teenagers. So we’re starting with the teenagers because the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation is their natural place, but the next set will be adults and then we will return to teenagers again. That’s how we want to be doing it. And ours is not necessarily writers. For example, this first set is the painter and the writer. I’m letting the cat out of the bag already.
We have two accommodations, two spaces, and two houses. So for now, it’s two per session. What I’m saying is, as we move on, we may even have four. We have established artists in one corner and we have teenagers in another corner. So while the professionals are around, the teenagers who are also residents, and artists in residence, will also begin to benefit from the professionals who are around, along with other teenagers from schools who are writers. So, you know, that’s the diversity that we have in our place. And we hope to make it greater than Ebedi and then greater than Imodoye.
You know, about eight years or ten years ago, I told Dr. Okediran that we would be the next after Ebedi. Unfortunately, we couldn’t do it, we were concentrating on so many things until Dr. Akanbi came and then overtook us on the way.
Ojo Olumide:
Thank you very much. I can see that Dr. Wale Okediran is around, and is on the call, and we are glad to have you on this call. So your residency happens to be the first in Nigeria, which has been in existence for over 10 years, which is quite so long. And I can see how much of an impact it has made over the years. So the same thing as just the way I asked Mr. Makama and I asked Dr. Uthman Akanbi, what is the philosophy behind the Ebedi Writers Residency? And I’m also interested in knowing how you’ve been able to sustain it as a private person over the years.
Dr Wale Okediran:
First, let me apologize for joining late, I’ve been on the road all day. So I just got into my residence now. The philosophy behind the residency was to find writers a conducive place for them to be able to complete their works and also to encourage networking between writers from all over Africa; it is to integrate letters on the African continent. The third plank of the project was also to mentor young students in the host community. In doing this, we decided to open an application for Africa and also to say that apart from writers we also accommodate visual artists, fine artists and sculptors. Once in a while, we gave room to our sculptors to come into residence and over the years many of them have left behind some of their productions as gifts for them. We decided to mentor students, secondary school students. So we now insist that writers should spend about four hours a week mentoring some secondary school students in town. So all this together, which I’ve been doing for the last 14 years, has made the residency well accepted by the community to the extent that the issue of security is no more a concern because once writers come to residency the community is always on the lookout for their safety and their protection. And we also know that because of the age variation among writers. We don’t restrict age, we don’t restrict gender. We have had some of the oldest professors in Nigeria here in their 80s coming to residency and we have had some very young ones, courtesy of Baba Dzukogi, who had been supplying us with the teenagers. So we’ve been balancing the age gap.
The only thing that we also do, which people have been saying well, whether it’s necessary or not, is that we alternate the genders. We don’t bring in both genders at the same time. And some of them are saying, oh look, we are all adults, why are you doing this? Why are you treating us like schoolchildren? But I said, look, for three reasons. Number one, I want writers to be comfortable. I’ve had an experience where the father of a teenage writer from Ghana, a lady, followed her from Ghana. He wanted to know where the girl would stay. And it was when he now realized that the girl would be staying among other ladies, that he was happy to allow her to stay. The same thing with married couples, some spouses come and check their wives or husbands to make sure that they are in good company. I’m sure that Mrs Obasi can vouch for this because my good friend, Charles, I call him Prince Charles. That’s the proud husband of Mrs. Obasi, who popped in there once or twice to check on her in the residence. So we said, look, let’s make everybody comfortable. I don’t believe in this usual thing, “We are adults, we are adults, and we are adults.” So now the male and the female are in their own company. But again, since we are now in a new era of gender issues, I don’t want to go into that, but maybe where you want to talk about challenges. We have been having cases of writers who are gay and gay writers who come into residence. How do you handle them? So this is an idea. Anyway, let me just stop here so that others can talk. Thank you.
Ojo Olumide:
Thank you very much for your contribution. I asked earlier how you have been able to sustain it as a private person because I know just the way Professor Razinat said, it is not just because you have so much. So have you been able to do it over the years without having to stop or have you felt some sort of discouragement along the way that you feel you can share, especially for those starting like the Muktar Aliyu Art Residency? They need to hear from your experience. Have you been able to sustain over the years and have you faced some sort of discouragement along the journey?
Dr Wale Okediran:
Yes. Thank you so much. It’s a very important question because I know that some residences that have been established did not last. They were not sustainable. It’s a big issue. When I first started the program I invited the Professor to declare the residency open many years ago. He warned against this at that time, but I still had some little money in my hand. But now that I’m semi-retired, things are not as good as before. He warned me that it would get to a time when there would be donor fatigue. We’ve been lucky to get the support of Mrs. Fayemi, the former first lady of the state. She has her own NGO. Our NGO is especially for women. And she said “Look, she wanted to start a residency, but now that’s, she saw that I already am doing to replicate. And that’s why she decided to come in. So now we are lucky that we have gone into partnership.” So she is now sponsored by all the female writers. So the female writers are coming to the residence now, as sponsored by Mrs Fayemi’s NGO. And now, we are only left with the male writers who are still in search of support for. But be that as it may, it’s important to say that continuity and sustainability are very important if you want to run your residency program. Because I am aware of so many writers’ residencies that did not last. Some of them didn’t even last over three months. Some of them are six months. And then also, I think more important than sustainability is the passion. If you want to run a residency, you need to be passionate about it. You don’t make money from it. It’s not a money-making venture. Some of my colleagues will be laughing at me and say, look, what is in it for you? Why do you do this thing when you are not making money? But I just say, look, I’m passionate about writers. I’m passionate about literature. And I’m so happy that since we started this project about 14 years ago, we were able to host about 250 writers from 12 African countries. Out of these writers, many of them have won awards for the works they developed during their residency. So this is one of the things that make us happy to continue and to make sure that the thing continues going despite all the problems. Thank you.
Ojo Olumide:
Okay, thank you very much. I just have one more question before I move to Professor Al-Bishak. I see one selfless thing about you and it’s important I say it here, I see how you share the success of your former residence. I’m talking of writers who have stayed in your residency in the past. How does the achievement make you feel, especially when sharing them?
Dr Wale Okediran:
As I said, the essence of the residency is to impact. By the grace of God, I think one has reached a stage whereby what should make you happy is the number of young writers or other writers that you can help. So anytime I am notified, I do all I can to launch a book that was written in the residency. I’m always invited. And I’ve been to Uganda. I’ve been to Kenya. And I was in Ghana when some of the former writers also launched their books. So one is happy that the reason behind the residency has been achieved. And the other thing that also makes them happy is that some of them have even discovered some talents among the students. Sometimes they go to the schools, organize the children into a drama club, or teach them how to write poetry and all kinds of things and when they showcase these students. We have had to organize an event in Ibadan for writers. So we took them to Ibadan for a show and people were surprised that from that small town, we were able to get this kind of talent and it was thanks to the Ebedi writers who were able to discover them. So these are some of the things that had been the driving force behind the residency.
You ask the question have I thought of giving up before? Yes, I have thought of giving up more than so many times. So now I’ll just get on and say, look, now this thing is not working again. Sometimes the writers will be in residence and the money for the following week’s stay is not available. Sometimes I have to go and I’ll ask some of my friends who have some money, “See don’t disgrace yourself, there are writers in residency and there’s no one to feed them.” Then they quickly run around, looking for money. But now I think things are getting better now with the collaboration. So I just want to advise my other colleagues who went to this residency that one of the things we need to do is to look for collaborations. I can see that Baba Dzukogi is doing very well. I mean, I think he seems to be surrounded by rich friends. I don’t know where he gets them from. Maybe he should come and borrow me one rich friend. I don’t have rich friends. So what I’m trying to say is that collaboration is very important to sustain this residency because sometimes it may get so bad that you feel like giving up. Thank you.
Ojo Olumide:
Thank you very much. Let me move forward to Professor Al-Bishak. We’ve been talking about writers’ residency. Since we started at residencies in Nigeria, where they are, what should they do and how many should we have? And we’ve been able to note so far that we have about four of them in Nigeria at the moment and two are active and beginning with Hill-Top, the Muktar Aliyu Art Residency, which will make it the third active residency in Nigeria. So Professor, universities abroad often have writer’s centers and residencies, why is our case different in Nigeria?
Professor Al-Bishak:
Good evening ladies and gentlemen. It’s my pleasure to be part of this but let me start with an apology. I had a class and I just finished my class. Even right now I’m inside the auditorium of my university, Federal University, Lafiya, where I’m doing my sabbatical. So it wasn’t long after I finished my class and decided to stay back in the lecture theatre, where I could network and then join the discussion. Now, on the issue of this writer’s residency, well, I don’t know why Nigerian universities have not keyed into it but I think part of it also has to do with not giving creativity or literary creativity the kind of attention it deserves. You will discover that there are creative writers, associations or clubs that spring up across the Nigerian universities. But it is not every university that gives much attention to those creative writers clubs, which as you know, are domiciled in the Department of English and Literary Studies and are a kind of voluntary association, largely made up of students and there are a few lecturers and sometimes even some outsiders. So the culture of nurturing creative writers in this country, I think it’s not very high and not much attention is given to it, even by our government. There are a few governments, few state governments that even care about it and give some support. I’m happy to hear that from what Dr. Wale said during the time of Fayemi, his wife gave it support. And I know that in Niger State, the government has been giving some kind of support to the writers there. And I think somebody like Dzukogi is doing a damn good job, and I think it has to do with the credibility that Dzukogi has been able to attain or the niche he cut for himself over time, so much so that successive state governments have some kind of trust in him and give him some, kind of handouts to support these literary activities. But the universities in themselves are struggling to survive. We all know, look at this issue of ASUU talking about the government giving enough funding to support our universities and the government is not doing much in that regard and so the universities don’t have enough to sustain themselves and because they don’t value creativity, literary creativity much, they don’t also support creative activities among our writers. So I think it’s a problem of underdevelopment and then the lack of the will to do some of those things. So the few individuals like Wole Soyinka, JP Clark, Dr Akanbi, who started his Imodoye residency, Dr Wale Okediran who is handling the Ebedi residency and now Niger State that we are having the one that they are coming up with. I think these are individuals who on their own are trying their best to encourage little creativity and they need to be acknowledged, they need to be honoured and they need to be supported and encouraged. So those who have come out so far using their little funds to establish these residences are encouraged by state governments, by wealthy individuals. I think they will go a long way in even doing what universities have not been able to do or they don’t seem to show much interest in. So I think that is what I can say about this. But those who are doing it so far, deserve our commendation, and they deserve also maximum support. So that they will continue to do their good works. Thank you.
Ojo Olumide:
Okay, thank you, sir. Let me let me come back to Dr. Akanbi. You are the president of the Association of Nigerian Authors National and we expect that ANA should also be looking into this regard, ANA should as the umbrella body of the whole writers in Nigeria, and I think it should also have a residency. So, you have your own, which is I would say your residency. So should we expect ANA to also delve into this in the years ahead?
Dr Uthman Akanbi:
Thank you very much. One of the plans that was laid out by the preceded administration, was to have a residency in the writers’ village. So immediately after I came on board, I approached our developer to ask how far. He said, oh, they’re still working on it. I said, look, how long would it take him to quickly put in place the proposed residency for the writers? He’s assured me that by April, the residence will be ready. And from what I’ve seen, if we want to commission the residency by April, we should be able to do it, but, we want to make it a big event, we want to plan, and we don’t want to rush the opening. So we decided to shift it back so that by the next convention, our international writer residency will come alive and bring life not just from our experiences, to bring life into that premises, but the creative school and the libraries that we have. So be rest assured that our international residency will soon come into place. At a particular point in time, I hope that we’ll be able to bring in close to eight writers at any point in time. I want to also use that occasion to get sponsors of patrons of art who will help to support whatever is being done there.
BM Dzukogi:
Sorry, I just to say one small thing. About three weeks ago, I called Dr. Okediran. Maybe I also told Akanbi. I called him and I said, when we come to Abuja next week for the World Organization, let’s see if we could have a group or an association for Nigerian art residencies, but the reply gave me, just put me out, so I just retired back. He said he’s tired of so many associations. And here is a man who is supposed to lead the charge for it. If we had one, you know, the issue of advocacy and asking governments or individuals to establish art residences would have been made easy. Those would have been approaching people, you know, are approaching people on a strong ground as a group. You know, even though Chinyere said that ANA branches should try to establish their branches. It’s going to be difficult for ANA branches to do that because of the kind of mentality given to state branches, which is merely reading every week and that’s what nobody is thinking proactively and aggressively. The first one is Mr. Makama said paid out residences. We have somebody who belongs to the UNESCO group here. That’s Francis Sokomba. He was responsible for designating Bida as a UNESCO city of folk arts and the rest of it. He was the one who gave us the idea that next year, we should start the paid-out residency. He will be the one advertising this residency abroad; in the platforms that he belongs abroad. There is a residency here, Muktar Aliyu Art Residency in Minna. People from outside will pay us for coming to stay in this place, say for one month, two months, three months. That’s why we have two buildings dedicated to residents. Somebody like that here would occupy our residency for three months for which we were paid, and then we will be using that one for the regular residences. You know, this actually can be a sustaining factor for our residency. People pay us to see. It’s like renting the place for a specific period, a specific amount, and they are paying us in dollars. That’s one thing of this sustainability thing. But we need to create this association where, you know, we can begin advocacy. For example, Professor Al-bishak is in Nassarawa. They know him. People know him around Nigeria. He can approach people to also establish one within the town, you know, and he will help them manage it for some time. So this is, I think that’s the only way we can have more of this residency. But I am convinced that we don’t even have a minus one yet in Nigeria. We need many more of them. Thank you.
Ojo Olumide:
Thank you very much, Sir. Back to Professor Razinat. Let me come back to you. What do you see as the future of residency, from some of the points you mentioned and some of the ideas that have been shared so far?
Prof. Razinat Muhammed:
Thank you very much, Moderator. I went offline at some point, so I may not have heard all but the ones that I have heard, I think I heard are very, very important. I remember when the current president announced the Minister for Arts and Culture, and people started calling me, “That ah, she is your sister, what are you people doing now as writers? Go and meet her to recognize writers as part of the process, because writers after all write for the movies to be acted and all other things.” So I think it is an important point that writers should come together. Next week is going to be a good opportunity for some of these concepts to be put together. I think we need to send a delegation to meet the minister to announce to her that we are the primary writers for some of these films that are being acted on screen.
And I think again also the proliferation of residencies will not all go well for the country. Because I think already we have three. If ANA can come up with a formidable residency program, as Chairman Dzukogi said, I think it may suffice because if it is such residencies that can take up to 15 people, because I think ANA can do that. ANA can do that. And if ANA as a big umbrella writers organization can do a formidable writers residency in Nigeria. It should help internationally and locally. It should help to breed good writers, whether for teens or adults, whatever. I think I agree with most of the points that were raised today, but I would not support the proliferation of residences by every ANA chapter.
Ibraheem Uthman:
Hello, can you hear me? All right, I have a question for Professor Rezinat. With your experience ma’am, in what ways do you think these art residencies, how can they foster collaboration across cultural exchange among Nigerian artists and international creatives?
Dr Rezinat Muhammed:
All right. I think people like Dr. Okediran and Dr. Uthman should be able to tell you that because I think I had the opportunity to write some references for some people who sought to be residents at these two residences. Everybody that comes from a particular culture, I believe takes his or her culture to that residency. So there is a cross-breeding of cultures. Like Ebedi which is international, I believe that all those Kenyan, Ghanaian, Burkina Faso and all those residents that visit or stay in Ebedi have come with their African cultures and have shared with their housemates during their stay at Ebedi. So going by that, I think if we can have this solid residency program that we are talking about or trying to propose, I believe, I don’t want to say that the residents should be taken from the geopolitical zone because this is what’s usually becomes a problem in Nigeria. We should take people on their merits. They don’t have to come from every geopolitical zone in Nigeria. And if it’s going to be international, of course, take people on their merit, on the worth of their works. So that way, the cross-fertilization of culture is not going to happen in one day or one season of residency. No, it’s going to be over a long period. And I think through that kind of interaction and integration, all of these things that you are raising now can be realized. Thank you.
Ibraheem Uthman:
Thank you very much, ma’am. I think I have a question also for Dr. Akanbi as well. Is he here with us, please?
Ojo Olumide:
I would want us to take a final word from our panelists. We’ve had a robust discussion today. So what’s your final word on the future of residence? I’ll also be taking a final word from Sir BM and I’ll also be taking a final word from Mrs Chinyere.
Dr Wale Okediran:
I want to start with Baba Dzukogi’s statement. It’s true that when he asked me about the possibility of having a network of residencies, I wasn’t interested but now after listening to him I think I was just afraid of being given another assignment because I’m trying to lie low, but I like his I like the suggestion now, after he has explained because fundraising is the biggest problem again that’s facing residency programs now. So if you can find a possibility of a network where we can collaborate in the area of fundraising that would be nice. The only thing is that whilst doing that, we should not tamper with the individuality of each residency because residents like many of you will know. Other residences are usually established for different purposes. While some residents will say, okay, like everybody now, we don’t give lectures, we don’t give anybody seminars. All we want to do is give you space and time and everything to finish your outstanding work. And then, of course, you also have us to mentor some students in town. Some residencies that organize seminars want feedback.
I remember when Professor Razinat asked me if in Ebedi residency we usually have a feedback session. I said no, we don’t go into all that. We just want writers to sit down or find artists to do their work. So while we are doing the network, it will be nice to have a pool of financiers, sponsors, and grants. At the same time, allow each residency to be independent, I mean to maintain its profile. And this way people can choose. I mean, I want to go to Minna, if I want to undergo some tutorials; I want to go somewhere else if they know that they will listen to my story after I’ve written it. I don’t care about that. Then the other issue is that there was one question, how to make the workplace sustainable and to keep the standard. I think the selection process is very important because three years ago, I was asked by the University of Port Harcourt to come and give them a seminar on how they can find residences and start the residency program at the university. Fantastic two-day event. All the management of the university was there, the vice chancellor, the registrar, everybody. And in my conclusion, I said, look, you have everything. You have the facility, the whole big building. You have the money. But one thing that can damage the whole thing is if your solution process lacks credibility. The moment you start using the so-called man-known-man to put residents in residence, then that’s the beginning of the end. In Ebedi, people know that you have to write a letter of application, you have referees who will stand by you that you are good and then we look at what you want to do before you bring it in. It’s not because you are my cousin’s nephew or my in-law or you are somebody running away from creditors who owes somebody money and wants to go and hide somewhere for a few weeks. Like I crack jokes I say look the residency is not for people who want to go and hide from their landlord who is looking for them or somebody, you know. So, it’s more credible. Unfortunately, the Port Harcourt experience, from what I heard later, did not last one year because the boss had brought his relative, the VC brought his, and everybody brought somebody, and they all collapsed. So the selection process is very important. And then some of the other challenges we also faced, which must also be catered for. You must have, for example, in Ebedi now, we have a standby medical facility for emergencies because people are coming to stay here for four weeks. So we must have a backup medical facility that we attend to them.
Another very important thing is the need for us to collaborate or to entrench our residency or collaborate with a university or an institution of higher learning. Again, this is good. But again, at the same time, I said, we should not be swallowed by somebody’s idea and say, if you want me to help you, then you must do this; “You must stop separating genders,” “If you want me to help you, men and women must come together.” I don’t believe in this. So we must allow each residency to maintain its identity. If you want to. And so I want to allow, I mean, to come to Baba Dzukogi that please go ahead with the network. But I will not be in the background where all the big posts can be shared. The young ones can take care of that.
Ojo Olumide:
Okay, thank you, Dr, let me get any final words from each of our panellists as well. Mrs Chinyere, go ahead, ma’am.
Mrs Chinyere Obi-Obasi:
Okay, as someone who has been a beneficiary of residency twice, I think it’s a laudable scheme and it should be encouraged to exist. My last words are to those already running residences to please, for the love of literature, we have already agreed that it’s not a money-making venture. There can be fatigue. But for the love of literature, they should please hold on. When they get weary, they should reach out to ex-residents and ask them how the residency affected their lives. And I’m sure the positive words they hear are sure to move them to know that there is a need to continue. I also want to appeal to the current ANA president to utilize the space just as it made a promise to us. So by October, when we’re having the convention, that residency should be ready to fly. And to all of us here, it’s important that we put in, you know, words, positive words from time to time about residencies. I know after attending Ebedi residency, I have helped so many people to go into that. So I’ve helped a lot of people to apply and to get into Ebedi residency. So I think for me, the need for the residency is not to die. That’s my last word to them to encourage them to continue to hold on and do what is right. Thank you.
Ojo Olumide:
Thank you, Ma.
Prof. Al-Bishak:
First of all, I’d just like to observe that the moderator needs to restructure his timing and how he apportions time to different people to comment so that there should be some relative balance. The way he apportioned time is such that some people tend to dominate the discussions while other people are in the background. So next time we should try to improve the coordination and ensure that almost everybody is given a fair time to comment. Then let me also say that I like what Professor Razinat said about going to see the Minister of Culture and Creative Economy. I know she met with the Kanniwood writers and from where one of the prominent members of Kanniwood, Ali Nuhu was even appointed the General Manager or the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation. And then recently I was also aware that the Society of Nigerian Theatre Artists also paid a visit to somebody like Professor Shamsudeen Amali who is the patron leading the team to go and see her. So it’s in order if ANA constitutes a powerful delegation, not just by members of ANA Exco, but they can select some very powerful individuals that can add weight to ANA. I mean, that they can lead to see the Minister of Culture and Creative Economy so that they can mobilize support from her. And then I also believe that the solution is not about the proliferation of writers’ residencies. As much as it’s okay if every state has writers’ residency, I think that those existing writers’ residences should be empowered. Because these are individuals who are sacrificing the mega resources they have to have these writers in their residences. So is there any way ANA and other individuals can mobilize effective support for the existing writers in residences to be strong? And then if they are strong we can now think of additions maybe in terms of geopolitical zones how many more can we have?
For instance, in the north-central zone, you have the Muktar Aliyu Arts Residency, which is being established in Minna. You also have the Imodoye Residency in Ilorin, but we don’t have any in the northwest or even in the northeast. So if you can mobilize, there are a lot of people, a lot of powerful and rich people that can be mobilized, as well as the governments, to ensure that such writers’ residencies are established. And then we writers generally, creative writers, we need to take ourselves seriously. And to do that, we need to reduce the bickering that has of late been associated with ANA. There’s so much bickering, so much bad blood and a lot of things that are happening within the writers’ body. So much so that we are now some kind of laughingstock. So, writers are supposed to be serious-minded people, not people fighting every day over positions, going to police stations, reporting themselves, and using the media to spoil their image. These kinds of things that they are doing that dominate the negative reports about writers, we dominate the space, are things that we discourage serious support to be given to writers. So please, let us try to be civilized. Writers are supposed to be civilized people. We shouldn’t be trying to fight and be kind of over unnecessary things. So that’s just my constitution. I wish the writer’s fraternity well and help us to do well and then establish more of this writer’s residency. Thank you very much.
Ojo Olumide:
Okay Mr. Makama, let’s have your final words and end today’s show.
Mr Makama Shekwo’aga:
The discussions have been very engaging and I want to thank all the people here. For one, we at the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation, especially at the Muktar Aliyu Arts Residencies, feel more encouraged. Especially with the fact that we’ve been able to hear the views generally about challenges that is facing residents in Nigeria. We’ve heard suggestions on the way forward for need or collective responsibility towards the betterment of residences in Nigeria. And I’m sure it will only get better. Thank you.
Ojo Olumide:
Thank you very much. With this, we’ve come to the end of today’s panel discussion. I’m grateful to our founder, Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation, Sir BM Dzukogi, for providing us with this platform. I’m grateful to our panellists, Mr Makama. I’m grateful to Professor Rezinat Dr. Wale Okediran, Dr. Uthman Akanbi, Mrs. Obi-Obasi, and Professor Al-Bishak. I’m also grateful to those who joined, and every other person who made this event a worthwhile one. We are grateful to you and we say continue to do well in all your endeavours. God bless you and see you in the April edition of the HIASFEST panel discussion. Bye-bye and God bless.
