Poetry marries culture at Denja Abdullahi’s book launch

Literary buffs from all over the country were in attendance at the event which held at the Raw material Research and Development Council, Maitama, Abuja. Being the former Secretary General of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) members of the association thronged the venue to felicitate with one of theirs. And members of the culture […]

Literary buffs from all over the country were in attendance at the event which held at the Raw material Research and Development Council, Maitama, Abuja. Being the former Secretary General of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) members of the association thronged the venue to felicitate with one of theirs.

And members of the culture sector, where the author works, also turned out in numbers to also show their solidarity.

The author however did justice to both sectors in his works. The Talking Drum is an arresting collection of poems for pupils in higher primary school classes and Junior secondary school students and the common theme running through all the poems is Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage celebrated with great literary aplomb that both young and old readers will find fascinating.

Reviewing this collection, Dr Taiwo Oladokun said: “ Coming from a background that is rich in culture and being one of the prominent creative minds around, one is not surprised that Denja  Abdulahi expresses, in this collection, his passion for Nigeria’s cultural heritage and the deep influence this continues to have on him.”

A Thousand Years of Thirst, however, was written for the more matured reader, touching on a wide range of issues in contemporary Nigeria and the author’s personal experiences.

To demonstrate the poet’s ties with the cultural industry, the venue was decorated with colourful tie and dye fabrics and a cultural troupe was on hand to thrill the audience with some scintilating dance steps.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Abraham Nwankwo, Director General of the Debt Management Office, commended the efforts of the poets and challenged him to not rest on his laurels.

Former President of the Association of Nigeria Authors, Dr. Wale Okediran also commended the poet for his hard work and passion for literature and culture. He then proceeded to unveil the collections, supported by some notable personalities present at the launch.

On his part, President of ANA, Dr.Jerry Agada said he is highly delighted by the progress made by Malam Denja Abdullahi because the successful launch of the two books demonstrates the productivity of the members of the association.

However, Prof. Ola Makinwa jarred some nerves when he commended on Nigerian’s poor commitment to supporting creative minded people. He lamented the practice of people making grandiose speeches at book launches and then donating paltry sums. this attitude, he said, makes it impossible for authors to rise beyond penury despite years of hard work. He complimented his words with action by making a handsome donation on behalf of the African Peace Foundation.

On his part, the author Denja Abdullahi commended all those who sacrificed their other commitments to turn up at the event, saying he is moved by the show of support for his effort.