ANA to hold festival on Ikeogu Oke’s burial eve

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) is set to hold a festival of life on the eve of Ikeogu Oke’s burial. Oke, who is winner of the 2017 Nigerian Prize for Literature (poetry category) died on November 24, 2019. His burial is slated for March 30 at Akanu Ohafia in Abia State according to a […]

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) is set to hold a festival of life on the eve of Ikeogu Oke’s burial.

Oke, who is winner of the 2017 Nigerian Prize for Literature (poetry category) died on November 24, 2019. His burial is slated for March 30 at Akanu Ohafia in Abia State according to a statement released by his family signed by Kalu Oke Ikeogu.

The statement said there will be a night vigil at Chief Imo Ikeogu’s Pavilion, Ugwuaffia layout, Akanu Ohafia on May 29. The following day the body will lay in state for songs, prayers and tributes by 11am and interment will be at his country home Ugwuaffia layout, Akanu Ohafia by 1pm.

ANA’s festival of life will be during the vigil where the poetry book of tributes ‘For Ikeogu, For Poetry’ published by the association and edited by ANA president Denja Abdullahi and Ofonime Inyang will be released. The collection of 51 poems, written by both old and young Nigerian poets was published in February 2019 after a call for submission in December, 2018 for poems in honour of the departed poet.

Oke won the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas-sponsored Nigerian Prize for Literature for his book of poetry ‘The Heresiad’.