Saturday 18 June 2016

Etisalat announces call for entries to 2016 Prize for Literature

Etisalat has announced its call for entries to the 2016 edition of the Pan-African Prize, Etisalat Prize for Literature. This is coming just a few months after the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Fiston Mwanza Mujila won the 2015 edition of the Prize with his first novel, Tram 83.


Thursday 19 May 2016

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie among distinguished achievers who receive honorary degrees at Johns Hopkins University

The Johns Hopkins University has awarded eight distinguished achievers with its honorary degrees for been role models in their chosen field. The awardees include Judith Rodin, Susan Baker, Spike Lee, Laurie Zabin, Shale Stiller, Ellen Heller, Richard Axel and our favorite feminist and author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.  

   
  

Wednesday 27 April 2016

Johns Hopkins University to award honorary degrees to Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and others

Johns Hopkins University has announced that they will be honoring eight distinguished achievers with an honorary degrees this year. Among that list is popular Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who also holds a creative writing Master from the University.

The honorary degrees presentation is set to hold on the May 18 at Royal Farms Arena.

"The men and women in this group are visionaries who have challenged the status quo and changed the world for the better," said Johns Hopkins University President Ronald J. Daniels. "They have made a lasting impact on the arts, public health, the law, Neuroscience, and the resilience of communities here in Baltimore and across the globe. At Johns Hopkins, we share their commitment to innovate and to work for the benefit of humankind, and I'm so pleased that these honorary degrees will celebrate all they have accomplished."

Wednesday 6 April 2016

Channels Book Club Reviews Author Lape Soetan's book

Hello everyone,

Over the weekend, author Lape Soetan and I were invited on the Channels TV book club programme to review her books, ‘How to be a Single Woman in Your 30s in Lagos’ and ‘7 Steps to Meeting the One’.

In this interview, Lape explains what motivated her to write for single women in their 30s in Lagos. I was also invited to join in the conversation as a single woman in my early 30s. See the video below, watch Lape and I share our experiences. 

Enjoy!

Part 1


Thursday 24 March 2016

Fiston Mwanza Mujila announced Winner of the 2015 Etisalat Prize for Literature

 Fiston Mwanza Mujila

Poet and novelist Fiston Mwanza Mujila was on Saturday, 19th March 2016 announced as the winner of the 2015 Etisalat Prize for Literature for his first novel, Tram 83. Originally written in French, Tram 83 was translated into English by Roland Glasser and published by Deep Vellum. 35-year-old Mujila is the first Francophone writer to win the prestigious Etisalat Prize, the first ever pan-African prize that celebrates debut fiction books by African authors.

Fiston Mujila was announced winner by the Chair of judges, Ato Quayson, at the award ceremony held at Intercontinental Lagos Hotel, which was broadcast live on Hip TV and viewed by over 30 million people across Africa. The event was also live-streamed on the internet.

Mujila was presented with a £15,000 cheque, an engraved Montblanc Meisterstück and an Iphone 6S. He will also have the opportunity to attend the Etisalat Fellowship, worth £13,000, at the prestigious University of East Anglia, United Kingdom, under the mentorship of Professor Giles Foden.

Monday 21 March 2016

A father introduces his newborn daughter to books, how inspiring!


Hello everyone,

Over the weekend, I read a very inspiring open letter on bookriot.com about a father who began to introduce his newborn daughter of barely 4 months to books. While suggesting authors to her, he recommended our very own Chinua Achebe amount others.

This story was especially inspiring because it portrays a fathers love and worry of wanting to equip his daughter about the realities of life and how books can help her understand the world better.

See the open letter below for your reading pleasure.

Enjoy!

Dear Matilda,

It’s your dad here. The one without the milk.

Please excuse this decidedly old fashioned way of communicating. Letters are rather passe even now. No doubt by the time you’re old enough to read this you’ll probably be communicating via holographic kitten emojis beamed directly between brain implants.

I want to be straight with you. So far in our three month relationship I haven’t actually felt like a parent. I’ve always thought parenting meant imparting wisdom to you, like Atticus to Scout. All I feel I’ve imparted is fresh nappies and a firm tap on the back during 3am burping sessions.

Tuesday 15 March 2016

Winner of the Etisalat Prize for Literature 2015 to be unveiled March 19

Hello Literary Lovers,

On Saturday, March 19 2016 a winner will emerge in the third edition of the Etisalat Prize for Literature. It is a three-way literary battle on who will win Africa’s most prestigious literature Prize. The shortlisted books are The Story of Anna P, as Told by Herself by South Africa’s Penny Busetto, Tram 83 by Democratic Republic of Congo’s Fiston Mwanza Mujila and What Will People Say? by another South African, Rehana Rossouw.

Monday 29 February 2016

Terra Kulture presents Motion & Emotions, an exhibition of Paintings and Mixed Media by Ogaga Tuodeinye

Hello everyone,

Are you a lover of art?

Terra Kulture presents Motion & Emotions, an exhibition of Paintings and Mixed Media by Ogaga Tuodeinye from Saturday 5th - 14th March 2016 at Terra Kulture Art Gallery.

See invitation below for full details.

Click here to view the full Catalogue.

Friday 26 February 2016

‘HEAR WORD’ STAGE PLAY – A FEMINIST PLEA AGAINST PREJUDICE

Hello everyone,

Below is my interview with Odenike Odetola Odeleye about her role in the 'Hear Word' stage play that was published in E24-7 entertainment magazine.

Enjoy!


Stage plays and musicals performances have begun to take centre stage in the ever busy commercial city of Lagos. ‘Hear Word’ a collection of skits based on the true life experiences of inequity and the inhuman treatment of Nigerian women tells the enthralling story of injustice, chauvinism and abuse of the female gender.
This intriguing play gives a scene by scene enactment of an African woman’s day to day ordeal of an exploited life. 

Thursday 28 January 2016

The British Council in Partnership with FirstBank Announces Lagos Theatre Festival 2016

The British Council has, for three years, been working on a theatre programme to stimulate innovation in theatre practice in Nigeria. The council sought to offer opportunities for professional exchange between Nigerian and British theatre makers and this birthed the Lagos Theatre Festival in 2012.

 This year, Lagos Theatre Festival returns bigger and better than ever as part of UK/Nigeria 2015 –16; a major season of arts in Nigeria aimed at building new audiences, creating new collaborations and strengthening relationships between the UK and Nigeria. First Bank of Nigeria Limited is a major promoter of the British Council Lagos Theatre Festival 2016 as part of its First@arts initiative.

Tuesday 12 January 2016

Why you should read a book a day by Tai Lopez

Is reading one of your new years resolution for 2016? if your answer is yes, then Tai Lopez's speech at the TED x talk event in 2015 on why you should read a book a day might inspire you.

In this talk, Tai Lopez reminds us how reading can help us learn and get inspired to do or become whoever you want to be in life.
 
Watch Tai rules of mentorship and how you can live the good life.

  
Enjoy!

Friday 1 January 2016

Happy New Year from Mya's Thought Literary Blog


Happy New Year everyone, as the new year begins my wish for the readers of this blog is prosperity, success and all round favor in all your endeavors in the year 2016. 

Don't forget 'If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!' So don't forget to start planning for 2016!