A dream fulfilled as writers honour Evelyn Osagie at memorable ‘Moonbeam’ reading, conversation in Lagos
By Godwin Okondo
LAST Saturday, April 11, 2026 at Rovingheights Bookstore turned out an emotional one for some of Nigeria’s arts and culture journalists as they shared memorable moments they had with one of their own, Evelyn Osagie of The Nation newspaper, who succumbed to ill-health on August 17, 2025. Osagie passed away without setting eyes on Moonbeam: An Anthology of Short Stories by Nigeria’s Arts and Culture Journalists, a project that was a product of her ever fertile creative imagination. Six out of the 15 culture journalists and stakeholders gathered in Lagos for the reading and signing of Moonbeam, with contributors using the platform to reflect on their creative journeys, the challenges of publishing, and the evolving nature of storytelling in Nigeria.
The event, held at Rovingheights Bookstore, was organised by Moonbeam publisher, Narrative Landscape Press. It also doubled as a memorial for late journalist, photographer, textile artist, performance poet and contributor Osagie, whose inclusion in the anthology fulfilled a long-held personal ambition.
Editor of the collection, Anote Ajeluorou, found the moment a time to truly mourn Osagie, when he was overwrought with emotions and shed tears for her late colleague, a moment he described as cathartic. He said the idea behind Moonbeam was to create a unified body of creative work from arts journalists whose writings are often scattered across newspapers, magazines, blogs and social media platforms. He noted that despite decades of documenting Nigeria’s cultural landscape, many of these writers rarely have the opportunity to present their creative voices in a single, cohesive format.
When a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) expert Olatoun Gabs-Williams asked how he came about the title, Ajeluorou said growing up he’d consumed a lot of folktales both from his own beloved mother Obafaaruho and other elders and playmates and thought to replicate same in modern formal media that a book presents. He then explained that Moonbeam replicates moonlight tale village setting, where various persons tell tales to willing audience, noting that his colleagues on the project, a gathering of culture journalism playmates regalling each other with their various tales and the readers providing the willing audience listening to 15 voices telling tales in moonlight-tale-fashion in a modern medium.
He also explained that assembling the anthology required persistence, particularly in an environment where writing is not always financially rewarding and publishing opportunities are limited. Ajeluorou disclosed that an earlier attempt to publish the manuscript in 2017 stalled after he received a production cost of nearly one million naira from a prospective publisher, forcing him to shelve the project.
Molara Wood (left); Moonbeam editor, Anote Ajeluorou; moderator, Faith Nwani; Okechukwu Uwaezuoke and Nehru Odeh at the reading and conversation… in Lagos PHOTOS: TERH AGBEDEH
The breakthrough came in 2023 when he encountered a submission call from Narrative Landscape Press. Encouraged by fellow contributor Mr. Terh Agbedeh, he submitted the manuscript and received a positive response, although the publisher indicated a two-year production timeline. Ajeluorou said the eventual release of the book marked the culmination of years of effort and collaboration.
Speaking on his contribution, Okechukwu Uwaezuoke said his story was inspired by his early professional experience in advertising, where he worked as a copywriter between 1992 and 1994 before transitioning into journalism. He described the advertising industry as one marked by urgency, creative intensity and, at times, frustration.
According to him, teams often worked under intense pressure, sacrificing sleep and personal time to develop ideas, only for clients to reject them—sometimes without fully engaging with the material. He recalled instances where completed presentations were dismissed or cancelled abruptly, including occasions when teams were informed via dispatch riders not to proceed after days of preparation.
Uwaezuoke said these experiences informed his story, ‘All for Nothing,’ which explores the concept of effort and futility. By shifting perspective to the client’s side, he sought to examine the pressures faced by decision-makers as well, presenting a more nuanced view of the creative process. He added that while the story is rooted in past experiences, he introduced elements such as BlackBerry devices to bridge generational gaps, despite their absence in the period being depicted.
For Nehru Odeh, the anthology provided an opportunity to revisit and repurpose an existing body of work. He said his contribution, ‘Not All Roads Lead Home,’ was drawn from a novel he had been developing over an extended period, describing the selected piece as an excerpt that stands independently while retaining connections to the larger narrative.
Odeh, who participated in a 2008 Creative Writing Workshop facilitated by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, said the experience influenced his approach to fiction and reinforced his commitment to storytelling. He described his Moonbeam story as a commentary on Nigeria’s socio-political climate, addressing themes of governance, religion and freedom of expression.
Set within a church environment, the narrative follows a prophetic figure entangled in political controversy after criticising national leadership. Odeh noted that although the story was written about 15 years ago, its themes continue to resonate, reflecting persistent tensions within Nigerian society.
Molara Wood said her involvement in the project stemmed from a long-standing interest in creative collaboration, as well as the desire to consolidate years of professional writing into a more enduring format. She noted that arts journalists often build extensive portfolios that remain fragmented, making anthology projects particularly significant.
Her story, ‘The House Next Door,’ she explained, is grounded in close observation of society and employs subtle narrative techniques to explore complex issues. Rather than presenting events directly, the story hints at underlying tensions, incorporating elements of suspense, the supernatural and social critique.
Wood said the narrative interrogates assumptions about crime and morality within urban Nigeria, particularly in affluent communities where appearances often mask deeper realities. She explained that the story challenges the notion that wrongdoing is confined to lower socio-economic groups, instead suggesting that wealth and respectability can coexist with hidden forms of criminality.
She also reflected on how changing national realities have influenced her storytelling. Issues such as migration, insecurity and restricted mobility, she said, have reshaped the kinds of narratives that demand attention, prompting writers to engage more deeply with contemporary experiences.
On the interplay between journalism and fiction, Ajeluorou said the two forms are closely linked, especially for writers operating within the cultural space, whose reportage is often more creatively and critically nuanced unlike the flat-out factual reporting expected in other journalism desks. He explained that journalism requires factual precision and structure but also benefits from creativity, while fiction allows writers to expand on ideas that may not fit within the constraints of regular journalism reportage.
Wood echoed this perspective, describing fiction as a more expansive medium that accommodates ambiguity, doubt and layered meaning. She noted, however, that not all journalistic material translates easily into fiction, as some stories begin as fleeting impressions or fragments that gradually evolve into fully realised narratives.
Ajeluorou also spoke about his own contribution, ‘Communal Wife’ which examines gender roles within a patriarchal African context. He explained that the story explores a scenario in which a woman assumes dual roles traditionally assigned to both men and women, particularly within family structures where expectations around lineage and inheritance create unique pressures.
He noted that such themes where a woman plays the dual role of a woman and that of a ‘son’ at the same time, a womna who fills the gaps when the father fails to bear male children to carry on the family, are deeply rooted in African cultural realities and have long been explored in literature, even before contemporary feminist discourse gained wider prominence. He also said ‘Communal Wife’ is part of a larger fictional narrative that explores female personas due to be published soon. Ajeluorou praised the uniqueness of women for their ability to play such multiple roles in society, and still wondered why patriarchy easily loses sight of this and fails to give women their deserved due.
A major highlight of the event was the spontaneous tribute to Osagie (‘Big Brother of Zone Four’), whose literary aspirations were realised posthumously through her inclusion in the anthology. Her sister, Amy Osagie, who attended the event, described Osagie as a passionate and dedicated writer who consistently shared her work with family members and nurtured ambitions of publishing both a novel and an autobiography.
She recounted conversations about these plans and expressed surprise upon learning, after Osagie’s passing, that she had contributed to Moonbeam. She described the moment as both emotional and fulfilling, adding that a personal dream of the late writer had been realised.
Contributor Terh Agbedeh (‘Unwanted’) paid tribute to Osagie’s presence within literary circles, recalling her vibrant personality and frequent appearances at cultural events. He said her absence has left a noticeable gap, describing her as someone whose energy and engagement enriched every space she occupied.
Uwaezuoke also shared personal memories, recalling their interactions at art exhibitions and literary gatherings in Lagos. He said Osagie often spoke about the transformative power of the arts, adding that her passion for creativity was evident in both her work and her relationships.
The event concluded with a renewed emphasis on the importance of storytelling as a means of documenting, interpreting and challenging societal realities. Contributors highlighted the role of fiction in offering deeper insight into issues that may be constrained by the factual boundaries of journalism.
Although he wasn’t billed to be part of the reading and conversation, contributor, culture communicator and Pogramme Chair of Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA), Mr. Jahman Anikulapo (‘Boda Alani and the Hawks: Diary of a Teen’), was in the audience to give support to his colleague-contributors to Moonbeam.
Moonbeam, the culturally sauvy contributors said, stands as both a literary project and a cultural statement—bringing together voices shaped by years of reportage and reimagining them through the lens of fiction. Moonbeam anthology offers readers a collection of narratives that reflect Nigeria’s complexities, bridging lived experiences with creative exploration and verve.
