Yinka Olatunbosun
Recently, the local literary community gathered for a sumptuous celebration of words, featuring poetry readings, good-natured banter, and conversations in honour of Michael Archer, co-founder of the US-based Guernica Magazine. The event, co-hosted by Angels and Muse, was a reunion of sorts for many award-winning Nigerian writers in diaspora, and a testament to the robust literary community in Lagos. Guernica Magazine, a leading art and politics web-based publication founded in 2004 by Joel Whitney, Michael Archer, Josh Jones, and Elizabeth Onusko, has been a platform for innovative voices and perspectives.
The gathering, hosted by Tade Ipadeola as compere, kicked off with a rousing performance of poetry by Evelyn D’ Poet. This was followed by Osagie, who used a call-and-response technique to pay homage to Lagos, setting a tone for the evening of light-hearted conversations. Later, Michael Archer shared his thoughts on discovering Nigerian writing, which he described as an eye-opener. He expressed his desire to continue collaborating with the literary community in Nigeria and recounted his initial encounter with Okey Ndibe, the first Nigerian writer to be published in Guernica Magazine. Ndibe’s publications include “My Biafran Eyes”, which won a Best of the Web prize from Dzanc Books in 2008.
Archer recalled how the award-winning writer built a lasting relationship with Guernica at a session moderated by a seasoned art journalist and writer, Molara Wood. “We started in 2004 and coincidentally we launched our first issue,” he recalled. “It was in 2005 that Okey sort of came into our orbit. Guernica published three or four of his pieces in the first year. It wasn’t just publishing but he also became a part of our family.”
As Archer’s journey unfolded, he discovered a treasure trove of Nigerian literary talent, and his passion to amplify their voices grew exponentially. “We came to realise that all Nigerians are writers at heart,” he said. “They all had amazing stories to tell us.”
Okey Ndibe, represented by Elohor Egbordin, extended his goodwill message to the audience through a written statement, highlighting some of his fond memories of writing for Guernica Magazine. “His publication of my essay, titled ‘My Father’s English Friend’, had such exhilarating impact that I sought out other Nigerian—and African—writers and encouraged them to submit their fiction and nonfiction,” Ndibe recalled. “Today, that exquisite and culturally stalwart publication has exploded on the literary scene, fervently read by the literati in the US and across the globe, including Africa. Indeed, it has helped to project the talent of some of Nigeria’s writers.”
Among those present were Jahman Anikulapo, Toyin Akinosho, Kunle Ajibade, and Victor Ehikhamenor, who shared his perspective on the Guernica experience. In the wake of Archer’s visit to Nigeria, Ehikhamenor, an interdisciplinary artist and co-host of the event, observed: “Sometimes it’s good to see not just what has already been done but what is yet to be done.”
Guernica in Lagos served as a great avenue for networking, reaffirming its commitment to world literature while amplifying marginalised voices.
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