ANA to host Special Mbari Series on Northern literature, honors Prof. Isiaka Aliagan at 60
The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has finalized plans to host a major national literary gathering focusing on the critical evolution, visibility, and structural challenges of Northern Nigerian literature.
The upcoming edition of the prestigious ANA Mbari Series, scheduled for Saturday, June 27, 2026, will take place at the ANA National Secretariat inside the Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village in Mpape, Abuja.
This national literary dialogue will double as a grand celebration for renowned scholar and writer, Professor Isiaka Aliagan, FANA, whose 60th birthday marks a lifetime of outstanding contributions to scholarship, creative literature, and intellectual discourse. ANA has officially invited Professor Aliagan to serve as the event’s distinguished Headliner.
Mapping the Northern literary landscape
Themed “Northern Literature: Visibility, Challenges, and Prospects,” the special edition aims to foreground the rich storytelling heritage and creative contributions emerging from Northern Nigeria.
Organizers note that despite a vibrant history of storytelling and a rapidly growing community of contemporary writers, Northern literature is often perceived as receiving less critical attention and mainstream visibility within the broader Nigerian literary space. The June gathering will bring together writers, scholars, and cultural stakeholders to dissect these realities and collectively reflect on the future of Northern literary production.
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Key questions driving the upcoming discourse include how visible is Northern Literature within Nigeria’s current literary landscape? What systemic challenges continue to limit its regional and international reach? What clear prospects and opportunities exist for its future growth, relevance, and wider recognition? How can individual ANA chapters across the North effectively build capacity, nurture emerging voices, and sustain long-term literary practice?
Honoring a literary icon
In a formal invitation extended by the ANA Mbari Series Committee, the association emphasized that the event was conceived both as a critical symposium and a celebration of Professor Aliagan’s milestone 60th birthday.
“Your body of work and longstanding commitment to literary development continue to inspire writers and scholars across generations,” stated committee chairman Professor Kyuka Lilymjok and Secretary Ngozi Alutulu-Ebulum. “We believe your vast experience, scholarly insight, and contributions to literary and cultural discourse make you eminently suited to headline this important conversation.”
The national leadership of the association, led by ANA President Dr. Usman Oladipo Akanbi, views this intervention as a timely necessity to pave new pathways toward a more visible, inclusive, and vibrant Northern literary tradition.
Writers, critics, and members of the reading public are invited to join the association in Abuja to honor Professor Aliagan and participate in shaping the strategies that will define the next generation of Northern Nigerian letters.
