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Whither Port Harcourt Book Festival?

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The Garden City literary festival renamed, Port Harcourt Book Festival, began as the brain child of Koko Kalango, who thought it up as a means to propel tourism and highten literary awareness in the city of Port Harcourt and its neighboring areas, encourage love for books and reading culture in Africa with focus on children.
Originally scheduled for September 8 each year, to coincide with the United Nations International Literacy Day, the festival has continued to expand and has been highly rated since its debut in 2004. The literary event included a book fair, writers workshop and forums. An integral part of the festival showcased activities for children such as essay competition, art drama, writing competitions, workshops and sessions to encourage children to read.
The events usually attracted some big names in the literary arts; hundred of fans flocked to the Garden City every year for this six day event. The inaugural edition was held as a three-day event from the 24 to 27 September, 2008. It was dubbed Garden City Literary Festival with its them as ‘Writers Without Borders’. Special guests included Prof Wole Soyinka, Kofi Awoonor and late captain Elechi Amadi, with writers Okey Ndibe, Kaine Agaray and Petrina Crockford.
The second festival, (Nigeria’s 50 years of post colonial literature), was held on September 23 to 26, 2009. In attendance were authors Ngugi Wa Thiongo, JP Clark, Buchi Emecheta A. Igoni Barrett, Toni Khan, Sefi Attah, Lindsay Berrett, Toni Ka, Fela Durotoye, Tade / Padeola, Jumuoke Verissimo, Abimbola Adunni and Joy Isi Bewaji. It was coordinated by United Kingdom’s Nana Ayebia Clarke along with representatives from book builders and the British Council.
Author Ngugi Wa Thiongo presented a Keynote address at the event, which was “Language As Bridges: Building Network Against linguistic Feudalism and Darwinism”. The 2010 festival saw change in its mouth of occurrence for the first time as it was held between 8th and 11th December 2010, more than 100 people attended the event that year.
In 2011, the event shifted back to its initial period taking place between 12th and 17th September 2011, its theme was, “literature and Politics:, the festival was formerly opened by Ex-Governor Chibuke Ameachi and former Common Wealth Secretary General, Emeka Anyaoku. For the first time in its history, it lasted for five days. Other prominent attendces were Chinua Achebe and his son, Dr Chidi Achebe, who presented the main speech and activist, Jesse Jackson.
The fifth Garden City Literary Festival, Women In Literature was moved to October and held from 15th to 20th with Hotel Presidential as the festival venue, Garden City literary festival guest such as Veronique Tadjo, Doreen Baingana, Elechi Amadi, Gabriel Okara and Prof E.J Alagoa participated.
There was also a book put together by Mrs Koko titled ‘coat of Many Colours’ along side then president, Goodluck Jonathan and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amechi both of whom contributed to its forward and introduction, respectively.
Also joining the group were former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, Prof Wole Soyinka and Mrs Ibim Seminitari. Towards the end of the occasion, the city of Port Harcourt was re-ignited as UNESCO World Book capital for the year 2014. In August 2013, Mrs Kalango announced that the garden city literary festival has been renamed Port Harcourt Book Festival, citing reasons that the new name would assist in elevating Port Harcourt’s profile as a legitimate destination for all things literary.
In 2014, the festival took place in Port Harcourt and was opened with a key note address by Noble Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, the theme of the festival was “Books: Windows. To Our World Of Possibilities”, highlights of the event in 2014 included the presentation of a dance drama titled “Along came the Book” which was directed by award winning play wright, Bikiya Graham Douglas.
In addition to it, there was a presentation of a book titled “The Walking Book” which is a communal story covering the sights and sounds of Rivers State written by different children who were selected from the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State. 12 books were carefully selected to be featured in the festival in 2014. Some of the books were Arrow of God by Chinua Achebe (April), the Great Ponds by Elechi Amadi (May), This Child Shall Be Great by Ellen Shirley Johnson (June) and Tomorrow Died Yesterday by Chimeka Garricks (August).
The world book capital position always brings benefits to children in terms of improving their reading and literary culture and submissions to host it are always considered, based on their impact of a book club in the aspect of reading culture and literary programmes in the society.
In 2014, the festival brought honour to sub Saharan Africa, when Port Harcourt City won the right to host UNESCO world book capital. Alexandra in Egypt was the other city to be honoured, Port Harcourt became the second African City and the first Sub Saharan city to hold this position, all thanks to the Rainbow Book Club, whose submission to host the annual book day to the UNESCO was approved.
Port Harcourt became the 4th city to be named the UNESCO World Book Capital, following other countries like Madrid, Amsterdam, Beirut and others. The UNESCO World Book City always holds that position for one year and it starts on the 23rd of April, the chosen year Port Harcourt handed over the position as UNESCO World book capital to Incheon in South Korea in April 2015.
The festival was stalled in 2015 due to lack of funding as a result of the change of government in Rivers State, as government being prominent partners. Critics and academics have also attributed this to lack of strategic planning aside from funding.

By: Jacob Obinna

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Celebrating Woman As An Icon Of Strength

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A woman is a dynamic multifaceted individual who embodies resilience, courage and determination.
She is a game changer and a force to be reckon with, a confidant empowered, supportive, adaptable and inspirational.
Many had asked why women are being celebrated even as recorded in calendar so frequently unlike men and I said, a woman being multifaceted and embodies resilience and determination is worth being celebrated unlike in the 80s when women were meant to understand that their place was in the kitchen of their husbands’ houses.
What an amazing level of development where women can choose a career and work on themselves and know that there is more to life than being in the kitchen and ending up in a man’s house with nothing to show for it.
Women are the strongest versions of the gender of humans in the world even in their silence, women hold a depth of emotions, questions and unspoken thoughts. Their smiles often conceal their true feelings, masking their fears, doubts and desires.
Despite these challenges, women continue to rise above, shattering glass ceilings and pushing boundaries.
Today innovative, women are enterprenuers, leaders, and change agents. Inspiring women like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chimamanda Adichie and many others have paved the way for future generation, their achievements serve as testaments to women’s strength, resilience and capabilities.
The calendar tell us how unique the woman is and her significance in the home and society at large. As a woman, she holds power and I celebrate every woman out there in the world irrespective of how you may have fallen, you shall rise above the challenges, support one another and celebrate collective strength and resilience.
Woman as an icon of strength is not just about individual achievements but creating supportive networks, uplifting others and celebrating collective success, defying expectations and redefining what it means to be a strong woman.
The strength and bravery of women are worthy of celebration by the entire world as none is unique as the epitome of nation builders, character molders and pacesetters not just in their family but to the society at large.
A woman is a selfless mother, lover and care giver to her family, a daughter who supports her parents, as a sister’s unshakeable bond with her siblings and a friends unconditional empathy and understanding.
These acts of kindness and love are not most times talked about but hold families and communities together and bonding strong women are powerful beings who have impacted the society, shaping the foundation of the world from the 80s to date, I personally want to celebrate all the icons of strength who had fought and are still fighting , that our voices as women are heard even unto the ends of time.
I celebrate you all amazing women for standing strong and paving ways for the future generation for equality, justice and human rights. To the rising child, teenager and adults who happen to be a ‘woman’, I celebrate our collective efforts, our strength in helping one another to rise, irrespective of our differences in our backgrounds.
We are super humans, unique beings, no wonder the Bible acknowledges the importance of our strength. Therefore, let’s celebrate every woman out there.

Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha, is a student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.

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Children And Basics Of Family

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It is the idea of God that family should exit. Children form part of the family. God loves family so much that Jesus was born into the family of Joseph.
Everyone’s family is good and important. Children should not look down on their family whether they are rich or poor.
Children should respect and honour their family and foster love among their siblings. They should work together and make peace in the family. They should always stand in the gap. It is good for family members to carry all along since everyone may not be doing well.
The Christianity that children learn is practised in family. Faith-based organisations do a great job in moulding children’s character. Those are the behaviours that children exhibit towards siblings in family.
Every child born in a family is there for a purpose. A baby born into a family is supplying something. It may be joy, wealth and so on. Everyone is important in a family.
Adolescents who have graduated from school but may not be contributing financially can do one or two things at home. You can engage in preparing meals at home while parents are away for a job or business. Contributing in house chores will go a long way to relieve parents of stress after a day’s job.
What do you contribute to your family, especially during holidays both in nuclear and extended family?
The family you were born is constant but friends are temporary. You can decide not to continue in friendship but you cannot cut off your family. No matter how bad you think your family is and you decide to leave home, you must surely return. Your friends can harbour you for a while.
The child’s first identity comes from the family. What the child learns first comes from the family.
Family is the centre of love and care. People have started playing down on marriage because of neglect on basics of family. Marriage starts today and and the next few months, it is threatened. Respect for family plays a crucial role in marriage.
No child grows without parental control and influence. If a child refuses to grow without taking instructions from parents, he may grow up being wild. There are consequences when children do not obey their parents. There are those who want to be rebellious against their parents. They should know that their length of days are tied to their parents.
Your bioligical parents know you more than every other person. There is the wisdom and knowledge your parents have that you do not so it is proper to listen to them before choosing carriers both in academics and job. A young man or woman can choose who to get married to, but a greater role in the choice of who to marry and the marriage proper comes from the parents.
They know what is best for you. No matter how modern trends will influence you and prove it wrong, parent is the key. No one can love you more than your parents because they are your blood.
A lot of parents have been traumatised due to the fact that children they nurtured and trained turned their back on them at older age. Children should not abandon their parents for any reason.
As you grow up, situations may arise in marriage when you decide it is over with your spouse, but no matter the level of provocation with your parents, they will not despise you. Parents will also play a role in that regard. Problem arises in every family but how it is handled matters a lot.
Some children honour their mentors more than their parents. Although there are parents who shy away from their responsibilities. It is important that parents take full responsibility of their children. You cannot bring a child to the planet earth and refuse to perform roles as a parent. But parents may not quantify what they spent from childhood to adolescence. That is a blessing children cannot get from another person.
There are people who have attributed their failure in life to the fact that their parents, especially mothers are witchcraft. It is wrong to feel that your mother is instrumental to your failure in life. The only way to success is hardwork.
Let money not determine the level of love for your parents. Wherever a child goes, family is constant.

Eunice Choko-Kayode

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Who Should Name A Child?

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Naturally, when a child is born, it is the role of the father and mother to decide a suitable name for the child. The husband and wife normally discuss and suggest the English or vernacular name of the baby.
But sometimes, when a baby comes into a family, grandparents hearts are usually filled with joy to the extent that they want to answer present, by giving their own names not minding the fact that the biological parents have given theirs.
This happens mostly when the marriage is an inter-tribal one. It also happens even in intra-tribal marriage. Grandparents want equal representation as far as naming a child is concerned. They also have special names as a result of circumstances surrounding the birth of the child.
This is still happening till date.
A lot of people have viewed this in different ways but there is nothing wrong about it. The most important thing is that the child bears as many names as he or she can. But one thing is certain, the child must bear one name in school.
Should circumstance determine a child’s name?
Women who are more emotional are always eager to name their children considering the circumstances surrounding the child’s conception and arrival.
The issue of grandparents naming a child comes up mostly when it is the first of the family.
In naming children by some parents in the olden days, they named their children according to the days in the week in which they were born, like Sunday, Monday, Friday and so on.
You may be shocked to hear that whether a child is given 10 names by parents or grandparents, when he or she grows up, will decide to change. There are several cases where some persons decided to change especially when they feel that the names given by their parents and grandparents do not give them joy. If they are not doing well in life, they may claim that their misfortune is caused by the name their parents.

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