Enugu’s annual book fiesta, the ‘Coal City Book Convention’, staged its 13th outing earlier this week with a memorable celebration that attracted a pot-pourri of stakeholders in the academia, arts and politics. The large attendance was riveted by an elaborate 18-man drama performance on the political crisis in Nigeria – ‘Our Papa’s Land’, together with a one-man vaudeville by known Poet Siza Amah titled ‘Julius Caesar Monologue’.
Highlights of the ceremonies included the unveiling of this year’s edition of company’s broadsheet ‘The Writer’, followed by the conferment of ‘The Olaudah Equiano Life-Award’ on three respected Igbo dignitaries: Paediatrician Professor Bede Chidozie Ibe, University lecturer Professor Josephine Ezekwesili-Ofili, and award-winning novelist Ukwu Rocks Emma.
Dillibe Onyeama, CEO of Delta Publications (Nigeria) Limited who stage the convention through their subsidiary group ‘The Delta Book Club’, explained that the motivation of the fiesta was anchored on the truism that every human mortal has a story to tell, hence personifying the reality of the book in every man.
He elaborated further: “When you read any creative work, one way or the other you will surely identify yourself in the story. To look at a book is like looking in the mirror. So, what is the story behind that face in the mirror? What is your story? A person who does not read is as bad as a person who cannot read.”
