Ebedi International Writers’ Residency: The go-to for literary talents
The Ebedi International Writers’ Residency has emerged as the meeting point for budding African writers to converge, hone their skills and blossom.
Situated in Iseyin town in Oyo State, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, the writers’ residency is in a serene environment suitable for creative work.
The founder is an award-winning Nigerian author of many novels, short story collections, biographies and travel stories and the former president of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Dr Wale Okediran. His mission is to nurture and promote African literature by giving aspiring and fledging authors from the continent a stage to develop their craft.
A little more than a decade after its inception, the Ebedi International Writers’ Residency, the first of its kind in Nigeria, has hosted writers from different parts of Africa. As of the last count, no less than 280 literary minds from about 12 countries have participated in the programme.
What makes the writers’ residency tick is the peaceful setting where writers are accommodated and fed free of cost during their month-long stay. Many participants have attested to the profound impact the natural ambience of the location has had on their creative output.
As part of their duties to advance education in Iseyin, writers plan literary events for the town’s students.
Also, there are natural landmarks for sightseeing like the Ebedi Hills and the much-talked-about Ado Awaye Suspended Lake among other interesting places to visit.
Writers with published plays, novels, short stories, or poems, living in Nigeria or elsewhere, are eligible to apply for the Ebedi International Writers’ Residency.
With its growing reputation and as more writers converge in Iseyin each year, the Ebedi International Writers’ Residency retains its status as the go-to for talented African writers to develop and refine their craft.
