Want of the society is motivation but the need is 'beyond just motivation'- Sunday Abegunde

The Nigerian poet, Abegunde Sunday Olaoluwa fondly called 'Speaking Pen' is the winner of World Union of Poets Prize 2016 , a rated Top 20 of EGC 'Top 50 Poets That Rocked Nigeria 2015' and the Principal Director of Speaking Pen International Concept (SPIC). In this interview with ABDULHAFEEZ T. OYEWOLE, the author of a bestselling self-help book, 'Unleash Your Potential: Beyond Just Motivation' and curator of global poetry anthologies such as 'Peace is Possible, 'We Cry for Peace', 'Voice of Humanity', 'Reign of Racism', 'Letters from the Graves', 'Hope Alive' among others speaks about motivation for his unflinching  commitment to the writing, publishing and speaking worlds.

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has released its first communique of the years at its National Executive Council Meeting held Grange Hill Hotel, Mpape,  Abuja.

The communique which was jointly signed by the Association National President and General Secretary touched a lot of issues, among which include ANA 2018 Convention which is scheduled to hold in October, its Writers' Village, Nigerian writers recognition and the spate of insecurity in various parts of the country.

ANA National Executives

Life is a tad crazy for many of us here, that we begin to wonder whether we are going to make it all alive. The weather is cold, the little water we have access to is frozen and filthy, we live on nothing else other than the unpredictability of our means of livelihood. We have paths that lead to us, but over the years, no one has found a path to come to our aid. Our condition has charmed us on our soil, and the fear of the unknown world we may be stepping into if by chance we get the way out of here, also drained our guts.

I came across this uplifting post on Social media about reasons why one should make it a habit to read books and I was impressed by the fifty tenable reasons to open one and many good books now and forever. Here are the reasons to read good books.

1. Books help you to feel more confident in yourself.

2. Books help you to travel around the world in the cheapest way.

3. Books develop your personality.

On seeing her dead son’s body, she hit herself on the walkway like a pawpaw falling from its tree helplessly; it was 6:23a.m. I was talking to Nuru last night about his solitude these days. He told me he had never read anywhere aside the University Library since his four years on this campus; now, the university library is locked and we are to write exams in two weeks time. While many of us are trying to adapt to system that threatens our survivals as students on this university, Nuru told me he could not read to comprehend and he was scared of having carry-over which could lead to extra year because her mother had been paying her school fees with NAPO Loan and his father is late. I told him how my mother was embarrassed by NAPO Loaners in the public after government demolished her kiosk. My mother has been paying my school fees with NAPO Loan too and my father died before I got admission into the university.

My books are for every living soul that can read and tackle the menace of drug abuse in our society- Saliu Ahmad Toyin

Saliu Ahmad Toyin, popularly known as ThePenWarLord is a Kwara based poet and spoken word artiste with two books: The Eye Opener and Extract from the Hourglass. In this Interview with ABDULHAFEEZ T. OYEWOLE, he attributed his ability to discharge his family, writing and tutoring duties to self-motivation, while expecting to fulfill his family members’ biggest desires to impact in the lives of young writers and be happy with himself. He also spoke about his book on drug abuse and his poetry collection which is for every readable living soul. Here is the conversation.

“Amina the Virgin” was a product of an inspiration on Virginity - Amina Babatunde I.O.

Author of the newly recommended play, Amina the Virgin, for the students of the Junior Secondary School in Kwara State, Nigeria, Babatunde Aminat Idowu Omolola (Mrs) in this interview with Abdulhafeez T. Oyewole shared among other things are thoughts on virginity, early girl-child marriage and why her muse chose virginity as a perfect contemporary dramatic object and subject of her play. Here is the conversation.