Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, multiple award winning author and Patrick Lumumba, renowned Kenyan activist, have been named as special guests at the 5th edition of the Face of Okija cultural pageant.

The multicultural event is scheduled to hold on Saturday, December 29, at the ObiJackson Sports Arena, in Okija, Anambra state.

The biennial event, which will include a pageant and an array of activities, will display Africa's rich culture, with special focus on the Igbo heritage of eastern Nigeria.

As a highlight, Ms. Adichie and Professor Lumumba will speak on deep aspects of the African culture in line with the theme of the event titled: ‘Re-Engineering our morals the African way’.

Thrilling performances are expected from Afropop star Davido and Nigerian rapper Zoro, with Bovi, Funnybone and Ojinika as hosts.

The Nkpokiti dancers, Atilogwu dancers, Igbo Jaa Ogene Group, Ohafia war dancers, Obi Troop (Hunter’s dance) are also on the line up.

The event will also showcase a special feature on the ObiJackson Women and Children’s Hospital and the ways in which the hospital is transforming maternal,neonatal and child health care in Nigeria.

The Face of Okija cultural pageant was established by the ObiJackson Foundation in 2013, with a focus on “addressing the degenerating moral standards of the young generation in our present day society”.

The Purple Hibiscus Trust Writing Workshop, formerly known as the Farafina Trust Creative Writing workshop, held for 10 days in Lagos and ended with an exciting literary evening.

To mark the end of her 2018 Purple Hibiscus Trust Creative Writing Workshop, celebrated author and novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie treated her students, family and fans to a literary evening on November 30 at Oriental Hotel Lagos.

Previously called The Farafina Trust, the Purple Hibiscus Trust Creative Writing Workshop has spanned a decade, producing over 200 alumni; many of whom have become published writers and editors. However, it went dark in 2017 when their former sponsors, Nigerian Breweries PLC (NB PLC), abruptly withdrew their sponsorship due to a need to streamline their expenditure.

The 10-day workshop, which began on November 20, was announced to be rebooted in a new partnership with Trace TV, during a press conference in September.

Adichie expressed her appreciation to her guest writers, workshop participants and partners. “It’s been really heart-warming to watch them evolve in just 10 days," she says. "There’s nothing more humanising and there’s nothing more stereotype-challenging than to meet actual people from parts of the country that you don’t really know very much about. It challenges you to hear their stories and to realise that their stories are nothing like the stereotypes you are carrying in your head. I feel very grateful for this workshop for educating me.”

Sam Onyemelukwe, Managing Director of Trace TV and Venator Partners Ltd stated that the organisation is very pleased to partner with Chimamanda for changing the narratives about Nigeria and Africa in the mainstream media as well as the stereotypes associated with women and writing as a profession. He added that Trace’s core mission to entertain, enlighten, and educate youths, informed their partnership with the writer.

Hosted by Ozzy Agu and Oreka Godis, the evening featured panellists; American novelist, David Eggers, Lola Shoneyin and Dr Eghosa Imasuen all of whom were coaches at the workshop.

The graduating class were awarded certificates with Chimamanda Adichie sharing her personal experiences at the workshop with each of them.

Also present at the event were Chimamanda’s husband Ivara Esege her mother, Mrs Grace Ifeoma Adichie, and sister. Rappers, Phyno and Zoro, also gave exciting performances at the event.

The event was organized in partnership with Trace TV and Venator Partners Ltd.

Source: pulse.ng

Link: https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/food-travel-arts-culture/chimamanda-wraps-up-11th-creative-writing-workshop-in-lagos-id9165974.html

Michelle Obama, former US first lady, will be in conversation with Chimamanda Adichie on December 3 at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, UK.

Adichie, a Nigerian writer, is the best-selling author of ‘Purple Hibiscus’, ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’, ‘Americanah’, and ‘We Should All Be Feminists’.

Both women are expected to talk at length about Obama’s highly anticipated memoir, ‘Becoming’.

The event, organised by Penguin Live, is tagged ‘Becoming: An Evening with Michelle Obama’.

During the conversation, Obama will chronicle her childhood experiences on the south side of Chicago, finding a balance between motherhood and being an executive as well as her time as the first lady of the US.

Obama is also expected to talk about “her triumphs and her disappointments – both public and private – and in candidly recounting moments from her own extraordinary journey, Mrs Obama will also share life lessons learned, and inspire people to become the very best version of themselves”.

Ahead of the event, Southbank Centre and Penguin Live will donate 300 free tickets to secondary school pupils from across London and the UK, as well as some local charities.

The students will join over 2700 people at the Royal Festival Hall auditorium and will also receive a hardback copy of the memoir.

Source: TheCable Lifestyle

Action Against Hunger, an international Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has honoured foremost Nigerian novelist and international acclaimed fiction writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, for her contributions towards eliminating hunger and malnutrition.

Adichie was presented with the award at the organization’s 19th annual gala, which took place in New York City on Tuesday, October 30, 2018.
Explaining why Chimamanda was selected as the 2018 recipient, the international NGO said she is part of a large community of people who leverage their visibility and voices on behalf of others in the fight against hunger.

“Chimamanda Adichie was selected to accept the 2018 Action Against Hunger Humanitarian Award because we are inspired by her unwavering support of women and refugees. As a transformational storyteller who brings diversity, complexity, and humanity to all her professional projects, ranging from best-selling books to TED talks, her work aligns perfectly with Action Against Hunger’s mission and vision,” the NGO said.

“We are honored that Ms. Adichie has accepted our annual Humanitarian Award.

Commenting on the award and on the work of Action Against Hunger, Ms. Adichie said: “There is so much about the world today that makes me feel close to despair. But we cannot afford despair. It is important to remember that there is also much generosity and kindness in the world. And the work of Action Against Hunger is proof of that. We as individuals may not be able to change the whole world but we can change a small slice of it for the better."

Past recipients of the Action Against Hunger Award include the late President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Oprah Winfrey.

Foremost Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, will join Alex Bilmes, Esquire Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, to lead discourse at this year’s edition of Townhouse, Esquire’s biggest annual event, which is scheduled to hold tomorrow in London.
Esquire is an award-winning men’s lifestyle magazine published by the Hearst Corporation in the US and 27 other countries.
Founded 85 years ago, the magazine covers politics, health, fashion, and the arts, with a focus on “the interests, the curiosity, and the passions of men.
In the UK, Esquire’s platforms have a combined reach of over 4 million men.
The Townhouse initiative as designed by Esquire is often described as a “mix between The New Yorker Festival and Soho House”.
The four-day event features a curated program of live interviews, TED-style talks, panel debates, supper clubs and masterclasses.
Although Esquire's core readership is predominantly male, the audience for Esquire Townhouse is half male and half female.

Chimamanda Adichie has received the 2018 PEN Pinter prize for her outstanding work of literary merit that has defined the truth in human lives and societies.
The critically acclaimed author received the coveted prize at an award-giving ceremony, which took place at the British Library in the United Kingdom, on Tuesday.
Adichie was selected by this year’s judges, Inua Ellams, Philippe Sands, Antonia Fraser and Chair of English PEN and Chair of Judges, Maureen Freely.
She is the first African to have clinched the award which is focused on defending and promoting freedom of expression, while removing barriers to literature.
In her acceptance, Adichie said she feels honoured to have received the prize, which was established in 2009 in memory of the Nobel-winning playwright Harold Pinter.
“I admired Harold Pinter’s talent, his courage, his lucid dedication to telling his truth, and I am honoured to be given an award in his name,” she said.
At the ceremony, Adichie named Waleed Abulkhair, a lawyer and human rights activist, as the 2018 International Writer of Courage, a title awarded by the PEN Pinter winner each year.
Congratulating the Saudi Arabian lawyer and activist, she said: I am proud to share this year’s PEN Pinter Prize with activist, lawyer and writer Waleed Abulkhair.
“Waleed has dedicated his life to holding the Saudi authorities accountable for human rights abuses. He has dedicated his life to speaking out, to supporting the victims of those abuses.
“Waleed, like Harold Pinter, has shown a lucid dedication to telling his truth. But rather than being lauded for this dedication, Waleed has paid a heavy price – 15 years behind bars.
“I am deeply proud to share this prize with Waleed and I hope that this small act of solidarity will bring him some comfort, and will remind him that his struggle has not been forgotten, nor will it be in vain.”