Call for Submission: Sixth Chinua Achebe Poetry/Essay Anthology

Society of Young Nigerian Writers (Anambra State Chapter) —the literary body that hosts Chinua Achebe Literary Festival and Memorial Lecture— is calling for submission of quality poems and essays from writers across the world, for her 6th Chinua Achebe Poetry/Essay Anthology.

The annual anthology is published in honour and memory of Late Prof. Chinua Achebe, a foremost Nigerian literary legend and father of morden African Literature. The prestigious anthology will (as usual) be unveiled at the 6th edition of Chinua Achebe Literary Festival and Memorial Lecture, which is slated to hold on 16th November 2021, at the Anambra State Central E-Library (also known as Prof. Kenneth Dike Central E-Library), in Awka, south-eastern Nigeria.

According to the Project Coordinator, Izunna Okafor, who is also the Coordinator of Society of Young Nigerian Writers in Anambra State and Editor-in-Chief of the Anthology, Chinua Achebe Literary Festival is an annual literary festival held by Society of Young Nigerian Writers in memory and honour of Achebe, in celebration of his life, works, contributions and legacies in the literary field. 

The event, he noted, was initiated in 2016, and holds on Achebe's date of birth (16th November) every year since then, with the last edition held in 2020, during which the most recent edition of the Chinua Achebe Essay/Poetry Anthology —'Achebe: A Man of the People' —was published.

"It is with a view to mark this year's edition of the Festival in a more remarkable and memorable way that we are calling on both burgeoning and established writers from different parts of the world, to enter their quality and thematically-written poems and essays for this sixth anthology," Okafor said. 

"The anthology is in honour of Prof. Chinua Achebe; hence, only entries that relate to or revolve around Achebe, his works, his literary prowess and legacies will be accepted for publication," he added.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES/RULES:

1. Only poems essays/reviews are accepted for the anthology.

2. Entrant must specify the genre of his entry; that is, specify if it is poetry or essay/review. 

3. The poems and essays/reviews MUST relate to or revolve around either Achebe as a person (his personality), his works, his literary prowess/feats, life, legacies or other areas.

4. The essay or poem should be as brief and concise as possible — maximum of 500 words for essays/reviews, and maximum of 30 lines for poetry.

5. Author’s information —location/contact address, phone number, e-mail address, with a short bio of NOT more than 40 words should be included in the submission.

6. Submission is FREE and open to writers from any part of the world.

7. Entry MUST be the original work of the author/poet. ANY PLAGIARISED WORK WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED.

8. Only ONE entry per person is allowed.

9. Entrant may choose/write on any interesting title of his/her choice.

10. Entries should be sent to:
achebeanthology@gmail.com 

and copied to:

synwanambrachapter@gmail.com

11.  Subject of the mail should read "SIXTH CHINUA ACHEBE ESSAY/POETRY ANTHOLOGY (SPECIFY THE GENRE OF YOUR ENTRY)".

Example: "SIXTH CHINUA ACHEBE ESSAY/POETRY ANTHOLOGY (POETRY)"

12. Entry and its title MUST be type-written and sent in the body of the mail; NOT AS ATTACHMENT. Entries sent as attachment will be automatically disqualified.

13. Submission Deadline: 30th SEPTEMBER 2021. 
Late entry/submission will not be ACCEPTED.

13. Entry may be written in either English or Igbo Language.

BENEFITS:

● All successful/accepted essays and poetry will be published in the Sixth Chinua Achebe Poetry/Essay Anthology (soft and hard copies).

● Online promotion of successful/published essays and poems and the entrants.

● All successful entrants shall receive Certificate of Participation.

● Each successful entrant is entitled to author's copy of the published anthology

● Authors/poets of the best ten essays and poems shall be given outstanding recognition and Certificate of Award at the 2021 Chinua Achebe Literary Festival and Memorial Lecture.

● Automatic/free membership and admission into Society of Young Nigerian Writers (for successful/published young Nigerian entrants.)

For inquiries or support, contact:

achebeanthology@gmail.com

synwanambrachapter@gmail.com

+2348163938812

Izunna Okafor (Coordinator, Society of Young Nigerian Writers Anambra Chapter).