ANA Rekindles Mbari Legacy with June 2025 Literary Gathering in Abuja

 

ANA REKINDLES MBARI LEGACY WITH JUNE 2025 LITERARY GATHERING IN ABUJA

By Wole Adedoyin

 

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has announced the June 2025 edition of its flagship quarterly literary event, the Mbari Series.

This intellectually stimulating gathering of writers, scholars, artists, and cultural leaders will hold on Saturday, 28th June 2025, at the Femi Osofisan Secretariat, Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village, Mpape Road, Abuja, starting at 11:00 AM prompt.

This edition of the Mbari Series is themed "Mbari through the Eyes of the Founding Fathers", a reflective discourse designed to revisit and reexamine the philosophical foundations and visionary ideals of the original Mbari Club of the 1960s. The event seeks to explore the contributions of literary icons and artists who once made Mbari a hub of African creativity and cultural renaissance.

Founded in 1961 by German scholar and editor Ulli Beier in Ibadan, the original Mbari Club was a cultural sanctuary for African writers, musicians, and visual artists. The name “Mbari,” derived from an Igbo word connoting creation and celebration of life, was suggested by literary legend Chinua Achebe. The club became a crucible for some of Africa’s greatest intellectual and artistic minds.

According to the announcement made by the President of ANA, Dr. Usman Oladipo Akanbi, this edition of the Series is particularly important as it delves deep into the intentions and aspirations of Mbari’s founding visionaries. The conversation will rekindle the creative spirits of young African writers and draw inspiration from the cultural revolution ignited in the 60s.

A powerful lineup of distinguished speakers will grace the event, including Lindsay Barret, Ugezu J. Ugezu (veteran Nollywood actor and producer), Tony Oha, and Khalid Imam. The event will be chaired by Prof. Kyuka Lilymjok, and hosted by renowned literary theorist and cultural advocate Prof. Udenta O. Udenta, with Dr. Usman Oladipo Akanbi serving as the Chief Host.

The session will be co-moderated by respected literary figures Denja Abdulahi and Dame Joan Oji, PhD, ensuring a vibrant and thoughtful flow of ideas and interaction between speakers and audience. Writers and culture enthusiasts from across the country and beyond are expected to participate both physically and virtually.

To make the session globally accessible, ANA has provided a virtual participation option via Zoom:Zoom ID: 835 2547 0390 - Passcode: 646247

The ANA Mbari Series continues to be a platform that unites voices in literature, art, and scholarship, reaffirming the Association’s commitment to preserving and promoting Nigeria’s rich literary and cultural heritage. ANA therefore invites the general public, scholars, students, and lovers of African arts to join in this remarkable gathering of minds.