Ekiti Ana, Fuoye to host Wale Okediran

THE Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Ekiti State Chapter, in conjunction with the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), has set aside Thursday, February 16 2017, to host a former national president of the association, Dr Wale Okediran, as the Guest Writer for her February 2017 monthly reading. According to the state coordinator and scribe of ANA Ekiti chapter, Tai Oguntayo and Dr Olumide Ogunrotimi respectively, the event will take place in the University Auditorium at 2p.m. The reading which will take place immediately after the state’s first ANA Convention.

The Chief Host is the Vice Chancellor of FUOYE, Professor Kayode Soremekun, while ANA national president, Mr Denja Abdullahi, is the Chief Guest of Honour.

Dr  Okediran, a multiple award-winning author of many novels, is also the founder of the Ebedi International Writers Residency, Iseyin, Oyo State. His highly acclaimed novel, Tenants Of The House, was a co- winner of the 2012 Wole Soyinka African Literature Prize, while his latest novel, Keepers Of The Tribe, was recently released by Nelson Publishers.

Speaking on the decision of FUOYE to host the event, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Soremekun said: “Apart from our resolve to encourage the dwindling reading culture among our students, it is also our determination to put FUOYE on the front burner of academic excellence in Nigeria. One of the ways to achieve this is to collaborate with a viable and educative organisation such as ANA, which is a non- political and non- religious organization.”

ANA, with chapters in 32 states of the country, was established in 1981 at the University Of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) by the late Professor Chinua Achebe, who was also the association’s first national president.  Some of the association’s past national presidents are Professor Femi Osofisan, Professor Kole Omotoso, Odia Ofeimun,   Abubakar Gimba, Professor Olu Obafemi, Dr Wale Okediran, Dr Jerry Agada, Professor Remi Raji, among others.