Code Switching in The Spirit Realm: Lady Ejiro Endowment Fund Drives ANA Poetry Slam and Literary Excellence

Abuja, Nigeria – November 1, 2025 – The Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village in Abuja, Nigeria, was abuzz with energy as eleven poets gathered to showcase their mastery of language, rhythm, and resistance. The occasion was the 2025 ANA Poetry Slam supported by the Lady Ejiro Umukoro Endowment Fund for Poets and Writers in partnership with the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA.

As the national anthem filled the air, led by Chinyere Obi-Obasi, the audience was transported to a realm of artistic expression. ANA President, Dr. Usman-Oladipo Akanbi, welcomed the gathering with a heartfelt address, reminding writers and poets of the association’s mission to preserve Nigeria’s literary identity while evolving with the tides of modern storytelling.

Slam Master Abdulmaleek Yahaya took the stage, introducing the contestants with a poetic flair. Uduak Archibong, Sahada Yahaya, Onyinye, Abu Awal, Raw Wise, James, Davidfyncountry, Sheriff Ola, Saliu Mohammed, Awareness Timothy, and Akiwande Funmilayo Theresa were the warriors of words, ready to weave sound into meaning.

The battle intensified as judges Ismaila Bala, Amara Aliyu, and Chukwuma listened intently, while Ambrose Madu kept the tempo. Atta the Titan, aka Hausa William Shakespeare, electrified the crowd with his wit and theatrical flair, ensuring that no moment went dull.

The five finalists – Awareness Timothy, Uduak Archibong, Onyinye, James, and Sahada Yahaya – demonstrated remarkable courage, emotion, flexibility, rhythm, and coordination. Sahada Yahaya’s delivery was raw yet refined, spiritual yet grounded, embodying the night’s theme – code switching between the earthly and the divine.

Lady Ejiro Umukoro, Founder and CEO of LightRay Media, represented by Mrs Joy Jaiyesimi at the awards and cash prize ceremony, delivered a goodwill message, emphasizing, “Poetry is not just performance; it’s grit, prayer, and prophecy. Our voices must keep echoing beyond the page.”

The Association of Nigerian Authors honored distinguished figures, including His Excellency, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, Executive Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Madaka Abdullahi, and Prof. Udenta Udenta, for their commitment to literary development in Nigeria.

The ANA Prize for Prose went to Dave Okoroafor for “The Boy Who Built a Titanic Raft”, and the Grand Chinua Achebe Literary Prize 2025 was awarded to Ndidi Chiazor-Enenmor, who promised to keep writing.

The event was a celebration of literary excellence and cultural unity, featuring panel discussions, book and art exhibitions, live performances, and a grand dinner night.

The book ‘Once Upon a Crisis in the Annals of ANA’, written by Biola Layonu and published by Media Records Project, Ibadan, was officially presented by Dr. Rufus Kehinde, coinciding with the 64th birthday celebration of Colonel Kolawole Kayode Shaw (Retired). This 156-page, nine-chapter historical work chronicles ANA’s journey since its founding on June 27, 1981, by the legendary novelist Chinua Achebe, as the premier home of Nigerian writers dedicated to promoting literary excellence and cultural unity. According to Dr. Maria Ekpenyong, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Yubatan, “The book explores ANA’s trials, including internal discord, constitutional governance challenges, and eventual reconciliation, yet celebrates the association’s resilience and indomitable spirit, inspiring generations of writers to strive for excellence.”

Also in attendance were Professor Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, Commissioner for Education, Anambra State, Professor Jose Rizal, and Professor Zelda Medina, among a host of art-loving Nigerians, who gathered around a hundred dinner tables to celebrate the event and etch it in history.

As Onwanyi Ulegede (Esq.), Chairperson of the ANA Benue Chapter, delivered the vote of thanks, she said, “Words can build nations.”

The 2025 ANA Poetry Slam reaffirmed the power of Nigerian literature to document, challenge, and heal, leaving a lasting legacy in the nation’s literary ecosystem.