ANA
FELICITATES WITH OBARI GOMBA ON HIS BIRTHDAY
The President of the
Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Camillus Ukah has felicitated with Dr.
Obari Gomba on his birthday celebration.
In a statement issued
by ANA PRO South, Wole Adedoyin in Ilesa on Saturday.
Camillus Ukah, ANA
President extolled the support and astute contribution of Dr. Obari Gomba to his ongoing ANA Presidency, lauded him for his life-long commitment to ANA Cause.
ANA President said in
the message: “Gomba’s life exemplifies dedication, loyalty, diligence, firmness
and humbleness. It is therefore important to note that Dr. Obari Gomba has being
a major factor in the delivery of outstanding projects currently been executed
and this I am optimistic will continue.” ANA President was quoted as saying.
“As you celebrate your
birthday today, ANA celebrate with you and your family, and I also join you in
giving gratitude to the Almighty God for His mercy, grace and faithfulness on
your life. It is my prayer that God will grant you many more years, of
fulfillment, prosperity, and good health, so that you can continue to render
selfless services to our dear association, ANA and the nation at large,”
Camillus Ukah added.
Obari Gomba (PhD)
teaches Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Port Harcourt in
Nigeria, and is an Honorary Fellow in Writing of the University of Iowa
(USA). He is a recipient of Rivers ANA
Distinguished Writer Award, Halogen Award for Poetry, and Kangaroo Poetry
Festival Poet of 2018. He is a two-time winner of both the Best Literary
Artiste Award and the First Prize for Drama of the English Association of the
University of Nigeria, Nsukka. His works include Guerrilla Post (Winner of ANA
Drama Prize 2018/ Shortlisted for the Nigeria Prize for Literature 2018), For
Every Homeland (Winner of ANA Poetry Prize 2017/ Shortlisted for the Nigeria
Prize for Literature 2017), Thunder Protocol (Winner of ANA Poetry Prize 2016),
Length of Eyes (Shortlisted for ANA Poetry Prize in 2013 /Shortlisted for the
Nigeria Prize for Literature 2013), and Pearls of the Mangrove (adopted as a
‘Book of the Festival’ for the 2011 Garden City Literary Festival and the 2019
Festival Poetry Calabar). He curated an anthology featuring 35 writers from 33
countries, entitled A Piece of Daily Life, for the International Writing
Program of the University of Iowa (USA) in 2016.
His poetry has been
featured in Re-Markings: A World Assembly of Poets and The Second Genesis: An
Anthology of Contemporary World Poetry. His poetry has been published in
international journals such as Prosopisia, Sentinel, Maple Tree Literary
Supplement and Eleven Eleven (which listed his ‘Gun Policy’ in the 20 Best of
the Net for 2016). He has read his poems in the United States at Shambaugh
House (University of Iowa), Dubuque Museum of Arts, Oaknell Retirement Centre,
and Kirkwood. In Nigeria, he has read his poems at Alliance Franciase in Enugu,
Lagos International Poetry Festival, Lagos Book and Art Festival, Abuja Writers
Forum, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Port Harcourt Book
Festival, Art Republic/Art-in-My-City Exhibition in Enugu, History Concourse in
Port Harcourt, and CORA Book Party for the Nigeria Prize for Literature, etc.
He has also read his poems and discussed literature (and politics) on media
platforms such as Radio Rivers FM, Nigerian Info FM, Rhythm FM, Radio UST FM,
Garden City FM, Unique (Uniport) FM, NTA, and CCTV Africa.
His poems were
performed by the Portland Stage Company in Maine USA in 2016. His other
writings have also appeared in Matatu, African Review, Africa Oil+Gas Report,
Tydskrif vir Letterkunde, Oja, Third Text, Jeltan, ANA Review, Culture Digest,
Crucible, Working Papers, The Muse, Mgbakoigba, , New Age, Lagos Review of
Books and Society, Thisday, The News, etc. There is a chapter on his writing in
Masterpieces of African Literature; and his works have been reviewed/mentioned
in 234 Next, The Guardian, The Guardian Life, Thisday, The Sun, National Life,
Punch, Nigerian Tribune, The Nation, Ago, etc.
His work, as a teacher
at the University of Port Harcourt, has deepened his interest in human capital
development. Beyond teaching in the classroom, he also offered service as a
moderator for Christopher Okigbo Foundation/Conference; as a
facilitator/resource person to the International Writing Program’s MOOC; as a
panelist for Iowa Book Festival; as the LOC Chairman of the 3rd International
Conference on Tanure Ojaide; as the Festival Coordinator of the Gabriel Okara
Literary Festival; as a moderator at Lagos International Poetry Festival; as
a moderator at Lagos Book and Art
Festival; as a writing workshop
facilitator for Port Harcourt UNESCO World Book Capital, Port Harcourt Book
Festival, and Niger Delta Creative Writers’ Workshop; as a judge for Port
Harcourt Carnival and Bayelsa State ANA; as a book reviewer and editor for
Hornbill House of Arts; and as a
resource person on advocacy to the Ministry of Economic Planning of Delta State
in conjunction with ODA/UNDP. He understands that a knowledge-based society is
crucial to development in the 21st century.
