Yet another Liebster, Blog review and The past weekend....

I was tagged in the Liebster Blog Award again, by one of the Bloggers I tagged previously. Thanks Mayoress for tagging me back. I know I've done it before, but I decided to just do the tag again anyways..

The rules as usual are;

1. Thank and link back to the giver
2. Answer the giver's questions
3. Nominate other Blogs with fewer than 200 followers
4. Ask five questions for one's nominees to answer
5. Post it on your Blog.


I won't be following the rules completely though, I'll just be answering her questions since I presume most Bloggers have been tagged on this.


My answers to her questions;


1. What is your most prized possession?

    I think that would be my collection of novels that I have gathered over time

2. If you became famous for something, what would it be?

    Writing

3. If there was one thing you could change about yourself or your life or your past, what would it be?

    I can't think of one thing really, but I wish sometimes I was a more extroverted person.

4. What is your fave book and or author?

    I don't really have a favourite book per se. But basically I like reading contemporary African literature. I am most enthralled by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's work, however. My favourite author is definitely Chimamanda..

5. If the world came to an end right now, where do you think your fate will lie?

    I'm not perfect, but everyday I strive to be a better Christian, so hopefully in Heaven.

Yeah, that was nice...



Mr Afronuts of Kush Chronicles did a mini review of my blog recently, amongst three others'. I felt quite honoured by that. Thanks Afronuts. You can check it out on his blog.

Here's a portion of the review I excerpted;

"The tagline on Ay’s blog tells us she’s on a journey of self-discovery. A smart one which makes the existence of a blog very important.  She gives us points of view on life from the perspective of a upcoming pharmacist.

With a pleasant orange template and eye-friendly font, you get to read Ay’s blog with ease. I guess the colors add to the warmth."

Thanks again Sir.

This past weekend, I attended Chimamanda's book signing at Glendora bookstores in Ikeja City Mall. As usual it was a pleasure listening to her speak and garnering bits of wisdom from her on life and writing. 

First she read an excerpt from Americanah, then there was a Question and Answer session and then the book signing. It was all very interesing, especially the Question and answer session.

I hope you all had fun over the weekend.

Take care guys and thanks for stopping by...:)

What has been on my mind this past week

Ever since I heard about Chimamanda's latest novel getting released, my mind has not been at rest, literally!!!

It's going to be on sale in Lagos from April 21st, 2013 and I'm so looking forward to that day.

From the award-winning author of Half of a Yellow Sun, a dazzling new novel: a story of love and race centered around a young man and woman from Nigeria who face difficult choices and challenges in the countries they come to call home.

As teenagers in a Lagos secondary school, Ifemelu and Obinze fall in love. Their Nigeria is under military dictatorship, and people are leaving the country if they can. Ifemelu—beautiful, self-assured—departs for America to study. She suffers defeats and triumphs, finds and loses relationships and friendships, all the while feeling the weight of something she never thought of back home: race. Obinze—the quiet, thoughtful son of a professor—had hoped to join her, but post-9/11 America will not let him in, and he plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London.

Years later, Obinze is a wealthy man in a newly democratic Nigeria, while Ifemelu has achieved success as a writer of an eye-opening blog about race in America. But when Ifemelu returns to Nigeria, and she and Obinze reignite their shared passion—for their homeland and for each other—they will face the toughest decisions of their lives.

Fearless, gripping, at once darkly funny and tender, spanning three continents and numerous lives, Americanah is a richly told story set in today’s globalized world: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s most powerful and astonishing novel yet.

SOURCE

Are you as excited as I am?  

An evening with Farafina

Hiya!!

I've mentioned on this blog before how much I absolutely love Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Well what I didn't mention is, I also love anything Farafina related. For the past 4 years Farafina has organised an annual creative writing workshop sponsored by Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc, with Chimamanda Ngozi adichie as the main facilitator. I've always wanted to attend the workshop, but time hasn't permitted to submit any piece of writing. Besides I need to polish my writing so that when I do make a submission I stand the chance of getting selected...No one likes being rejected..lol.

After the workshop, a literary evening is always organized which is open to the general public.

This year's workshop began on the 14th of August and ended yesterday 24th of August with the literary evening. I was opportune to attend the Literary Evening and I was/am still ecstatic. It was my first time of attending and I totally loved it.

Armed with the two most important things to me at that time- my camera and my copy of Chimamanda's book, 'The Thing Around Your Neck' (Half of a Yellow Sun is too big to fit into the pouch bag I carried along and Purple Hibiscus was stacked up somewhere amongst my other books far away from my reach), I made my way to the venue, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The event was billed to start at 5pm, so I was quite nervous when I still hadn't reached the venue at 15 minutes to 6pm. Finally at a little after 6pm I got to the Grand Ballroom, Eko Hotel and Suites, so sure I had missed all the fun. I was so wrong. There was a cocktail going on, and according to the usher I spoke to at the entrance, after the cocktail, the main event was to start at 6pm. I was so happy.

I took a seat happily and in no time the event was due to start. I spotted Chimamanda coming in and I immediately took a shot of her as she exchanged pleasantries with a few people. It felt good to see my mentor for real in real life..lol..

Muhtar Bakare (Farafina Trust), Chimamanda and Nicolaas Vervelde, MD/CEO NB Plc...Guess who's seated right there in front

 The M.C of the day was Iretiola Doyle of Oge with Ireti fame or more recently Tinsel (where she acts as 'Sheila')

First off was a short speech by Muhtar Bakare of Farafina Trust. Then was the presentation of certificates to the participants of this year's edition of the workshop. On introducing each participant, Chimamanda told us a bit about them and what she felt about their writing.

with the participants

After the presentation of certificates to the participants, the other three facilitators of the workshop, Binyavanga Wainaina, Jeff Allen and Rob Spillman, sat with Chimamanda on the stage. The former two read from their work after which they all engaged in conversation.

Couldn't get a better shot

Binyavanga read an excerpt from his book, 'One day I will write about this place' and the audience was in stitches as he read from it all too comically. I was forced to purchase a copy for myself at the end of the evening.

The Kenyan print version

Questions and contributions were entertained from the audience; ranging from 'What is African writing.....'?, to 'Why do you think Nigerians don't read.......'?, etc, then a bit of misguided criticism or more of a sheer display of ignorance that got what it deserved...Silence..., and lastly a valid contribution by Odia Ofemum, renowned poet and writer.

It was a blissful evening

The high point of it all was when Onyeka Onwenu took to the stage (yes, you guessed right) and got us shaking our bodies (including me, who doesn't dance in public...lol) to her rich music. She sure knows her art well. 32 years of experience no be beans.

She loves dancing oh

Chimamanda joined her and they sang beautifully in Igbo

Dancing

Chimamanda autographing my copy of her book

I had so much fun. I didn't want to leave but I had to because it was running really late.

It would sound so cliche, but I'll still say "You guys missed"..lol. Anyways I'll encourage writers and basically lovers of literature to attend the Literary Evening next time.

I'm so trying out for the workshop next year and I hope you'll do too if you're interested.

Till then I'll leave you with advice from Chimamanda, "Keep reading and keep writing" and "Make sure you write the truth and nothing but the truth" (okay she didn't put that this way sha..lol...but that was my major take home from the event in my own words.)

Thanks for stopping by
Always stay happy and optimistic....:)


*Update: Special thanks to my friend who helped with taking the last two photos, and other photos not shown here... you know yourself.. :)