BY: Emmanuel Umeji and Abubakar Auwal
Date: December 9, 2023
The Minna Literary Society (MLS) celebrated its literary accomplishments and camaraderie with a gathering at the Democracy Garden in Minna. The event, which took place on December 9, 2023, at 4:47 p.m., was presided over by Abu Yahman, the chairman of MLS. At the gathering, Yahman recognized the organization’s outstanding performances throughout the year, particularly highlighting the visit of the Traveling Bards—Su’eddie Vershima Agema, Solomon Ireshegu, and Bash Amuneni—who graced Niger State in January during the fifth edition of the Hadiza Ibrahim Aliyu Schools Festivals (HIASFEST).
A special commendation was extended to Bash Amuneni for his pivotal role in connecting MLS to the Lagos International Book Festival. This resulted in the valuable addition of “Moonwalking Into Paradise” copies to the organisation’s library. Yahman also addressed transportation challenges, emphasising their impact on the literary community. He recounted various book launches, including Odu Ode’s “Back Home, There’s A Box of Chocolate,” and announced the upcoming grand launch of Fridaus Aliyu Ekan’s “Heels of Pain.”
During the gathering, an MLS member shared his struggle with consistent writing due to social distractions, prompting Uthman Ibraheem to suggest a brief hiatus for focused reading. The debate on the preferred writing tool, whether digital devices or pen and paper, showcased varying perspectives within the literary community.
Discussions delved into the challenges of balancing personal and literary lives, with a member suggesting that rigid scheduling could feel restrictive. However, the overall atmosphere of the session remained creative and insightful.
As the MLS members reflected on the year, Abu Yahman expressed aspirations for 2024. These included a grand book launch focusing on themes of divorce, girl child/women’s issues, coming of age, and gender-based violence. The organisation plans to invite stakeholders and NGOs championing these causes. Additionally, MLS aims to organise more book reading and critiquing sessions, writing workshops, and competitions to engage its expanding membership.
In response to queries about the potential return of the Travelling Bards in 2024, Abu Yahman indicated that while the guests for the next year are unknown, MLS intends to leverage the presence of any guests or authors to enhance book reading sessions.
The Minna Literary Society’s final gathering of 2023 thus encapsulated a year of literary triumphs, challenges, and aspirations, setting the stage for an even more dynamic and impactful 2024.
