Award for literary critics, and call for papers

Creative Writing and the Development of Literary Criticism in Nigeria is the theme of the 2004 conference of the Association of Nigerian Authors, to take place in October. At the conference the association will also be launching a new award for literary journalists to acknowledge the contribution they make to the promotion of literature.

The Association of Nigerian Authors is to hold its 23rd annual international convention in the central Nigerian town of Lokoja, Kogi state, from October 28-31, 2004.

The theme of the 2004 convention is Creative Writing and the Development of Literary Criticism in Nigeria. The keynote speaker will be Prof D.S. Izevbaye of the University of Ibadan in Nigeria.

The association has issued a call for papers to scholars in Nigeria and abroad who might be interested in presenting papers on any of the convention’s sub themes. These sub-themes are the challenges of contemporary critical practice; contemporary trends in literary theory and criticism; feminist criticism; myth and culture criticism; folklore and literary criticism.

The deadline for abstracts is July 15, 2004. For more information visit the ANA website at
www.ana-ng.org

A further initiative to be launched at the convention is the Literary Journalist of the Year award. This prize is evidence of the association’s determination to promote literary criticism and coverage of literature in the popular media.

The award will recognise a Nigerian literary journalist of distinction and has been implemented to remedy "the neglect of these important professionals by the existing media merit awards in the country", said the association.

The award does not require entries from practitioners working in the print or electronic media. A panel raised from the executive committee of the Association of Nigerian Authors (excluding the general secretary who is a literary editor) will be examining the volume and quality of practitioners’ work to arrive at a shortlist of three and the eventual winner.

No cash prize is attached to the award. The winner will be presented with a certificate and a plaque at the association’s awards dinner during the annual convention in October 2004.

An existing competition for which the association is calling for entries is the ANA annual literary competition. The deadline for receipt of entries is June 20, 2004. For details on available prizes and guidelines for the competition visit the association’s website at
www.ana-ng.org