ZAYNAB ALKALI (Nigeria)

Zaynab Alkali is a pioneer in her own way, in her own right - like a handful of other extraordinary African female writers.  Her compatriots, Zulu Sofola - the first Nigerian woman to publish quality plays; and Flora Nwapa (the first Nigerian woman to publish novels) made history.... just like in South Africa, Miriam Tlali was the first black woman to write and publish a novel. 

On her own part, Zaynab Alkali is acknowledged as the first woman novelist from Northern Nigeria, and a literary academic to boot. Over the years, she has made a name for herself as novelist, poet, short story writer, and editor.

Alkali was born in Tura-Wazila in Borno State in 1950. She graduated from Bayero University Kano with a BA in 1973. She obtained a doctorate in African Studies in the same university and became the principal of a girls' school - Sakera Girls' Boarding School.

She went on to become a polished academic, a lecturer and writer of note. Markedly, she rose to become a dean in the Faculty of arts at Nasarawa State University in Keffi where she taught creative writing. And she began publishing her work since over 30 years ago.

Over the years, readers and pundits have been pleasantly surprised by the freshness and variety of her writings. Those who expected docile female protagonists are confronted with the literary vibrancy and competence of the author. 

Indeed, Alkali's characters can be feisty (eg Li, in The Stillborn), well rounded, ambitious, probing - no wonder "feminists" are very much interested in  the disparate strands of Zaynab Alkali's writings.

Selected Works

The Stillborn

The Virtuous Woman

Cobwebs & Other Stories

The Descendants

The Initiates

Zaynab Alkali, Al Imfeld (eds), Vultures in the Air: Voices from
Northern Nigeria

NAIWU OSAHON

To many readers, Naiwu Osahon, the long standing Nigerian writer, is synonymous with his early work, Sex is a Nigger. The latter novel during its heyday attained transcendental fame and notoriety - and even now, many decades after its initial publication, new generations of readers are enamoured with the work.

Yet Osahon is a proficient, versatile writer who has produced many other works over the years; even other novels like Climate of Darkness , which arguably was even more successful than Sex is a Nigger. In his works of fiction for adults, one deduces a vivacious streak, and a zany type of humour.

Actually, Naiwu Osahon might well be the most prolific writer in (black) African history.  He himself has stated that he has published at least 100 books (!), most of them for children. Now, over the age of 80, the great man still writes regularly.

Osahon is well known for his polemical writings and views, not only in his journalistic forays, but also in substantial published books of his; which include The Cradle: The ultimate Cosmology, and God is Black. the works might be somewhat controversial, but they also showcase his intellectual striations.

Osahon has of course garnered some flak for writing a work like Sex is a Nigger. As 

South African literary commentator, Raphael Mokoena notes:

‘In literary circles, some observers rather liked this work, whilst others panned it. The formidable Femi Osofisan, for example opined that this work is "cheaply melodramatic" and also "hysterically vulgar". He added that he saw this work as "arising from the low slums of artifice out of which no genuine perception can be reaped". I might as well state that I for one do not think the author had "high art" in mind when he wrote this book, anyway…’

Again, we must note the large corpus of Osahon's writings, which also includes the publication of plays, and poetry. His extraordinary work for children (copious books) have been translated into other languages, including German.

It is thus clear that Pa Osahon is not just a "pornographer" et al as some often claim, in ignorance. World literary history teems with great writers who were somewhat undermined by pundits intermittently - like DH Lawrence, RL Stevenson, Herman Melville  - but are now generally accepted as world class wordsmiths. I have no doubt in my mind that Naiwu Osahon has over the decades been a very important African writer.

 - O Bolaji       

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Climate of Darkness

Sex is a Nigger

A Nation in Custody

Black Power: The African Predicament

The Colour of Anger

No Answer from the Oracle: Two plays Fires of Africa (poems etc)

Africa know Thyself

Ada and Hunchback Child

God is Black

Bulubulu and Bamboko

Our Widow's Mite

The Cradle: The Ultimate Cosmology

Giant Alakuku

Poems for Young Lovers 

YEMISI OTASANYA (Nigeria)

Africa's first Nobel Laureate in Literature, Wole Soyinka has inspired hordes of writers across the generations, and one of them is Yemisi Aremu Otasanya, who candidly vouchsafes:  

"I was inspired most by Wole Soyinka. I came across his book 'The Trials of Brother Jero' and 'The Lion and the Jewel' in Literature class.  I prayed that (one day) God would grant me the opportunity to meet him in person"

Her wish would be granted later on, just as her dream of becoming a writer would also be realised. She has published books like Perfect Body Perfect Baby After Delivery; and Above the Ether.

Her love for creative writing was stoked as a child. "My passion for writing started at the age of 8. Going down memory lane, she explains:

‘My passion for writing started at the age of 8, when out of boredom, I picked up my pencil and wrote my first poem. Daddy was my first audience. May God bless his soul. He laughed heartily after reading the poem. It was more of a paradox about a frog who could not sing, but was a choir master.

"Rather than hang out with my friends during playtime, I spent most of the time imagining about adventures in space, fighting aliens and conquering colonies. I imagined I was a dashing irresistible warrior princess with no interest in love, a super hero, a secret spy and much more. At the age of 11, while in year 1 of Junior Secondary School, I wrote an adventure script and shared it with my friends. They loved it and pressurized me to write more, but I deterred. 

“As a teenager, I wanted to be a scientist and not pursue writing. I had a secret herbarium where I carried out research on the flora in Abuja city and did a lot of research writing and occasional articles in local dailies. I also engaged in loads of freelance writing and editing for friends, collecting stipends in return.

“I am currently an IT project manager, an author, a mother and wife and I love studying nature, stars and their constellations, elements, history, cultures, managing complex projects, meeting people, dancing (I have my own symphony, lol). I am crazy about science fiction."

She adds: “I do loads of research before embarking on a writing project and I have God as my father. I never make assumptions about people or jump to conclusions without hearing both sides of the story. I believe we all have the chance to be better. My weed is writing. I hope you enjoy reading my books.”

Otasanya who desires to become a "best-selling writer" has healthy respect for African literary icons like Chinua Achebe, and Buchi Emecheta.

DAVID G. MAILLU (Kenya)

By O Bolaji

David G Maillu of Kenya is one of Africa's most prolific writers; some pundits even claim that he has published more books than any other writer in the continent. But then again, a writer like Naiwu Osahon is said to have published up to a hundred works! What we can say is that Maillu's scores of books have straddled some six decades. To latch onto a cliche, ink decidedly runs in his veins!

As South African literary critic Pule Lechesa has stated: "I suppose it is often startling, even to literary pundits when one comes across a writer, especially an African writer who has published 50, 60 books...such writers are patently thin on the ground. There is a writer, Kgang Abel Motheane in SA who has published as much...and of course the internationally recognised, David Maillu"  

Maillu was born in 1939, in Kenya when the country was still far from attaining political independence from Britain. He attended a Salvation Army school, then an intermediate school en route to the then East African Cambridge School Certificate. His formal education again embraced the British Tutorial College where he studied for the High School education. From a young age, Maillu revelIed in the world of writing, and African Art and Sociology.  

His published books over the decades are numerous indeed with some of his early works published in the 70s; including Troubles (1974) and The Kommon Man 1975)

Other popular works by the wordsmith include My dear Bottle, The Ayah, (The Benni Kamba adventures), eg Equatorial Assignment, After 4.30, Our kind of polygamy, and The Survivors (2002). But Maillu's most popular book international is probably For Mbatha and Rabeka.

Published in the erstwhile Macmillan Pacesetter series, For Mbatha and Rabeka struck a chord with many readers for a number of reasons, including its intrinsic humour, a superb seduction scene that never becomes vulgar, a rich cast of main protagonists, etc. It was quintessential Maillu.

But Maillu could turn his hand into virtually any type, genre of writing. The hefty work, African Indigenous political Ideology (1977) for example has intellectual savvy and undulations. Note that Maillu is actually a qualified Doctor of letters.

And he has published a number of books in the Swahili language too, including the well received Laana ya Mkufu.

Again, Dr Maillu has produced works with rather intriguing titles.  What about - How to look for the Right Boyfriend; or/and, PO Box I love you via my heart...?

The list seems endless, but other works by this distinguished writer again include Man from Machakus, Maillu Revolution, Kadosa, The poor child, Dear Daughter, The priceless gift, Untouchable, Unfit for human consumption, The black Adam and Eve, Thorns of life, Broken Drum,  and My dear Mariana. Talk of being prolific!