The Abuja Literary Society is one of the major literary organizations in Abuja, Nigeria. It holds weekly events in the city, holding the phenomenally successful #BookJam@Silverbird on the last Friday of every month.
After a brief hiatus, the Abuja Bookjam hosted Parrésia author, Michael Afenfia, on the 24th of April at the Silverbird Galleria, Abuja. Michael’s book, Don’t Die on Wednesday [Origami Books, 2015], is the first novel of the sports fiction genre to come out of Nigeria in a long time and has been praised enthusiastically by Nigerian Super Eagles ex-international Finidi George and by the Team Nigeria coach, Samson Siasia. It follows the life of the fictional Tottenham Hotspurs striker, Buburaye “Buba” Dabowei, whose career unravels when he scores the goal of the century against a crack Manchester United side and then has a freak accident. Small cracks become ravines in the relationship between Buba and his South African wife, Nikiwe Dlomo, when he decides to return to Nigeria against her desire for an international film career. In Nigeria, Buba buys the Lagoon Liners FC and is becoming a mentor to a young but troubled player, Kemesese “Ricochet” D’aziba, when a new catastrophe arrives that shakes his faith in his country. Don’t Die on Wednesday, which title is taken from a stadium chant, is a human story about the lives that make up The Beautiful Game.
The BookJam was coordinated by Abuja city lawyer, Umar Musa Ikhilor, in the absence of Spoken Word maestro, Dike Chukwumerije, who lost his father last week. It lasted from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Don’t Die on Wednesday by Michael Afenfia is available in major bookstores across Nigeria.
Here are some images from the #BookJam@Silverbird courtesy of the event organisers.
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