Etisalat Inspires Young Writers at Prize for Literature Week Workshop

L - R: Award-winning Nigerian Writer of 'Love is Power, or Something Like That', A. Igoni Barrett; Specialist, High Value Events and Sponsorships, Etisalat Nigeria, Evelyn Eru and Chief Operating Officer, Kachifo Limited, Eghosa Imasuen, during the Etisalat Prize for Literature Week held in conjunction with the Bogobiri Arts Festival in Lagos

Ten young African writers had a chance to improve their creative skills recently when they spent a day at a workshop organized by fastest-growing telecommunications company, Etisalat Nigeria, as part of activities for its Prize for Literature Week. The week was organised in conjunction with BOGOBIRI Arts Festival to mark 10 years of the cultural hub situated in Lagos.

The Workshop facilitated by Chief Operating Officer of Kachifo Limited, Eghosa Imasuen and 2005 winner of the BBC World Service short story competition, A. Igoni Barrett was designed for young fiction writers, whose works had never been published. The participants learnt the art of reading out loud, identifying literary agents and genres of literature. They also developed and submitted entries, which were critiqued by facilitators. During an interactive session, participants discussed challenges they experienced while writing, and reviewed recent articles by established African writers, including Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani.

Barrett shared secrets of the writing process, how to approach publishers, how to research for a story, recognizing one’s greatest writing skill, inspiration for storytelling and how to handle rejection by a literary agent. “Art is making sense of life. It is therapy. Inspiration mostly comes from the desire to tell the story of other people’s lives or simply to churn out work that would sell. When emerging writers ask how to write stories that attract an agent’s interest, I tell them to aim high by keeping their eyes on the Caine Prize,” said Barrett.

Speaking on the Workshop, Ebi Atawodi, Head of High Value Events and Sponsorships at Etisalat Nigeria, said it was a part of activities lined up towards the Etisalat Prize for Literature, which is the first pan-African Prize to discover and celebrate new writers of African descent. “The Workshop is designed to allow these young hopefuls immerse themselves in the written world and create the opportunity to bring their creative writing dreams into reality with the help of professional facilitators. We are delighted to have provided a platform that discovers and strengthens the literary mind of Africans,” she said.

Some of the Workshop’s participants had also sent in entries for the Etisalat Prize for Literature flash fiction category, which is designed to discover and showcase Africa’s budding short story writers. Twenty finalists have been shortlisted for the Flash Fiction Prize, slated for presentation in February 2014.