Welcome to Ikenna Ugwu's Blog

Ok, here is the big moment you've been waiting for. If you are an unpublished writer and you reside in any African countries, here is a big opportunity to step into the limelight. Emerging Voices 2015 :   The Financial Times in association with Oppenheimer Funds has set a big stage to recorgnise and of course reward creativity  and extraordinary artistic talent in fiction literature, film-making and other forms of art. We wish you best of luck! Read more info about the prize here

It is few days before the 2015 general election, and as we count down, the PDP and APC and their candidates must consider the wise admonition by Simon Sinek, that “leadership is not about the next election, it is about the next generation.” The big contenders are making last-minute effort, casting their nets. By finding a way to postpone the election earlier scheduled for February 14, President Jonathan and his PDP, no doubt made significant inroads catching more fish in this big river called Nigeria, at least more than they ordinarily would have in their net if the election were not shifted. The postponement also served well to defuse the palpable fear that hovered around us. It loosened the gripping claws of fears of war and death caused by the camps threatening fire and brimstone.   But the story has not ended. General Muhammadu Buhari, the seemingly popular choice of the people now has had more than enough to chew. They have tried, in many mysterious ways, to pull him down. Bu

" Reading makes a full man;confidence a ready man; writing an exact man" - Anonymous  …my musings on Mamo – Helon Habila’s introspective character Today is World Book Day - 5 th March 5, 2015 - a day set aside by UNESCO to celebrate authors, books and reading every year. This celebration is observed by over hundreds of nations across the world. How are you celebrating? I hope you are not left out. For me, I didn't buy myself a new book this week, and couldn't go for any book event or reading sessions happening around town: just recuperating from a bout of malaria. However, I am here doing it my little way. So today, since I couldn't get myself a new book - and no one surprised me with a book gift – I turned to my modest library. I wanted something original, captivating and absorbing. I followed my fingers, carefully rummaging through the shelf. It is Helon Habila’s Measuring Time that called me. I answered. Recently, Helon Habila, Te

  President Goodluck Jonathan in the last few weeks has come under a barrage of criticism for failing to conduct election as earlier scheduled, even after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced its readiness. And Nigerians, especially the main opposition party, APC have grudgingly accepted the postponement on the ground that the presidency acted within the ambit of the law. The election postponement was seen as a ploy by the incumbent government to buy time, and it did work for them. A new date has since been announced. Goodbye February 14. Hello March 28. We are waiting. The “fight” for the soul of Nigeria is gathering ominous clouds. It is PDP’s Jonathan and APC’s Buhari in the ring. We hear the brash cry for change. They say enough is enough, that Nigeria cannot continue in this direction of corruption, impunity and wanton wasting and looting of public treasury; and then from the other end, we hear the boisterous “moving forward” campaign for continu

It is good news once again! The third edition of The Windham Campbel Prize has been announced. Nine winners emerged from different categories: fiction, non-fiction and drama. Interestingly, all three slots dedicated to fiction were swept by African novelists.  The trio ace of African literary giants, Teju Cole, Helon Habila and Ivan Vladislavic scooped $150,000 each as a part on the back for “a body of work or extraordinary promise.” You can say it was an African show! The Windham Campbell Prize was established in 2013 by novelist Donald Windham and Sandy M. Campbell with particular interest in fiction and non-fiction writers. Its core objective has been “to call attention to literary achievement and provide writers with the opportunity to focus on their work independent of financial concerns.” There is no better time to raise our glasses for these illustrious sons, these men with busy hands making tremendous inroads in shaping global ideas through storytelling. Af