Books
THE recent Biennial Convention of the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Owerri was memorable in many ways, the most important outcome being the election of a new executive that will pilot the Guild’s affairs for the next two years.
There were, of course, other activities on the sidelines. It was an opportunity to source books written by members since the last gathering of Nigeria’s media red necks. I targeted three of the authors and their works.
Grace Yussuf retired as Deputy Editor-In-Chief of the News Agency of Nigeria after a career spanning over three decades. Her book titled ‘The Journalist, The Woman & Her Faith’ has been hailed as an interesting memoir of a female journalist. It is a beautiful chronicle of a challenging career in Nigeria’s media space until she left the stage in a blaze of glory. I am still midway into the 138-page book.
From the inimitable Dominic Kidzu, I harvested two books. The first is ‘The Rage of Rajuno’, a fictional novel about our contemporary society and its contradictions, and the second is ‘The Governor’s Office’, a political satire that depicts corruption and nepotism in high places.
Kidzu has been a friend for decades and is one of the best essayists I have encountered. A ‘Great Malabite’ with double stripes, he has worked for many years as a newspaper editor before moving nearer politics as a media and communications official for three state governors in the past 22 years. I have no doubt his experiences will inspire more literary works.
I have read ‘The Editor and The State’ which was edited by Lanre Idowu but I have become even more anxious to get hold of another of his works ‘Uneven Steps: The Story of the Nigerian Guild of Editors’. No book so far offers a deeper insight or a more profound historical perspective of the Guild since it was founded in 1961. I am yet to lay my hands on the book.
When Nigerian editors gather, either at the annual conference or the Biennial Convention, there’s always a rich list of new books from members to choose from. I took my turn at the penultimate Convention in Kano, shortly after my book ‘CLASH OF INTERESTS’ was published. The responses from colleagues who got copies were very encouraging. Many say the book is undoubtedly the most detailed account of the rise of godfatherism in Nigeria, and how the keen contests for political power have been conducted along personal interests and its consequences on internal democracy, good governance and the people’s welfare.
As far as sourcing good books from Nigerian editors are concerned, the last outing of the Guild in Owerri, Imo State, did not disappoint. But I missed two books birthed by Nigerian editors just before the Convention.
Former Lagos State Commissioner Steve Ayorinde launched his latest book, “30: Three Decades of The New Nigerian Cinema – A Bystander’s Verdict”, while the Editor-In-Chief of The Political Economist, Ken Ugbechie came out with ‘Nigeria Heroes and Sheroes’, which celebrates major contributors to the development of Nigeria.
While the former chronicles the remarkable growth of the Nigerian film industry, an area Ayorinde is familiar with, Ugbechie’s 644-page book recognises “some of the people who, despite all odds, have sustained the spirit of nationalism and productivity at their various stations in life.”
And since Owerri, the duo of Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu and Iheanacho Nwosu have arrived the bookstand with ‘Unbundling Nigeria’, a book that details the landmark decisions of the 2014 National Confab and the intrigues that attended deliberations while the conference lasted.
Members of the NGE have, no doubt, done well so far in contributing to the rich collection of important books on public affairs in Nigeria. It can only get better. Let’s keep them coming.
By Sheddy Ozoene
The recent Biennial Convention of the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Owerri was memorable in many ways, the most important outcome being the election of a new executive that will pilot the Guild’s affairs for the next two years.
There were, of course, other activities on the sidelines. It was an opportunity to source books written by members since the last gathering of Nigeria’s media red necks. I targeted three of the authors and their works.
Grace Yussuf retired as Deputy Editor-In-Chief of the News Agency of Nigeria after a career spanning over three decades. Her book titled ‘The Journalist, The Woman & Her Faith’ has been hailed as an interesting memoir of a female journalist. It is a beautiful chronicle of a challenging career in Nigeria’s media space until she left the stage in a blaze of glory. I am still midway into the 138-page book.
From the inimitable Dominic Kidzu, I harvested two books. The first is ‘The Rage of Rajuno’, a fictional novel about our contemporary society and its contradictions, and the second is ‘The Governor’s Office’, a political satire that depicts corruption and nepotism in high places.
Kidzu has been a friend for decades and is one of the best essayists I have encountered. A ‘Great Malabite’ with double stripes, he has worked for many years as a newspaper editor before moving nearer politics as a media and communications official for three state governors in the past 22 years. I have no doubt his experiences will inspire more literary works.
I have read ‘The Editor and The State’ which was edited by Lanre Idowu but I have become even more anxious to get hold of another of his works ‘Uneven Steps: The Story of the Nigerian Guild of Editors’. No book so far offers a deeper insight or a more profound historical perspective of the Guild since it was founded in 1961. I am yet to lay my hands on the book.
When Nigerian editors gather, either at the annual conference or the Biennial Convention, there’s always a rich list of new books from members to choose from. I took my turn at the penultimate Convention in Kano, shortly after my book ‘CLASH OF INTERESTS’ was published. The responses from colleagues who got copies were very encouraging. Many say the book is undoubtedly the most detailed account of the rise of godfatherism in Nigeria, and how the keen contests for political power have been conducted along personal interests and its consequences on internal democracy, good governance and the people’s welfare.
As far as sourcing good books from Nigerian editors are concerned, the last outing of the Guild in Owerri, Imo State, did not disappoint. But I missed two books birthed by Nigerian editors just before the Convention.
Former Lagos State Commissioner Steve Ayorinde launched his latest book, “30: Three Decades of The New Nigerian Cinema – A Bystander’s Verdict”, while the Editor-In-Chief of The Political Economist, Ken Ugbechie came out with ‘Nigeria Heroes and Sheroes’, which celebrates major contributors to the development of Nigeria.
While the former chronicles the remarkable growth of the Nigerian film industry, an area Ayorinde is familiar with, Ugbechie’s 644-page book recognises “some of the people who, despite all odds, have sustained the spirit of nationalism and productivity at their various stations in life.”
And since Owerri, the duo of Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu and Iheanacho Nwosu have arrived the bookstand with ‘Unbundling Nigeria’, a book that details the landmark decisions of the 2014 National Confab and the intrigues that attended deliberations while the conference lasted.
Members of the NGE have, no doubt, done well so far in contributing to the rich collection of important books on public affairs in Nigeria. It can only get better. Let’s keep them coming.
A.I
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