How Uwem Akpan, Nana Sule’s reading animated Abuja literary landscape
Akpan reads at Abak Book Club, Akwa Ibom on Saturday, July 19
By Paul Liam
ON July 14, 2025, book lovers and writers converged at one of Nigeria’s notable bookshops, RovingHeights, located at the City Centre Mall on Gimbiya Street, Garki, Abuja. It was one of those special literary events featuring a big name in the Nigerian writing community. Tagged ‘Uwem Akpan in Nigeria,’ the august event featured the American-based Nigerian writer and scholar, Akpan, the author of New York, MY Village. The cerebral writer, publisher, entrepreneur, and lawyer, Richard Ali, was the host of the day.
The event was slated for 2.00 – 4.00pm, and when I arrived at a few minutes past 2.00pm, the reading was already underway with a handful of guests keenly listening to the guest author, Akpan, reading from his novel New York, My Village. He was at the point when the subject of the narration was about to go into the booth to be interviewed for an American visa. I listened with rapt attention, just as the other guests who came before me did. At once, I caught up with the humour of the story and was fascinated by how the author emphasized each word, impressing the audience with his oratory. Soon, the author finished reading, and the moderator, Ali, began his insightful interaction with Akpan, seeking to unravel the mystery behind the story.
The author reflected on why he had written the story, highlighting the silencing of minority ethnicities by notable Igbo writers who have written about the war. He posited that minority ethnicities during the Nigerian Civil War were used as shields by the Biafran soldiers and were afterwards treated as saboteurs. Akpan emphasized the imperative of minority groups telling their part of the war stories as he highlighted how the minority groups were the greatest victims of the war. He argued that minority groups were oppressed during the war and would have become subjects to Biafra if they had won the war. He further reasoned that both the Nigerian and Biafran forces were fighting for control of the oil rich resources in the Niger Delta.
He also noted the struggles visa applicants face when they seek to travel abroad. He read a humorous passage about the lead character’s interview at the US Embassy and the stereotypical perception by most Western nationals that Nigeria is made up of the big three ethnic groups of Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba, as well as the allegations of criminality that Nigerians often face in the quest to get visas. He noted that other ethnic groups in Nigeria often bear the consequences of the crimes committed by the three major ethnic groups when they travel abroad. To the Wester world, every Nigerian is either Igbo, Yoruba, or Hausa, and their characters are judged based on the assumption that Nigerians are generally criminals. He expounded on the burden of guilt suffered by other ethnic Nigerians abroad because of the actions of a few criminal Nigerians.
Uwem Akpan explaining a point at the reading… in Abuja
While I found the conversation with Akpan truly insightful, unfortunately, a good friend, Nana Sule, was billed to have a reading of her debut collection of short stories, Not So Terrible People, at the Spine and Label Bookshop in another part of the city. So, I couldn’t stay much longer to enjoy the rest of the session with Akpan as I had to leave. I couldn’t miss Sule’s reading for the world for many personal reasons. I have known Sule for over a decade and witnessed her literary journey through the years, and couldn’t miss being there for her when she was set to read from her first major work as a writer in Abuja, where I live.
Anyway this weekend on Saturday, July 19, 2025, all roads lead to Abak Book Club near Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, as Akpan returns home to read to his own people for whom New York, My Village is specially written in what could easily be tagged ‘Minorities Write Back!’ New York, My Village is a son’s tribute to his homeland and ancestors for their resilient spirit in a tragic war they found themselves trapped in and suffered needlessly for the greed of others for the God-given wealth in their land for which they have watched as bystanders 55 years after the war.
As I was contemplating leaving for Spine and Label, I felt a touch on my shoulder. When I turned, I saw the celebrated poet, novelist, and author of The Incredible Dreams of Garba Dakaskus, Umar Abubakar Sidi. Sidi and I hadn’t spoken in a long time. As writers, sometimes, ideological skirmishes can strain an otherwise beautiful relationship. We greeted each other and sat briefly, exchanging pleasantries. He praised me for my new work and asked for some copies. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring any with me, which was a costly mistake. I didn’t know what I was thinking. He was also planning to attend Nana Sule’s reading. We agreed to leave, so he booked a Bolt ride and we left Roving Heights together. We bonded like siblings who had missed each other for ages, as we sipped our drinks. I took zobo because it helps with my blood pressure. He took a drink—I can’t remember which now, saying it helps to regulate sugar levels in the body and fights diabetes. It was a beautiful reunion.
Although we observed that the turnout for the reading at RovingHeights was unusually low, especially considering that it was being anchored by Ali, one of Nigeria’s finest book men and intellectuals, I explained that there were too many readings happening the same day, and almost at the same time. Esther Temitayo Adelana also held a reading at the Mamman Vatsa Writers Village, with Spine and Label also having a reading. Writer and book enthusiast Salamatu Sule later mentioned to me that she had attended African oral literature conference at the University of Abuja before coming to Nana’s reading. So, people had to make sacrifices and choices, especially considering the high cost of transportation due to the poor economic situation of the country.
Nana Sule signing a copy of her book
A few minutes after we arrived and exchanged pleasantries with the host, Abdulkareem Baba Aminu, and the guest, Sule, we saw the legendary novelist, Helon Habila, whose creative genius has inspired several generations of writers for decades, also walk in. I was starstruck meeting Habila for the first time in person after all the years of reading his works and reading about him in the national dailies and online. I mentioned how my good friend, Gimba Kakanda, was a great fan of Habila, through whom I had discovered the sage’s works over a decade ago in Minna. Aminu quipped that Kakanda was still a great fan of Habila, while Sidi remarked that “they,” implying the literary community, have excommunicated Kakanda from the literary family because of his long absence and current status as a public figure in the current administration. To this, we laughed, understanding Sidi’s remarks to be a joke.
Soon afterwards, several guests arrived, and the session with Sule commenced in earnest. Aminu started the conversation with a brief introduction of the guest author, as well as acknowledging some of the notable guests in attendance. As the session took full swing, I turned around and noticed that a few notable writers were also in attendance. I was sitting in the second row beside Sidi. I caught glimpses of Richard Ali, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, another public figure in the current administration, who, like his good friend, Kakanda, has been inactive in the literary space as a result of his engagement. I also saw Nurudin Busari, Star Zahra, Mike Ekunno, Salim Yunusa, Sha’ade Ann, Zaynab Bobi, Abdulrasaq Salihu, and a host of emerging writers.
Both the reading at RovingHeights and Spine and Label offered us indelible memories that we would remember for a long time. There was no doubt that July 14, 2025 offered Abuja literary lovers a rich literary soiree, especially those of us who had the opportunity to participate.
* Liam is a writer and culture critic
