What did writers do on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook recently? As with our first and second volumes in the series, we went through some timelines to bring you what has been happening.
Leila Aboulela Reading Poetry at a Sudanese Revolution Support Rally in Aberdeen Is the Political Inspiration We Need
The post in full:
My words to the young women who were raped at the Khartoum sit-in attack early this month
Yesterday at the protest organized by the Sudanese community in Aberdeen, I read out my poem:
To the young women who were raped at the sit-in attack
Know that you are innocent and honourable.
You did not lose your purity,
You did not lose your beauty,
You did not lose your intellect.
To the women who were raped at the sit-in attack, my young sisters,
Know that you are innocent and honourable.
It is he, the criminal, who violated the oath of loyalty he had sworn, misused the gun he was entrusted with, betrayed the uniform which elevated him.
It is he who is dishonourable, not you.
And you did not lose your purity.
It is he who is tainted, not you.
And you did not lose your beauty, nor your intellect. You did not lose your future.
It is he who is covered with shame, not you.
And you did not lose your future, it is still there waiting for you.
Lift up your head so you can see it.
Reactions Trail Omission of Namwali Serpell’s The Old Drift from the Booker Prize Longlist
If there was a book by a Black African Woman Writer I thought could’ve won the Booker this year—& mind you,no Black African Woman has ever won the Booker in its entire history, despite brilliant writing by Black African Women in the the world—it’s The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell
— Novuyo Rosa Tshuma (@NovuyoRTshuma) July 24, 2019
A huge injustice. I was so sure she’d be on that list.
— Fifi (@KEbibliophile) July 26, 2019
My Review: The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell https://t.co/zouBBID55x Has this year’s Booker Prize written all over it. Think Poisonwood Bible meets Cloud Atlas crossed with The Overstory. Set in Zambia following three generations of three families. pic.twitter.com/nYS6oNjgDR
— Jon Page (@BiteTheBook) April 17, 2019
Chibundu Onuzo’s Travel Piece About Barbados Gets Furious Response on Twitter
I tried to give you a chance as a fellow Nigerian, but you owe Bajans an apology. Barbados is a beautiful country with amazing pple. I’ve been twice, I didn’t hide away in resorts, I stayed around and met everyday Bajans who gushed over me being Nigerian + their love of Nollywood
— MissTeeOfficial (@MissTeeOfficial) August 11, 2019
If you make no actual effort to leave Sandy Lane or Westmoreland besides trips to the beach what else could you have expected to experience?! My God this was disappointing to read… pic.twitter.com/u5aQBgqRH7
— Javere🇧🇧 (@_KingBrath) August 10, 2019
What exactly did you do in Barbados again? Not seeing the correlation between the article headline and contents … this piece is disappointing and misleading, nothing reflective of our rich Barbadian culture have been highlighted. much more to do and experience on our island.
— Aphrodite . Hybrid (@name_wallflower) August 10, 2019
I was there for Kadooment, and saw Black gay men freely playing mas. It made my heart so happy. I spent a week celebrating all things Black culture with men and women soooo I don’t know about this.
— tee hails (@teehails) August 10, 2019
To then posit that sunbathing might not be a “race thing” is a bit 🥴 when we consider the ways society treats Black people, most especially darker skinned Black people.
I dunno, there are a few unsettling things about this piece and it pains me to say it has missed the mark.
— Kelechi (@kelechnekoff) August 11, 2019
That’s fine for a blog, but I argue not for a national newspaper. The @guardian have made it worse with their click bait headline.
— Dr Shawn Sobers (@shawnsobers) August 10, 2019
What’s it like in Barbados for a Nigerian family on holiday? Shrewdly observed piece by @ChibunduOnuzo in @guardian
https://t.co/32nLDCYq1L— Rose Tomaszewska (@RoseNaomiTom) August 9, 2019
This was a thoroughly disappointing read. Mainly because in your own admission you made little effort to actually interact with locals, patronize localky owned business or doing any real sightseeing.
— Ronelle King (@IAmXilomen) August 9, 2019
Tsitsi Dangarembga on Sexism in Zimbabwean Culture Criticism
I am reading social media posts by Zimbabwean men who say only male Zimbabweans are great writers or musicians. they supply all male lists of Zimbabwean creatives to prove their point, stating or implying that the women are not as good. Why would they do that?
— Tsitsi Dangarembga (@efie41209591) July 30, 2019
Follow the conversation on the thread HERE.
Gerald Kraak Prize 2019 Winner OluTimehin Adegbeye Says Big Brother Naija Employee Andre Blaze Henshaw Sexually Assaulted Her
Just a friendly reminder that all of you watching Big Brother are listening to the voice of Andre Blaze Henshaw, who sexually assaulted me while I was incapacitated, in full view of other people, and despite the fact that another woman who saw him tried to make him stop.
— OluTimehin Adegbeye🌈 (@OhTimehin) July 20, 2019
Tell me again how accusations of sexual violence are terrible things that ‘ruin men’s lives’.
— OluTimehin Adegbeye🌈 (@OhTimehin) July 20, 2019
The problem isn’t that most people don’t believe survivors — even though that’s a huge problem in and of itself. The real problem is that people simply do not care.
— OluTimehin Adegbeye🌈 (@OhTimehin) July 20, 2019
Novuyo Rosa Tshuma on Book Distribution in Africa versus in the West
I feel fortunate to have experienced publishing both on the continent and here, bc you get to understand how books move & work in the larger world & systems, beyond writing. There is a book as its own complete, beautiful thing. Then there is getting a book out into the world.
— Novuyo Rosa Tshuma (@NovuyoRTshuma) August 11, 2019
The book remains the same that the author has written. Great, if it is great, no matter where it is published. But from personal experience I know it matters where & how one is published. We are in a game of perceptions, & it is the most ironic thing to experience.
— Novuyo Rosa Tshuma (@NovuyoRTshuma) August 11, 2019
Very astute observations, Otosirieze! Was nodding as I was reading this. Regretfully, this is true.
— Novuyo Rosa Tshuma (@NovuyoRTshuma) August 11, 2019
Nnedi Okorafor on the Mislabeling of Her Binti Trilogy as Fantasy Rather Than Science Fiction
Follow the conversation on Facebook.
Billy Kahora Reads from New Story Collection, The Cape Cod Bicycle War, at the Hargeysa Book Fair in Somaliland
Billy Kahora reflects on the ways in which a lot of the stories in the collection are set in 1990s Kenya & capture a certain socio-political moment. He is interested in people &what happened to people particularly in this time.#HIBF2019 #Kenyanwriters #africanlit #Kenyanstories pic.twitter.com/JAeLc6Mesl
— Huza Press (@HuzaPress) July 21, 2019
President Buhari of Nigeria Congratulated Lesley Nneka Arimah on Her Caine Prize Win
STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT BUHARI CONGRATULATES NIGERIAN WRITER, LESLEY NNEKA ARIMAH FOR WINNING 2019 CAINE PRIZE
On behalf of all Nigerians & the government, President @MBuhari warmly congratulates Nigerian writer, Lesley Nneka Arimah, for winning the 2019 @CainePrize
— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) July 9, 2019
And this is her after a book reading in Lagos.
“The Lagos crowd are always very lively and engaging” – @larimah
We think you were more engaging!
Thank you @farafinabooks for the plug.
If you couldn’t make it, check out our #Instastory for all the highlights from #InConversationWithArimah
Enjoy the holidays 💫 💫 pic.twitter.com/3beM3DTf4j
— Café One By Sterling (@CafeOne_Ng) August 12, 2019
President Ramaphosa of South Africa Quoted Koleka Putuma
What does it mean when the president quotes you in his speech 😱 https://t.co/vNllPXwsef
— Koleka Putuma (@KPutuma) August 9, 2019
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s, um, Dance
Ever seen Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie dance? pic.twitter.com/FvfiWl6o6w
— BRITTLE PAPER (@brittlepaper) March 29, 2019
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