‘A Possible Future,’ an anthology of Nigerian writing from 1789 to 2018, has been unveiled in Lagos. Sterling Bank Plc, in collaboration with Farafina Books, published the collection.
A statement from Sterling disclosed that the collection would preserve the gems of Nigeria’s literary history, promote the reading culture, and support featured authors to distribute their timeless books.
The 411-page anthology features work by 46 late and living authors. They 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, IkeoguOke, Biyi Bandele, Sarah Ladipo Manyika, Aisha Osori, Omolola IjeomaOgunyemi, 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.
Speaking at the anthology’s unveiling, Chief Executive of Sterling Bank, Abubakar Suleiman, said the institution decided to collaborate with Farafina on the project to ensure continued literacy, a key component of education in line with the education component of the bank’s HEART strategy. The other sectors are health, agriculture, renewable energy, and transportation.
Apart from this, the bank has supported literature through Lola Shoneyin’s Ake Arts and Books Festival for some time.
In the book’s foreword, Suleiman noted, “in the long period between 1947 when Professor Molly Mahood declared that Nigeria, at the time, had no literature and today, the country’s literary tradition has established itself as a force in the world. This does not agree with Mahood that Nigerian literature is only as old as British involvement in the country’s affairs. In fact, by the time British colonialism invaded the geographical space that would later become Nigeria, there was already a deep-rooted literary tradition in the north of the region going as far back as the 15th century. So, we had literature long before we practised the art in the colonial tongue.”
He added, “Modern Nigerian literature may have been ‘founded’ by the English based on an assumption – a falsehood, in fact – but the lie does not have to hold any longer. When we decided to believe in ‘A Possible Future,’ we did so with the understanding that Nigerian literature was already of age. While its story is still unfolding and the yardage of its potential still vast, nay infinite, the baby Emecheta, Nwapa, and Tutuola once nurtured in verse, prose and on stage, no longer crawls. A possible Future is a primer for anyone – and I cannot imagine who, in this age – just getting introduced to Nigerian literature.”
According to him, “Kachifo Limited and Farafina Trust have created a definitive, yet not conclusive text that summarises our literary journey and gestures to its destination. The details of which we do not know yet except that, in that future, everything is excellent, anything is possible, and we are here for it.”
The Sterling Bank CEO read excerpts from Achebe’s ‘Arrow of God’ while Temilade Aina took the second from Biyi Bandele’s ‘Burma Boy’.
The event also featured a panel session comprising Professor Niyi Osundare, Eghosa Imasuen, A. Igoni Barrett, Wale Lawal and Temilade Aina. A writer, book critic, and editor, Faniyi Kayode, moderated.
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