Rekindling the Flame
My childhood bloomed in Southeast Nigeria, where stories danced in the palm trees. Enugu, a city thrumming with literary history, held a special magic for me. Here, Achebe, Nwapa, and Adichie ignited imaginations and gifted the world with classics. But in 2013, when I arrived as a research librarian, reality hit me. The birthplace of giants boasted only one underfunded library, and the vibrant reading culture I had dreamt of was absent. Enugu pulsed with youthful energy in its bars, yet beneath the surface, a disquiet simmered. Literacy rates dropped, creative spaces vanished, and a talent drain flowed toward Lagos and Abuja. This stark contrast ignited a question in me: How could storytelling bridge the gap and reignite Enugu’s literary flame? Initially, I didn’t connect the absence of creative spaces with inequality. This perspective shifted when I began volunteering with education-focused organizations. These experiences exposed me to the harsh realities of urban slums in Enugu. The...