by Chi Ibe

On Saturday, July 9, 2011, at the Lifehouse, Victoria Island Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Jude Dibia and Odili Ujubuonu of Jalaa Writers will read from their latest works Roses and Bullets, Blackbird and Pride of the Spider Clan respectively.

Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo is a professor of English at the University of Lagos. She is the author of several novels, poetry collections and children literature. A joint winner of the Nigeria Prize for Literature (2007); Adimora-Ezeigbo has, over the years, won numerous literary awards and has undertaken reading tours locally and internationally. Her latest work Roses and Bullets takes us right into the experience of war: its divisiveness, the pain caused by untimely and violent death, and the humanity that prevails in spite of pain and violence.

Odili Ujubuonu debuted with the novel, Pregnancy of the Gods. Since then, he has published follow-ups, Treasure in the Winds and Pride of the Spider Clan. The three books are woven around a magical instrument – sacred flute – lost and sought in communities around the lower Niger Delta. Pregnancy of the Gods won the 2006 ANA/Jacaranda Prize for Prose while Treasure in the Winds won the 2008 ANA/Chevron Prize on Environmental issues and was nominated for the Nigeria Prize for Literature, 2008. Ujubuonu has practised Advertising since 1991. Pride of the Spider Clan is a breathtaking interplay of seen and unseen forces across the labyrinths of the lower Niger. It is a story of courage and commitment, high on regenerating the self, family and the society.

Jude Dibia is the author of two novels; Walking with Shadows (2005) and Unbridled (2007). Walking with Shadows is said to be the first Nigerian novel with a gay man as its central character. Unbridled was awarded the 2007 Ken Saro-Wiwa Prize for Prose and was a finalist in the 2008 Nigeria Prize for Literature (sponsored by NLNG). Dibia was a recipient of a Commonwealth Highly Commended Award for his short story ‘Somewhere’ in 2010. Jude Dibia’s latest work Blackbird is a provocative novel about beauty and truth and the artist’s role in culture. It studies the emotions-love, jealousy, pride and a sense of  duty—and the terrifying frailness of identity.

Time: 5pm-7pm

Venue:  Lifehouse, 33, Sinari Daranijo Street, Off Younis Bashorun Street, Off Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos

The Event is FREE.

RSVP the Event on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=138569512890466

Jalaa Writers’ Collective is a publishing initiative consisting of ten notable Nigerian writers. Members are united by the common purpose of using their collective power to achieve individual writing goals. Read more about JWC at www.jalaawriters.com.

Oluwapelumi