Sterling Bank Plc has partnered with Farafina Books, Nigeria’s leading independent literary publishers, to bring out a premier anthology of the finest Nigerian writings spanning 200 years from 1789 to 2018.
Entitled A Possible Future, the anthology has been curated to preserve the treasures of Nigerian literary history, promote a culture of reading in the country and support select authors in the dissemination of their timeless books.
In a press statement release to The Info Page News, the 411-page book contains some of the best works by 46 literary authors in the country.
Featured authors include Olaudah Equiano, D.O. Fagunwa, Gabriel Okara, Cyprian Ekwensi, Obotunde Ijimere, Chinua Achebe, Duro Ladipo, Chukwuemeka Ike, Christopher Okigbo, Elechi Amadi, Wole Soyinka, Ola Rotimi, J.P. Clark-Bekederemo, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Isidore Okpewho, Mobolaji Adenubi, Buchi Emecheta, Femi Osofisan, Niyi Osundare, Tanure Ojaide, Odia Ofeimun, and Ben Okri.
Others are Uzor Maxim Uzoatu, Dulue Mbachu, Ikeogu Oke, Biyi Bandele, Sarah Ladipo Manyika, Aisha Osori, Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi, Yemisi Aribisala, Lola Shoneyin, Teju Cole, Yejide Kilanko, Eghosa Imasuen, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Niran Okewole, A. Igoni Barret, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Taiye Selasi, Jowhor Ile, Tope Folarin, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Helen Oyeyemi, Uche Okonkwo, Gbenga Adesina and Wale Lawal.
Addressing literature lovers, authors, influencers and other stakeholders at the event, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, Chief Executive of Sterling Bank, said the institution chose to work with Farafina on the project because of its commitment to ensuring continued literacy as a key component of education is consistent with the education component of the bank’s HEART strategy.
The other sectors are health, agriculture, renewable energy and transport.
The bank has also recently supported the literary arts through the Ake Arts and Books Festival, an initiative of the Book Buzz Foundation co-sponsored by Lola Shoneyin, an award-winning writer and poet.
In the book’s foreword, Mr. Suleiman also remarked: “In the long interval between 1947, when Professor Molly Mahood declared that Nigeria had no literature then, and today, the country’s literary tradition has established itself as a force in the world.
“This is not to agree with Mahood that Nigerian literature is only as old as British involvement in the country’s affairs.
When British colonialism invaded the geographic area that would later become Nigeria, there was already a deep-rooted literary tradition in the north of the region, dating back to the 15th century.
So we had literature long before we practiced the art in the colonial language.”
He said: “Modern Nigerian literature may have been ‘founded’ by the English on the basis of an assumption – indeed an untruth – but the lie need no longer hold.
When we chose to believe in One Possible Future, we did so with the understanding that Nigerian literature was already mature.
While its story is still unfolding and the reach of its potential is still vast, even infinite, the baby Emecheta, Nwapa and Tutuola, once raised in verse, prose and on the stage, is no longer crawling.
A possible future is an introduction for everyone – and I can’t imagine who is being introduced to Nigerian literature at this age.”
According to him, “Kachifo Limited and Farafina Trust have produced a definitive but not conclusive text that summarizes our literary journey and guides us to its destination.
The details we don’t know yet, except that in this future everything is excellent, everything is possible and we are here for it.”
The Sterling Bank CEO also read excerpts from Arrow of God by Chinua Achebe, which can be found on pages 41-42 of the anthology.
Temilade Aina, Literary Curator, performed the second reading from the works of Biyi Bandeles Burma Boy.
The event also included a panel discussion with Professor Niyi Osundare, Eghosa Imasuen, A. Igoni Barrett, Wale Lawal and Temilade Aina.
The session was moderated by Faniyi Kayode, a writer, book critic and editor.
The panel commended the anthology, describing it as a premier national work, and expressed hope that subsequent works will incorporate the works of other authors not covered now.
