Adichie urges parent to buy literature books

Adeola Ogunrinde

Chimamanda  Adichie has urged parents  to buy literature books for children, she said rather than buy two pairs of shoes for their children , they should buy one pair and one children literature book .

Adichie said this at the seventh Farafina writing Workshop which ended successfully with 25 participants graduating with a certificate given by the Farafina trust and Nigerian Breweries. The 10 day workshop brought in 23 Nigerians from different parts of the country and two Kenyans who flew in from Nairobi to Lagos to participate in the workshop. The literary evening witnessed array of writers and readers who came to Oriental Hotel Victoria Island to celebrate African literature, also to see the new crop of graduates from the 2015 Farafina workshop.

Chimamanda Adichie in her speech said the entries for this year’s workshop was 1,000 but twenty-five made it to the workshop, she noted that during the workshop participants were encourage to write fiction and non-fiction. She said it is important that African should tell their stories and Africans should own their stories by telling them . Adichie thanked Nigerian Breweries for their continue support to the development of Nigerian writers.

In his address Managing director Nigerian Breweries Nico Vervelde said that the workshop fit into what Nigerian Breweries do and it has grown from strength to strength in the number of participants that enter for the completion every year, ‘their writings are always better than that of the previous year and Nigerian Breweries is proud to be associated with this’.

Vervelde also noted that the workshop is not the only project that Nigerian Breweries is into to support the talent and develop the minds of Nigerians, he noted that from the Star Quest, Maltina dance hall, National Art Competition, PEN Award  and the Maltina Teacher of the year event which will commence shortly, one way or another have affected many Nigerians.

Speaking to the participants Vervelde told them , ‘that  you are part of the participant tells more about your talent , I hope the sparkle and the drive to write will continue for life.’ Vervelde also hopes that more Nigerians will participate as he praised the Kenyan writer Binyavanga Wainaina for the passion he has for writing and has passed to the participants every year.

There was a question and answer session during the literary evening and one of the questions asked Adichie was the criteria in choosing those who make it to the workshop. Adichie in her response said she has no formula but the story must be touching and affect the lives of those who read them. Another question Adichie was asked is why her books are not translated into indigenous African languages , in her response she said because we are taught entirely in English it is difficult to translate her books to Indigenous African languages. Wainaina who also contributed answering the question said Africans need to encourage the learning of African literature in indigenous languages then we can talk about publishing in Indigenous languages except Ngugi Wa Thiongo the Kenyan writer who is well known around the world and has decided to start writing in his mother’s tongue Kinkuyu.